Odd Couple #2

This odd couple is just that, as they have different dimensions and arm styles.

Time to pair 'em up.

 The wood work cleaned up real nice with this.

The last upholsterer really got carried away with way to many staples.

 The last upholsterer that got a hold of this chair also put layers of synthetic throughout.

I stripped all that off and tailored up natural cotton like should be.

 What a nice tapestry.

I had the owner get 6 yards.  These extra large Martha Washington's came through the door.

I was wondering if I was gonna be short fabric.  I completed them both with under 5 yards.

Lots of mirror tailoring time in the arms.

 New cotton throughout.

I rolled over the fabric so no gimp or double piping needed.

 Sharp crisp lines, so as not to give them a over stuffed look.

 Clean cuts as I set the bases "tight as a drum".

Clean cuts.

 The outside backs, backed & lined.

Center top, centered on both.

Pairs of chairs are nice.

These are ready to serve.

Thanks for looking!

Skirted Club Chairs

Pairs of chairs are so nice.
Lots of staples to get out of the frames.

One broken arm in three places.  I hack sawed off 3 broken screws and redrilled new pilot holes for the new screw spots.

Lots of screws, glue and clamps.

I carefully re-tailored up the stuffings on the arm fronts.

The owners wanted to spark up this pair a little.

And handset traditional tacks will do it.

Lots of numbers to put together so as to complete this pair with the amount of fabric the customer supplied.

Lots of cuts to set the insides.

Fabric is a substantial cost.  Pull tabs on 3 sides of the inside backs really utilize the most out of the yardage.

Clean intersections.

A clean shop has many advantages.

The outside arms and backs all lined.

Surged arm covers.

Time for new foam in the seat cushions with a polywrap glued on.

The seat cushion beltings all made up.

Lots of skirts. Backed and lined.

What a sweet couple.

Ready to serve.

Thanks for looking.

Practical Upholstery

The #1 blog in all of blogdom

For small town North American upholstery shops.

New England Safe House

These two are the leader of the pack to a set of eleven Jacobean dining chairs.

The set reside in a beautiful casual country safe house nestled in a secret location in the mountains of New England. 

These two have arrived in my shop since it has been a while since they have had any attention.

"I know a guy" who happened to stop in while I was cracking' on these pieces.

He placed these as a very nicely done jacobean set.  The originals were created in the 1600's.

These sure have plenty of age, but not back that far.

They are in nice solid shape with no play in the joints at all.

Solid oak wood which is amazing when considering all the ornate carving.

Below note all the stippling (holes) throughout.

 And hand made pegs and joints throughout the chair.

 The narrow blocks and no coil springs really date these back in time as well as the oxidization of the wood inside the base.

 Flying cherubs holding up a crown with triple triangles.

There is just over a half an inch tack line to upholster the outside back plate & inside back plate & gimp.

Squared off circles.

 The horse hair dusted out & trimmed.

 The old cotton discarded & new fresh cotton applied.

 Looking all the while for strait clean crisp lines all the way through applying the gimp with hot melt glue.

After removing the old base fabric & cotton, inspecting & adding more horse hair from my shop "bone yard".

 It's all about keeping these pieces proper. Any excessive crown on the seat base will ruin this job, 

in my humble opinion.

Just right, is right.

Time to work a full coat of cotton & the finish fabric.

I say I've been in the school of hard knocks for a long time to get the corner cuts crisp clean & wrinkle free.

 And the piping as well, to trim out the seat bases as before.

 No inexpensive dust cover on these old timers.

 Keep those circles squared away.

More pics of the awesome carvings.

 The arm caps all carefully mirror set of course.

 Lets enjoy a few more carving pics

 Ready to go back to their safe house.

Thanks for looking!

Practical Upholstery

The #1 blog in all of blogdom

for North American upholstery shops.