Sit-Upons

[sylvie]

Does anyone remember making Sit-Upons in Brownies or Girl Scouts?

We made them with oil cloth which was very durable.
I'd love to make a bunch for days when the outdoor furniture seats are wet. The flannel backed vinyl seems very weak and easily torn.
Is oilcloth still made? It was a canvas backed vinyl.

Here's a general link for anyone unfamiliar with the Sit-Upon
http://www.momsminivan.com/extras/situpon.html

They were like an early version of a stadium cushion, stuffed with newspaper.

 

[keljonma]

Yes. Such memories there......

I saw an article in Mary Jane's magazine about a month or two ago on how to make your own oilcloth. This isn't her article, but another that I found on the web at the same time. I haven't tried it yet.

Making Oil Cloth from ehow.com
Originally, oilcloth was made of sturdy, natural fiber fabrics such as cotton duck, linen or cotton canvas which had been treated with a linseed oil based coating. Often it was dyed, painted or printed prior to the oil treatment, or sometimes colored designs were added during the treatment process. Oilcloth was commonly used in years past for tablecloths and picnic cloths because it was durable and relatively waterproof. Often it was used for making lawn furniture. An inexpensive fabric, oilcloth was usually sold by the foot at local hardware and department stores.

True oilcloth is environmentally friendly because linseed is not a petroleum based product, but a natural byproduct of processed flax. By the late 1950s, oilcloth was pretty much replaced by vinyl products. Within recent years, a PVC-coated cotton fabric has been marketed as "real oilcloth," which of course is not the case. However, if you're missing your no-longer-available "real" oilcloth, it's very easy to make your own. The linseed oil you use MUST be raw linseed oil if you are using the oil cloth in contact with any food. "Boiled" linseed oil has many toxic solvents, dryers, and other additives. You might consider purchasing the linseed oil (flax seed oil) from a health food store rather than a hardware store.

Things You'll Need:
18 by 18 inch pre-washed square of canvas or linen
24 by 24 inch piece of plywood
Stapler or staple gun
Fabric dyes, oil paints or acrylic paints (optional)
Linseed oil & Paintbrush
Scissors & Needle and thread or fabric glue to hem the oilcloth

1. Lay the plywood on a flat surface. Center the cloth on the plywood and smooth it out so that there are no wrinkles..

2. Staple the cloth to the plywood, smoothing and stretching as you go.

3. Use fabric dyes, acrylic paints or oil paints to create a design on the fabric, if you wish. Allow dyes or paints to dry thoroughly before proceeding.

4. Cover the cloth with linseed oil, using long even strokes of the paintbrush. Allow the cloth to dry for a couple of days.

5. Repeat Step 4 three more times. Drying times between coats will become shorter and shorter as the linseed oil begins to build up on the surface of the cloth.

6. Add a design with dyes or paints at this time, if you have not done so already.

7. Repeat Step 4 three more times.

8. Remove your oilcloth from the plywood once it is thoroughly dry and the linseed oil has built up a nice, thick coating. Trim the unpainted edges.

9. Hem the oilcloth with needle and thread. Or turn the edges under and glue them into place with fabric glue for a nice, smooth edge.



ETA- neither of mine were as colorful as the one in the link you provided!

 

[sylvie]

Yes. Such memories there......

I saw an article in Mary Jane's magazine about a month or two ago on how to make your own oilcloth. This isn't her article, but another that I found on the web at the same time. I haven't tried it yet.

Making Oil Cloth from ehow.com
Originally, oilcloth was made of sturdy, natural fiber fabrics such as cotton duck, linen or cotton canvas which had been treated with a linseed oil based coating. Often it was dyed, painted or printed prior to the oil treatment, or sometimes colored designs were added during the treatment process. Oilcloth was commonly used in years past for tablecloths and picnic cloths because it was durable and relatively waterproof. Often it was used for making lawn furniture. An inexpensive fabric, oilcloth was usually sold by the foot at local hardware and department stores.

True oilcloth is environmentally friendly because linseed is not a petroleum based product, but a natural byproduct of processed flax. By the late 1950s, oilcloth was pretty much replaced by vinyl products. Within recent years, a PVC-coated cotton fabric has been marketed as "real oilcloth," which of course is not the case. However, if you're missing your no-longer-available "real" oilcloth, it's very easy to make your own. The linseed oil you use MUST be raw linseed oil if you are using the oil cloth in contact with any food. "Boiled" linseed oil has many toxic solvents, dryers, and other additives. You might consider purchasing the linseed oil (flax seed oil) from a health food store rather than a hardware store.

Things You'll Need:
18 by 18 inch pre-washed square of canvas or linen
24 by 24 inch piece of plywood
Stapler or staple gun
Fabric dyes, oil paints or acrylic paints (optional)
Linseed oil & Paintbrush
Scissors & Needle and thread or fabric glue to hem the oilcloth

1. Lay the plywood on a flat surface. Center the cloth on the plywood and smooth it out so that there are no wrinkles..

2. Staple the cloth to the plywood, smoothing and stretching as you go.

3. Use fabric dyes, acrylic paints or oil paints to create a design on the fabric, if you wish. Allow dyes or paints to dry thoroughly before proceeding.

4. Cover the cloth with linseed oil, using long even strokes of the paintbrush. Allow the cloth to dry for a couple of days.

5. Repeat Step 4 three more times. Drying times between coats will become shorter and shorter as the linseed oil begins to build up on the surface of the cloth.

6. Add a design with dyes or paints at this time, if you have not done so already.

7. Repeat Step 4 three more times.

8. Remove your oilcloth from the plywood once it is thoroughly dry and the linseed oil has built up a nice, thick coating. Trim the unpainted edges.

9. Hem the oilcloth with needle and thread. Or turn the edges under and glue them into place with fabric glue for a nice, smooth edge.



ETA- neither of mine were as colorful as the one in the link you provided!

Holy smokes! I sure have known that you would have the answer, Keljonma!!Thanks, this looks amazing!

 

[hennypenny9]

I WISH they still made true oil-cloth. Since I work at JoAnn's, I get asked if we carry it every single day! I have to say no, the closest thing is the outdoor vinyl. Which is not the same, but it's mean to just say no and walk away.

Oh, but we do have cotton duck cloth!

 

[keljonma]

I WISH they still made true oil-cloth. Since I work at JoAnn's, I get asked if we carry it every single day! I have to say no, the closest thing is the outdoor vinyl. Which is not the same, but it's mean to just say no and walk away.

Oh, but we do have cotton duck cloth!

Sounds like you should start making custom oil cloth and selling it! You already have a captive clientele! No, we don't sell it, but here is the business card of someone who can custom make oilcloth to match your designs or colors.

 

[Henrietta23]

Sure do remember!
Oil cloth does seem to be available online. But it's not the same? I want to say we use wallpaper sample books but I can't remember how we water proofed ours. I'm thinking we didn't have the best leaders in my troop.

 

[sylvie]

In rereading Keljonma's directions for making oilcloth, it is apparent that oilcloth is made from renewable resources as opposed to vinyl. More so if vegetable dyes are used. Oil paints used to be hand mixed from different earths and minerals.
It may make a comeback as we deplete non renewable resources.

 

[FarmerDenise]

I had never heard of these. They are a wonderfull idea. Even better with home made oil cloth. I've saved the directions for myself.

 

[davaroo]

I've been looking around and I believe that real oil cloth is dead. Unlike many old fashioned things that have made a comeback in the cottage industry, real linseed oiled cloth is apparently gone. There are one or two outfits that make it, but it is for war re-enactors and can only be had in military-esque brown or green shades

You can make your own of course, and for small applications this works. But in order to make large, table cloth sized pieces, you will need some decent skills at building suitable stretcher frames. Raw linseed oil takes a very long time to cure out. Any frame must be rigid enough to withstand the stresses imposed on it as it cures and shrinks. You also have to protect it while it cures, to prevent dust and other "clingies" from getting in the finish.

There is boiled linseed oil, the cooking of which speeds up the drying. However, boiled linseed oil isn't boiled at all, these days. It contains petro-solvents and metallic driers to get the rapid drying effect, so it doesn't have the "organic, all-natural" appeal that raw linseed oil offers. But it dries much faster than the raw stuff and could substitute where the oiled cloth doesn't need to be food-grade.

So, all this inspires me to ask - could oil cloth come back? I saw one of those scripted home makeover shows the other day, where the toothy, too-giddy hosts had found a maker of hand printed wall paper. This stuff was being made in a loft in NYC, just as it was a hundred years ago. The chatty hosts of the show were gushing over the quality and beauty of this hot "new" paper.
I'm sure the wallpaper company's stock went up after the airing of the show.

Could oil cloth go the same way? It could be a real cottage start up, as I see it. If you had the time and not too much money, this could become something that might make money.

There are enough people out there who will recognize the eco-value in genuine oilcloth - and who feel put upon by the fake stuff. They would buy it. There is also a new generation of "Greenies" who have probably never heard of oil cloth, but would embrace it. Too, the internet is your low-cost oyster when it comes to selling such things.

I don't know what it would cost per sq yard, and there are some technical details to be worked out, for sure. But I tell you I've seen enough "high quality, high priced" FAKE oil cloth to make me think you might compete. At retail, raw linseed oil for the painting trade is $25/gallon. It can also be had in larger quantities, with the attendant bulk discounts.

It might just be worth the experimenting to see if making oil cloth is all it's cracked up to be. You'd get something useful for your trouble and who knows, it could boost your income!

 

[freemotion]

How did I miss this thread? I am very interested in oilcloth....years ago I bought an Australian stock coat, oilcloth I think, and it is an amazing item of clothing. Twenty years later it is still warm and waterproof. I can go out and work or walk in ANY weather (except lightening!) I bought a can of something to retreat it but have never had to. The can contains, I think, petroleum products and beeswax. Yuk.

I would like to experiment with homemade oilcloth as food wraps....sandwich wraps, and covers for fridge containers, etc. I figure they could be wiped clean, and occasionally wiped with a mild bleach solution. But I never have, being worried about the flammable oily rag issue.

Suggestions?