COVERING
A Box cut a piece of wadding
to fit the top of the box. Stick it in place with fabric glue at each corner.
Measure the top of the box and to each dimension, add twice the depth of the
sides of the lid, plus a total of2.5cm for turning. Cut a piece of fabric to
these measurements. Position the lid upside down centrally on the wrong side of
the fabric. Mark the position of the box. Mark a point measuring 6 mm (l in)
diagonally outwards from each corner.
Cut out a square of fabric at each
corner, following the position of the marked point. Snip to the corner of the
lid. Press under the narrow turning. Position the lid on the fabric again and
turn up the sides. Glue in place, and then turn the sides to the inside of the
box and glue. 2 Cut a piece of felt or wallpaper to the internal dimensions of
the lid plus the depth of the sides all round.
Mark the internal dimensions on the wrong side
of the fabric or paper. Cut a square out of each corner, in line with the
marked lines. Fit the lining into the lid and glue in place. Repeat this method
to cover the base of the box, omitting the wadding. If the lid fits too snugly
to turn the edge of the fabric over the inside of the box, trim it to fit
neatly around the outside and finish by covering the raw edge with ribbon or
braid, glued in place.
If you are working on a hinged, flat- topped box, remove
the hinges and cover each part of the box separately. Attach a piece of the
ribbon or a fabric loop to the front of the lid to make a handle to open the
box.
COVERING A SCREEN Take the
hinges off the screen and cover each panel separately. Measure each frame of
the screen. If it has a shaped top, cut a paper template. To save sewing a
cover, cut each fabric panel slightly larger than the frame and wrap each panel
over the edge, stapling in place. Cover the raw edges and staples with
decorative braid, held with decorative brass upholstery tacks, small-headed
tacks or glue.
To sew a Screen cover, with a gusset, measure the depth of the
screen and make up a strip of fabric to fit all around the sides and top of the
frame, allowing 12 mm along the sides, and 5cm(2 in) at each end. Cut a panel
of fabric for each side of the frame, allowing 12 mm turnings all round and 5cm(2
in) along the lower edge. Pin the gusset fabric in place up the sides and
across the top of the fabric panels. Tack in place. Clip into the seam
allowance at the corners, and then stitch the gusset. Press the seam allowances
towards the gusset.
Then turn right side out. 2 Slip the cover
over the frame of the screen and wrap the ends of the gusset inwards. The cover
should be stretched tightly over the screen; check for any puckering. Turn
under a narrow turning along the lower edge, wrap it over the other raw edge
and hold in place with tacks or staples. Repeat for the remaining panels.
Replace the hinges .
BOXE 1 ACCESSORIES LAMPSHADES Many modern lamp fittings
look good in traditional settings: ceramic or wooden candlestick bases with
card or fabric shades are readily available in an increasing range of colors
and styles. Pick a lampshade and base that suit the style and scale of the
room: ceramic lamp bases in traditional gInger jar shapes now come in a huge
range of richly colored glazes to blend or match almost any paint color and
fabric.
Team bases like these with plain cream or white fabric, or card coolie
shades for country house and traditional town house living rooms; pleated fine
cottons and silk druin shades also look elegant here. Smaller versions of
coolie or drum shades in cottagey flower prints teamed with simple wooden or
round ceramic bases lend a cosy touch to informal sitting rooms and bedrooms.
Shiny black coolie card shades teamed with clean cylindrical or spherical bases
in matching black, cream or terracotta look good in modern living rooms;
Chinese pierced ceramic bases with special silk shades complement
eastern-looking room schemes perfectly.
