The vintage footstool's shape lends interest, while the matte dove grey paint on its legs modernizes it.

Materials

• Plier
• Footstool
• Sandpaper
• Latex primer
• Paintbrush
• Latex paint
• Piece of muslin (optional)
• Scissors
• Large cable-knit sweater
• Staple gun

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Instructions

1 Using pliers, remove the staples and old fabric from the footstool. If the upholstery foam and batting are in poor condition, remove them, too.

2 Lightly sand the footstool legs to scuff the surface. Apply a coat of primer to the legs and let fully dry. Then apply two coats of paint and let fully dry before upholstering. Add new foam and batting if you removed them.

3 Optional: If the sweater has a large weave and you can see the batting through it, upholster the footstool in a piece of muslin first.

4 Cut the back of the sweater as well as the backs of the sleeves down the middle. Then cut off half the length of the sleeves (approximately at the elbows).

5 Lay the cut sweater right side down on a flat surface. Place the footstool upside down in the centre of the sweater. Pull the edges of the sweater up toward the footstool. Put a staple in the centre of each side of the footstool’s bottom to secure the sweater in place. Then continue to staple the sweater along each side, pulling it taut as you go. Check the top of the footstool every so often to ensure the cable-knit pattern is straight. Trim off any excess fabric, but make sure to leave about a 1" allowance so the sweater doesn’t unravel.