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Easy, wild and colourful furniture for kids
There are three brilliant reasons for making this project. 1.You've been tempted to try woodworking but don't know where to begin. 2.Hot days and bored kids are giving you a puzzling rash. 3.You have a wild imagination that has gotten you into trouble before. Anybody can build furniture. You just need a place to start. By making children's furniture, you learn the basics. And if you make any boo-boos you can pointedly tell the kids you did that on PURPOSE to match their personalities. This project is so intuitive and spontaneous that any shape will do. You can't go wrong even if you've got your eyes shut. Although if it is disastrously bad, you can say "It's pretty good considering I had my eyes shut." Start by measuring the intended sitter's lower leg length, from the floor to the crease behind the knee. This will give you the ideal seat height, plus a chance to see if your child is washing behind his knees. Next, lazily sketch loopy designs on a piece of paper. Try using square Post-It notes for your design sketches. They have a casual quality, so you don't get all tense about making a 'good' design. After all, you're just doodling. Experiment with curvy, squiggly lines until you get a chair profile that looks whimsical and good-natured. Transfer the design onto a 4' x 4' piece of ¾ inch plywood, making sure the seat height is accurately marked. The wackier the design, the more fun it'll be to decorate. Indulge your inner goof. Experiment with curvy, squiggly lines until you get a chair profile that looks whimsical and good-natured.
Cut along the outline using a jigsaw fitted with a scrolling blade. Then use the cut-out piece to trace a mirror image for the other side piece. (Or make the second one asymmetrical if that's the mood you're in.) Next, sketch an outline of the back of the bench, making sure it's wide enough to accommodate your little one's bottom. Finally, cut out a rectangular seat to hold said bottom. Notch So FastAfter you've cut out the main pieces, try fitting them together. The back piece protrudes gawkily from the sides, so cut 3/4" notches along the back edges of the sidepieces (between the top edge and the height of the seat) so the back sits smartly in the notches, flush with the sides. Now you need some ledgers to hold the seat in position. I have an idea! Use those 3/4" strips left over from cutting out those notches! Is this easy or what?! Glue and screw the ledger pieces in place on each of the side-pieces. Next, smear glue along all edges that contact each other and clamp the side and back pieces together. Pre-drill and install 1-1/2-inch screws for support. Fab, oh!To create an invincible upholstery-look finish, cut up a whole lot of fabric scraps. Separate the fabric pieces into colour groups, sorting lights and darks so you can graduate the tones and make it look like an airbrushed '60's Volkswagen, or do it some other way that will actually look good. Apply the fabric pieces by brushing acrylic artist's medium (available at art supply stores in either gloss or matte finish) onto the plywood, pressing the fabric down, and then brushing another coat over the top of the fabric. Trim the edges of the throne with long strips of fabric 3/4" wide. Once the whole thing is dry, you can apply more coats of acrylic artist's medium or water-based urethane to make the upholstery indestructible. This furniture can be made to fit any bottom so don't hold back. Make one for yourself, too. Or here's an idea: Cover all the walls of a room in fabric patches, and then nobody will be able to actually see your furniture. That could be a fun way to surprise relatives. Tools:
Materials:
Dimension guidelines for my bench: 27" - height of sides 12" - height of seat, measured from the ground 11" - depth of seat 24" - approximate overall width of throne
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