TUTO: Woven stool

Do you have a little stool that's damaged, has a hole in it, is a bit old or, in any case, no longer fresh? Please, don't throw it away! Give it a new lease of life and plenty of color 🌈

All you need is a wall stapler and a few ribbons, and you've got a DIY woven ribbon footrest (or sofa stool) that will bring just THE touch of color you've been missing in the depths of winter (anyway ... we always need color, don't we? 😉 ).

👉Forthis DIY you need:

  • grosgrain ribbon in different colors (here 2.5cm wide, for lengths see the size of your stool and count x 2.5)
  • scissors
  • a wall stapler + staples (here type C 8mm)
  • a stool with a sturdy square or rectangular frame
  • a weaving needle with an eye almost as wide as your ribbons (optional, but very practical!)
  • a box cutter (optional)
  • textile glue (optional)
  • small quilting pliers (optional)

👉How tomake :

Start by freeing your damaged stool from the straw or wicker covering.

You can do this simply by using a cutter or scissors and undoing the weave. Clean your stool. Now you've got the weaving frame!

Decide on the order of your colors. Then start at the end, at one of the corners of the stool: staple a ribbon to the underside, placing its end towards the inside of the stool, as in the video. 

Keep the staples at right angles to the wood and staple them in place: don't hesitate to use two or three staples to make sure everything is solid!

Then bring the ribbon up to the top of the stool, go all the way around and to the opposite side, go under again, pull your ribbon as tight as you can - it should be nice and taut! And staple again, as shown in the video, in the same place as where you started. Optional: to get a nice finish (you know us đŸ„° ), cut and glue as shown, finally fold the end of the ribbon inwards, trying to get the same length for this "hem" every time. This finish also hides ALL the staples! đŸ€

Then continue with a ribbon of a different color right next to the first ribbon. The two should be side by side. Continue stapling the ribbons in this way, tightening and changing colors each time - until you reach the end of this side of the stool. 

Let's move on to the second part: weaving! 

Turn the stool a quarter, stand at one end again, and repeat the same process to staple a new ribbon on that side. The difference is that this time you'll have to weave! Nothing too complicated, I promise 😘

Once you've stapled its end under the stool, thread the ribbon through the needle and use it to pass over, under, over, under... the previously stapled ribbons. Help the ribbon by hand to flatten it or turn it the right way round if necessary, and hold it tight for a taut weave. 

Once you've reached the end, pull tight, then reach under the stool and weave again: top, bottom ... 🎱

This will increase the strength of your stool, and give it a nice finish on the reverse side.

Finally, once you've reached the end, i.e. where you stapled the ribbon in the first place, pull it as tight as you can to tighten it up. It's the same process: staple, cut for the hem, glue it in place, fold it up neatly - you can even hide it under the previous ribbons. 

Moving on to the next ribbon in a different color, repeat the exact same process, simply changing the start of the weave: if you started with "under", start with "over", and vice versa. 

Continue lining up the ribbons and forming your weave... Vary the colors! Throughout the process, make sure you flatten your ribbons and keep the grid tight and taut. 

Staple and glue the last ribbon ... 

And ... TA-DA!!! 🎊

Note: we recommend using it as a footrest, children's stool or sofa stool. If you wish to use it as an adult stool, don't hesitate to secure it with the right number of staples đŸ€