How Not to Tuft a Cocktail Ottoman

This was going to be such an easy project!  We found this coffee table on the side of the road (like everything else) & I knew it would be the perfect cocktail ottoman!  
It would just require a few buttons, pulling them through, & voila! Tufting made simple!!! Um… wrong.  For all of you that think that we never have any problems with any of our projects, this one was full of them & my fingers still hurt from my attempts.  I followed all the tutorials, from all my favorite blogs & after spending 45 minutes trying to attach one single tuft (out of 16!) I almost gave in.  After I gave the hubs a little attitude {sorry babe}… we finally figured out the best way {for us} to tuft a freaking ottoman.  Phew… So here are the painful steps we took to create our tufted cocktail ottoman.  
**Insert disclaimer here: Do not follow these directions unless you are completely desperate & crazy!**
Step 1: Determine where your tufts will go.  This requires a lot of trial & error.  I marked my holes in numerous locations before coming up with my final pattern (I finally had to number my holes I made such a mess!).  Also, DO NOT use a red marker that rubs off on your fingers any time you touch it, especially when using a very neutral linen fabric.  Luckily we now know that the fabric was in fact treated for soil & stain as promised.  We used a peg board cut to the size of our table top as our base since it would be later attached to the table for more structural integrity.
Step 2: Cut your foam to size with an electric carving knife & cut out little cone shaped plugs for where your buttons will go.  This will help you achieve a deeper tuft.
Step 3: Start Tufting!  I literally almost cried during this step.  My thread kept snapping & for the life of me I could not get the tuft to stay tight or secure it in anyway.  I tried staples, I tried knots.  Finally I resorted to using dental floss (I was getting desperate!) instead of the upholstery thread I had, which worked much better & used the peg board to wrap the floss around the holes to secure it. 
Step 4: Staple… This was the easiest step.  Simply pull tight & staple generously.
Step 5: Admire!… But… How do I attach it to the table?!?  This is what happens when you are in a hurry to complete projects & don’t think them all the way through.  
Step 6: Live with it for a week unattached.  It looked really good once you slid the top back into place a few times.
Step 7: IDEA!  That turned into a nightmare, that turned into a really good looking ottoman.  We took out one of the original tufts, marked on the table where to predrill our hole & then slid in a bolt with a large washer that was just a tad smaller in diameter than the button.  We then used a washer & a nut to secure it on the bottom.  Well, that tuft looked so good, we decided to take out all of our tufts & do it to all of them!!!  I will say, this got to be difficult in some places… & DO NOT by any circumstances put your drill through the fabric, batting & foam {ahem… not me!}  Once the final bolt was finally in place & we apologized to each other for getting snippy, we again reverted back to Step 5: Admire.
Step 8: Hot Glue the buttons on top of the bolts unless you are going for a very industrial look πŸ™‚ (Same fabric I swear!!!)
I have to admit, I almost threw in the towel on this one.  And even though we put it together completely wrong… I do love the final result.  That is what  matters in the end, right?!?
xo- K