The Union Jack British flag design has been really popular in home decor over the past several years. We have done our share of Union Jack pillows in the traditional colors.
We’ve even used it on a sweet ring bearer pillow that was custom made for a bride.
I love how it turned out and can’t wait to see the photos from her wedding!
Recently, we took a more subtle approach with the Union Jack motif on a footstool makeover.
Believe it or not this sturdy Ethan Allen footstool was out for the garbage. I don’t have a before picture but it had a torn vinyl cover and the wood stained frame was faded and scratched. After sanding and painting the frame black and distessing it a bit, I cut a square of burlap fabric about six inches larger all the way around than the footstool cushion. Then I sewed the diagonal pieces onto the burlap using jute webbing that I cut down to about half the width of the actual webbing. I sewed on the perpendicular pieces using the full width of the webbing. I used a zigzag stitch and went over all of the edges twice to be sure they wouldn’t fray.
After securing the cover to the cushion using staples, I detailed the edge with a burlap covered cord and used hot glue to secure it to the edge of the cushion. I showed how to make a corded edge here.
Then I secured the cushion to the frame using the original screws.
There you have it – a fresh take on a traditional design. This footstool is currently for sale in our etsy shop.
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