Ok, so this is probably the silliest I’ve ever made, and that’s saying something. I repaired the broken leg in an old side table that had been used as a bench (yesterday’s post), and rather than tempt fate by putting a solid top back on, I made it into a cat hammock.
Photo description: elegant wood table with curved legs with a light pink fuzzy padded edge cat hammock attached.
I had a pink fuzzy blanket that had already been cut into for another project (we couldn’t find the fabric by the yard, so bought a blanket), and sewed a two sided mat. I stapled the mat down to the table top, over the central opening. I then sewed a long tube of the fabric, stuffed it with polyfil and sewed that down on the mat. It is quite the sight. The cats are not too sure of it, so I put it beneath the front window where it will get some sunlight. I’ve sequentially put all three cats on the bed; all have rejected it. I’ll give it some time.
Photo description: Thor the gray tabby standing on the new fancy cat bed.Photo description: Sophie the dilute calico standing on the new fancy cat bed.Photo description: Izzy the calico sitting on the new fancy cat bed. After the photo she moved up to the window sill.
One of my neighbors put out an upholstered stool on the side of the road. It had elegant curved legs, but one of them was broken. I picked it up and glued the leg back on.
Photo description: clamp holding together the broken portion of the leg
There was still a large gap in the leg after I fit it together.
Photo description: closeup of the wooden leg showing a deep hole and ragged gash.
I bought some Apoxy sculpt modeling compound, which is a two-part epoxy clay that hardens without baking. I bought the color called “bronze” because I was inspired by the Japanese method of Kintsugi, or making a visible gold repair. The “bronze” was not metallic at all and actually was a fair match to the stained wood. Huh.
Photo description: same wood leg, but upright on a blue and gray rug, showing the filled hole, which is slightly lighter and more gray in color. I treated the whole base with Howard’s Feed and Wax (I love this stuff).
I removed the water stained upholstered top and found something interesting.
Photo description: top of the stool with the upholstery removed.
This little piece of furniture has been many things. At one point it had a rattan top that had been cut out. I’m guessing the rattan was original and this was intended to be a side table. Then there is a round of staple or tack marks around the old rattan groove, which I assume was the second and maybe even third life of the piece. When I picked it up, it had green velvet fabric stapled to a plywood board, that was then screwed in place from underneath.
I have no doubt that those legs would break again if someone sat on it. So what to do with elegant legs that can’t take much weight? Oh, I came up with something, and it is probably the silliest thing I’ve ever made. I’ll share the results tomorrow.
Spindles with hooks have a weak point where the hook screw connects with the wood, especially if the shaft is slender. I like slender shaft drop spindles because I feel I can control the spin better and the light weight is more comfortable. I don’t like when I drop it and the shaft cracks. To give the metal to wood join some reinforcements, I decided the wrap the weak area with waxed silk.
Clockwise: scissors, beeswax, silk cord size D, drop spindle
The method I used to wrap is called common whipping. Plugging those two words into your search engine will generate all sorts of illustrations and tutorials, as long as you get the words right. It took me an hour of searching to find the right words, I had a synonym of whipping in my head that I couldn’t dislodge. So, two words: “common whipping” are my gift to my readers today.
Common whipping on a drop spindle with waxed silk cord
I ran an arms span of the silk cord through my wax block three or four times to build up a layer of wax. The wax helps protect the cord and makes it stay in place better. I start my whipping with a loop laid along the shaft. I wrap toward the loop, run the end of the cord through the loop, then pull the loop end to draw the ends into the middle of the wrap. (This is where the internet search comes in handy if you are a visual learner.)
I used silk because I tried hemp and it wasn’t strong enough and the diameter made a wrap thicker than I wanted. Waxed linen is also commonly used, and is strong, but I didn’t have any on hand.
Well it happened. I dropped my favorite spindle (again) and the head cracked and came completely off this time. All this near the beginning of a walk. I tried spinning from the other end, but the yarn wasn’t aligned right. I tried just turning the spindle with my fingers, but the yarn produced was much, much thinner. So I tucked it all in my bag and went home.
Head came completely off the spindle this time
I glued then clamped the head back onto the spindle, but since that didn’t hold the last two times, this time I drilled a small hole and hand riveted the two pieces together as well. It took some experiment; the brass wire was too hard, but aluminum filled the hole nicely with some hammering. I sanded the rivet smooth so the edges wouldn’t catch on my yarn.
Rivet made from aluminum wire to provide mechanical strength to the broken spindle head
It looks like a Frankenstein spindle now, with its metal rivets on the neck, but it is holding. I’ve dropped it three times since repairing (not on purpose) and the head has held. I do now carry a spare spindle in the bottom of my bag, just in case.
Critters and Craft 