A log stool is just a log if you don't spruce it up!
My log stool was hard and not that exciting until I added a pillow top to it!
Materials:
Stiff Fabric
Foam or Round Pillow
Long screw
Washer the bigger the better
Big Button
Strong glue
First determine how big to make the
pillow. I made mine 1" wider than my stump so that it had some overhang. I
had some old foam lying around so I cut that to the right size. I wanted the
seat to be soft, so I cut an additional circle slightly smaller to go on top
for extra padding. If you are using a pillow skip this step.
Making a pillow, I quickly learned, is a
very simple task and does not require a pattern. Measure the diameter of the
foam and add 3" total to the measurement to account for the 1.5" seam
on each side. Fold your fabric in half and cut a circle out of your fabric with
the new diameter. To cut a circle I tied a pencil on one end of a string and
cut the sting to be the correct length. Hold the sting in the middle and draw a
circle with the pencil all the way around keeping the sting tight. It was not
100% accurate for me, but it should be close enough that it will correct when
you sew it together.
Next measure the distance around the
outside of the newly cut circles Add a few inches for 'safety' this will be the side panel. Measure the height
of your foam/pillow. Mine was 6" tall but I wanted it to squish down
inside my pillow case so I only cut 6" total (3" + 1.5"
seams on each side).
Fold the side panel stip in half, and in half again. Pin the corners (3 pins and 4 even sections). Next fold the one circle in half and pin the edges (do this both ways so there are 4 pins dividing the quarters). Match the pins so that the side panel stip is evenly dispursed around the circle. Make sure you do this right side to right side (so when you flip it inside out you see the good side of the fabric).
Sew the circle on to the side panel strip. Do it again for the other circle but only sew 3/4 of the way around.
Put the pillow or foam pieces inside and hand sew the opening closed.
Take a long screw. Mine was 5" but that might have been over kill. Place the washer on the screw. This gives extra security so the fabric doesn't rip and pop over top of the screw. Place the pillow on the stump just how you want it. Find the middle of the pillow (I eyeballed it) and screw down through the pillow into the stup. Go down almost as far as you can so that when you sit down the screw doesn't poke you. Finally glue a big button on top of the screw to hide it.
Finished!
