Quick! Do It Again!!!

"Look what I found in the bag!" That was Tessie this morning. Yes. She found another one of the chair kits like the one that I built yesterday and on top of that, literally, she found more of the material from the Valentino tie.

She didn't really "find" it. She was sitting right there watching when I took the kits out yesterday and she knew that there was another chair kit in the bag.

"You have to make another one for me." she said. "If you don't, I am keeping Zar's chair.".

What could I do? I was cat sitting and they are a good project.

I will kind of take you along for the ride this time. The House Of Miniature kits are pretty easy to put together. They are precisely cut and unless you mess with them(like I sometimes do) they are easily assembled.

These particular chairs are pretty easy if you can read directions and follow them to the letter. In this photo I have started making the components. They come with wood shapes for the arms seat and back. There are also some tag board pieces that have to be covered with fabric for finishing edges and wings. They even have diagrams for how wide to cut the overhangs on all of the pieces.

If you look to the left of this photo you will see an arm/wing with glue on the edge. Next to it is a piece of the tag board that is glued to a piece of the fabric. The next step is to glue the tag board to the arm/wing and then clip and glue the edges of the fabric to it. You can see one that I have already gotten that far to the right of it. I have already done the seat assembly. Only the front of the base was covered and glued. The seat had a layer of batting glued to it and then the fabric was wrapped around it somewhat like a present is gift wrapped. Once you get the arms, back and seat finished as separate units, you simply glue them together and then glue the leg assembly under that. Voila! Finished chair.

Mind you, all of the silk was used on the bias in this case, because I wanted the circles in straight lines up and down each piece. That actually made it easier to do because of the stretch of the bias.

Here, Tessie is holding the back piece. It consists of a wooden form and glued to that is one of the tag board shapes with a layer of batting then the silk. I should mention that I discarded the foam that comes with the kits for cushions. I don't trust the foam forms. I have had some things made of foam crumble and disintegrate over time. It is not pleasant to pick up a piece of furniture, poke it expecting bounce back, and then discover powder inside the cushions.

You can see that I have one of the wings finished. The sides are covered with the fabric covered, oak tag pieces. From left to right. One of the pieces with the fabric glued to it but not yet wrapped around. Atop that is a wooden form ready for the outer pieces to be glued in place. Laying on that is the outer cover, ready to be glued in place. Last is the finished wing.

Once again there is peace in the world....For the time being. I did hear some rumblings from Zar, saying that he thought that he should have both of the matching chairs for his living room. I wisely ignored him.

All I have to say is "Don't hold your breath, Zar."

Tessie and Zar managed to drag all of the kits out of the bag while I was cleaning up. They are now divvying up the remaining kits.

They were using the "rock, paper, scissors" method. That could have come to a messy and somewhat bloody conclusion. It's not pleasant when they decide to use real rocks and throw them!

I stopped that and had them draw straws to see who went first and then let them choose, one at a time.

I do believe that Tessie, once again, rigged the draw. She got first choice. At least that was only for the first piece.

They are both happily discussing which pieces are going where in their prospective houses. I think it was a mistake. Tessie is now back on the Spiderwort Manor kick. I wonder how long it is going to take her to talk Zar out of his share of the kits?

I have to go back to cat sitting now.

See you tomorrow.