I really enjoy sewing on my vintage machines and lately, I have been experimenting with fmq (free motion quilting) on my Singer 301. :) After visiting the local antique shops with my mother-in-law this past week, I came home with a new vintage treasure! A card table manufactured by Singer for the 301, 400 or 500 series machines. And while the table in the pictures above is in very nice shape, mine wasn't. I forgot to take a picture of the "before," but trust me when I say that it definitely needed to be resurfaced before I could even think about using it. The old veneer was cracked, bubbled and splitting. Not only was it not pretty, it would cause my fabric to snag as I was sewing. After my mother-in-law ventured back home, I got to work! I did some research online and watched some videos about reapplying veneer. Even though the process doesn't seem that difficult, it can be expensive! Especially for a sheet large enough to cover the 31" square table top! While sanding, I noticed that the thin, plywood top is warped. Probably due to age and maybe even some water damage. Which would explain why the veneer was in such bad shape and why it came off so easily. I thought about it for a couple of days and brainstormed some other materials I could use to finish the surface. I considered applying a sheet of Formica, or just sealing the plywood, but ultimately, I decided to use the vinyl flooring that looks like wood planks. Before you gasp in horror, here's why: -- The table isn't rare and considering the condition, I knew I didn't want to spend a ton of money for the veneer. -- The vinyl flooring came in all sorts of beautiful finishes and grain patterns at my local home store, which means no shipping and no waiting! I went with a maple finish that has a smooth texture. -- Easy to work with. Peel and stick and cutting is a breeze with a box cutter and a pair of household shears. -- Durable! This stuff has a lifetime warranty if you use it as a floor and since I'm not planning on walking on my table, it should last longer than I will! :) -- Affordable! Each plank is 4 x 48". To cover the top, I only needed 8, but I got an extra for those "just in case" scenarios. That means I replaced the surface for under $10! The process was just as easy as I had hoped, and yes, I did it myself! It took about an hour to apply all of the planks and do the cutting for the insert (which isn't pictured....sorry about that!) I love how it turned out!
1 Comment
Melinda Hawkins
1/11/2015 12:11:33 pm
Now that is cool!
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About MeFiber artist, wife to a wonderful husband and mom to 2 awesome, grown kids Archives
July 2023
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