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Stitching & Crafting Room:  RE-upholstering furniture  |
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Clare
True Blue Farmgirl
2173 Posts
NC WA State
USA
2173 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 04 2004 : 09:25:03 AM
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Same estate sale, I picked up an absoultely ratty looking, cat hair filled side chair for 5 bucks, too. I sat in the chair and it feels sturdy and comfortable, so I can envision its potential already. The dark wood is worn along the arms, so I know it was used and enjoyed in it's previous life.
I have no experience in doing this, but I figure it's a good place for me to start since it is fairly basic. A square seat, and the bottom is exposed and I can see that the woven parts are still fine. The back is only attached to the wooden sides so it should be easy to recover it. It is tufted with a few buttons across the back.
Does anyone with previous upholstering experience have any recommended sources of information, or web sites that are good that can guide me through the process?
This chair too is sitting outside "airing", until I can free it from its most recent unfortunate past! Looking forward to your suggestions!
****Gardener, Stitcher, Spiritual Explorer and Appreciator of all Things Natural****
"Begin to weave and God will give the thread." - German Proverb |
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Kathy A.
True Blue Farmgirl
116 Posts
Kathy
Utah
USA
116 Posts |
Posted - Oct 04 2004 : 12:48:59 PM
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Hi Clare, I had a small reupholstering shop at one time, seems like a life time ago. I have several books, two basic books "Reupholstering for the home Craftsman" by Michael Torelli and Ellen Haggerty and a very basic Sunset book- Furniture Upholstery-simplified techniques. both of these would have everything you need in them. If you would like to borrow them I would be happy to loan them to you. Just e-mail me your mailing address.
The best place to start is as you have done setting it in the sunshine I have had the most nasty smoke ordors vanish from furniture this way. Next be certain the frame is in very good shape and repairs or extra brackets to tighten it are not needed and the webbing you mentioned on the bottom should be like new. you want this project to last a long time when you are finished. I think the very most important thing for a beginner to know is only do 1/2 of a piece at a time that way you always have the other half for reference when you get back to it. In other words don't rip all of the old fabric off at once. This might not apply to your small piece but it is very important. I think you can go to the upholstery section of a good fabric shop and get a kit to recover the buttons or call a local reupholstery shop and see if they will do the job for a small fee they will have a machine that can cover buttons with heavy fabric in no time. Also be sure your wood finishing is done and completely dry before starting. Good luck, let me know if you get stuck and also again I'd be happy to loan these books. Kathy
Farmgirl/gardener-Potter/Poet |
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Clare
True Blue Farmgirl
2173 Posts
NC WA State
USA
2173 Posts |
Posted - Oct 04 2004 : 1:15:29 PM
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| Thanks Kathy! I'll check to see if my library has those books, and if not, I'll be in touch! I appreciate it! |
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ElizArtist
True Blue Farmgirl
113 Posts
Elizabeth
Newbury Park
California
USA
113 Posts |
Posted - Oct 04 2004 : 3:30:20 PM
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Clare, don't forget to post pictures when you are done!
Elizabeth
joyously dancing through life |
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Aunt Jenny
True Blue Farmgirl
11381 Posts
Jenny
middle of
Utah
USA
11381 Posts |
Posted - Oct 04 2004 : 10:49:20 PM
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sounds wonderful..something I would love to try someday. Boy..arn't we lucky to have Kathy around!????
Jenny in Utah
Bloom where you are planted! |
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Clare
True Blue Farmgirl
2173 Posts
NC WA State
USA
2173 Posts |
Posted - Nov 01 2004 : 1:00:23 PM
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Well, girls, I'm done with the project and feel relatively good about it for my first attempt. Before I try anything more complicated, I think some classes would be a good idea...but, it looks respectable and more importantly feels "at home" in my living room and it is very comfortable! I chose not to refinish the wood, as I think the wear and scars show it's history and I wasn't trying to erase that...just give it some new clothes.
I took some pics to share:
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/farmersdaughter1230/album?.dir=/1374&.src=ph&.tok=phjfU_BBA1FKyAiH
When I took the chair outside for the finished photo, the sun was shining but it was raining, so I took that as a "sign".... it was cleansed, or christened, or baptised, whichever term you like!
****Gardener, Stitcher, Spiritual Explorer and Appreciator of all Things Natural****
"Begin to weave and God will give the thread." - German Proverb |
Edited by - Clare on Nov 01 2004 1:08:24 PM |
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jpbluesky
True Blue Farmgirl
6066 Posts
Jeannie
Florida
USA
6066 Posts |
Posted - Nov 01 2004 : 1:18:36 PM
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Clare - Holy smokes! Your chair looks great, no kidding! I just bought a similar chair, brand new that cost 225.00! It is a soft yellow gold brocade that matches my living room, but yours looks just as good! Great job.
jpbluesky
Love those big blue skies and wide open spaces. |
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bramble
True Blue Farmgirl
2044 Posts
2044 Posts |
Posted - Nov 01 2004 : 2:13:39 PM
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Well done you resourceful woman you! It looks great and has come along way from where it started! Bet tufting the buttons on the back was the hardest part! I have made slipcovers which is no picnic, but never attempted reupholstery yet. You're brave! I use a mix of Old English and butcher's wax to gently restore my old wood without refinishing and the patina stays intact but the light dings are gone!
You did a super job! What's next?! Bramble
with a happy heart |
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Kathy A.
True Blue Farmgirl
116 Posts
Kathy
Utah
USA
116 Posts |
Posted - Nov 01 2004 : 2:36:35 PM
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Good job Clare!! The chair turned out beautiful. I have so many similar projects piled up in the storage shed waiting for me to get to them. I think I burned out on re-upholstering several years ago, trying to make it a viable business, now maybe I can do something just for fun. Thanks for the inspiration.
Farmgirl/gardener-Potter/Poet |
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Eileen
True Blue Farmgirl
1199 Posts
Eileen
USA
1199 Posts |
Posted - Nov 01 2004 : 4:27:03 PM
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Congratulations Clare! It is a wonderful first project and you accomplished it admirably!! Classes are very helpful especially with the things that books just can't show adequetly. I started reupholstering in 1969 and my first project was a tufted chair of my mothers. I took classes at Spokane falls community college where there was a proffesional upholsterer teaching the class and about 10 high powered upholstering sewing machines. It is not as easy as some people seem to think that it must be mostly due to the lifting and removing the old stuff. Once past the icky parts I love the challenge of making something wonderful. Did you enjoy the process? You have ended up with a lovely chair.
Eileen
songbird; singing joy to the earth |
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Clare
True Blue Farmgirl
2173 Posts
NC WA State
USA
2173 Posts |
Posted - Nov 08 2004 : 2:45:35 PM
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Thank you all for your kind words and encouragement! That is the best thing about this site... we encourage, inspire, share and cheer... to grow, be more, try things, do things, re-create, think outside the box...you name it! I hope I have inspired some of you to dig in and give-it-a-go, no matter what it is!
****Gardener, Stitcher, Spiritual Explorer and Appreciator of all Things Natural****
"Begin to weave and God will give the thread." - German Proverb |
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Stitching & Crafting Room: RE-upholstering furniture |
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RE-upholstering furniture
