Canopy bed

The next piece I started on was a canopy bed. I think it's interesting that it is called a canopy bed as opposed to a four-poster bed which I called it when I made my very first piece of furniture as well as my Great Tudor bed. Now that I have embarked on a more sophisticated bed-making I still feel quite proud of my earlier endeavours.

 

As with the cabinet-making, the instructions were perfect. I was a bit intimidated to begin with, but after all I did make the cabinet, and I have time, patience and passion. So I started with staining the bits that would be visible, and in the meantime assembled the frame. The alignment pattern was very helpful. I used an old cork placemat under the sheet. Then the next step was to drill holes in the frame for the strings. I can't see why they couldn't have pre-drilled the holes, like they did for the posts. I think it's like when you are making cake from powder, the recipe tells you to add butter just so that you feel that you have made at least something yourself. I was very careful with drilling because I was afraid that the frame would break. It's so delicate. I am used to working with solid old venetian blinds. If one bit breaks you just take another one.

To glue on sideboards, there was another pattern. It was fun to make because I couldn't help thinking that this was the way real furniture makers once used to work, in pre-IKEA times. Perhaps some still do it. I am very deliberately showing every step, just to emphasise how well and cleverly everything was designed and planned, and you just had to let it take the time it needed. After every step the glue must set. By the way, I used toothpicks to spread the glue.

 

I was uneasy about gluing on the posts because I had several times failed with my previous projects. But it was very well explained as well.



Masking tape is a blessing.

While it was setting, I made the canopy frame, using yet another alignment pattern

And, very smart, you turned the frame upside down and glued on to the canopy while it was still in the alignment. This is where I am at the moment, waiting for the whole thing to set. I hope it does not tumble down when I take off the masking tape.

Come back soon to see more.