Spruce: A Step-by-step Guide To Upholstery And Design 184xe
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- Pages: 39
Contents foreword by grace bonney........................................................................................... 1 Introduction...................................................................................................................... 2 mix ’n’ match upholstery............................................................................................... 4 Chapter 1:
Getting Inspired and Deg the Space.......................................... 7
Project 1: An
American in Paris: Upholstering a Louis Chair....... 18
Chapter 2:
Design Plan and Yardage Estimate................................................ 20
Chapter 3:
Tying Coil Springs for a Tight Seat................................................ 28
Chapter 4:
Padding and Upholstering a Tight Seat........................................ 41
Chapter 5:
Upholstering Arm Pads, a Picture Back, and Finishing the Chair................................................................... 55
Project 2: A
New Pair of Slippers................................................................. 70
Chapter 6:
Determining Yardage for a Small Pattern................................... 72
Chapter 7:
Prepping Sinuous Springs and Padding a Tight, Boxed Seat............................................................................. 82
Chapter 8:
Sewing and Attaching Fabric to a Boxed Seat............................. 94
Chapter 9:
Upholstering a Channel Back....................................................... 102
Chapter 10: Finishing Chapter 11:
the Frame of the Slipper Chair................................... 118
Making and Attaching the Skirt and Back Scroll s....................................................................................... 126
Project 3: Spread Chapter 12:
Your Wings.......................................................................136
Calculating Yardage for a Large Pattern...................................... 138
Chapter 13: Spring
Tying for a Loose Seat........................................................ 148
Chapter 14: Padding Chapter 15: Sewing
a T-Shaped Deck...............................................................155
and Attaching the Deck Fabric...................................... 164
Chapter 16: Upholstering Chapter 17:
the Inside Arms and Wings................................. 175
Upholstering the Inside Back........................................................ 187
Chapter 18: Finishing
the Outside of the Wingback and Applying Nailhead Trim..................................................................194
Chapter 19: Constructing
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a T-Cushion.............................................................205
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Project 4: Three-Seater
Tune-Up.........................................218
Chapter 20: Determining
Yardage for Railroaded Fabric............................................................................220
Chapter 21: Spring
Tying with an Edge Wire........................... 233
Chapter 22:
Padding a Straight Deck..........................................243
Chapter 23:
Sewing and Attaching the Deck Fabric and Tack Band............................................................ 252
Chapter 24: Padding
and Constructing Boxed Arms............. 262
Chapter 25: Upholstering
an Inside Back with Back Cushions........................................................... 275
Chapter 26: Attaching
the Outside Back and Completing the Sofa Frame...........................................................284
Chapter 27: Fitting
and Sewing Boxed Cushions....................294
Project 5: Ottoman
Empire..................................................... 306
Chapter 28: Material
Requirements for Diamond Tufting and Leather Upholstery 101.................... 308
Chapter 29: Diamond
project 6: Topping
Tufting the Cocktail Ottoman..............318
It Off........................................................... 332
Chapter 30: Sewing
Knife-Edge Pillows, Bolsters, and Boxed Pillows.....................................................334
Appendix........................................................................................ 348 Setting up Shop...................................................................... 349 Stripping Furniture.............................................................. 353 Sewing Tips and Tricks......................................................... 358 Glossary................................................................................. 369 Resources............................................................................... 385 Acknowledgments......................................................................... 386 Contributors.................................................................................. 387 Index.................................................................................................. 388
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This is a sampling of pages from
Spruce: A Step-by-Step Guide to Upholstery and Design © 2013 by Amanda Brown All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief ages or reproduce illustrations in a review with appropriate credits; nor may any part of this book be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means — electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other — without written permission from the publisher.
Photography by © Ryann Ford Illustrations by Allegra Lockstadt Cutting layout illustrations by Ilona Sherratt
page
1
Foreword I’ve been known to saythat if I ever won the lottery, the first thing I would do is have all of my furniture upholstered in beautiful patterned fabric. And if I had my first choice of upholsterers, that person would be Amanda Brown. When I was younger, I thought of upholstery as something only fancy or stuffy people had done. I ed all of the scratchy formal couches my grandparents had and couldn’t imagine ever being interested in such a thing. But in 2003, everything changed. I moved to Brooklyn, started immersing myself in the design world, and was blown away by all of the beautiful textile designs coming out from younger artists. Their fabrics were affordable, fun, and the opposite of stuffy. But unfortunately, no one seemed to be doing anything with them other than making pillow after pillow. Then I discovered Spruce. Amanda Brown led the wave of upholsterers who started looking at found and vintage furniture and reimagining it with bold, contemporary fabrics. In Amanda’s skillful hands, old sofas, chairs, and ottomans were transformed into hip new furniture for younger families, and the community noticed. Spruce may have started as a local Austin business, but the influence of Amanda’s work and taste has spread across the country. Whether you’re looking to reupholster your very first thrift store score or want to tackle every piece of furniture in your home, Amanda can teach you how. But she doesn’t stop there. Her ideas for combining different fabrics and using found materials like vintage embroideries will open your eyes to all of the incredible ways you can give your old or used furniture new life. Trust Amanda. She’s been teaching students to reupholster for years now and you’re all about to get a master class from a seriously talented — and tastemaking — master.
— Grace Bonney, founder of Design* Sponge
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Project 2
A New Pair of Slippers
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Chapter 11
Making and Attaching the Skirt and Back Scroll s I agree, the days of ruffled skirtshave ed, but it doesn’t mean a well-tailored skirt can’t add a bit of sophistication to a piece of furniture. Although these slipper chairs would look equally as dashing without a skirt, I’ve decided to attach one to minimize the legginess in the room and add a little variation. On rockers or furniture with unsightly legs, a skirt may be a necessity, so pay attention, even if you’re skipping the skirt.
Measuring and Cutting out the Skirt s Supplies • Ruler • White or yellow chalk or water-soluble fabric marker • Cardboard tack strip • Pencil • Paper • Fabric • Square • Yardstick • Scissors • Decking material • Welt cord stick (optional)
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127
Ch. 11: Making and Attaching the Skirt and Back Scroll s
2. Measure from the floor to the marked line above every leg and record the measurements on a piece of paper.
slipper chair
1. As we discussed earlier, we’ll staple the skirt to the top edge of the wooden beam around the bottom of the chair (see step 1 illustration, page 95). Since this beam is 1" thick, make several marks 1" above the bottom edge around the perimeter of the chair. Use a piece of cardboard tack strip and chalk to connect the marks with a line all the way around the chair. Since my fabric is white and yellow chalk doesn’t come out of the fabric completely, I’m using a water-soluble marker to draw the line.
3. Measure and write down the distance between each of the four legs.
4. Using the measurements from steps 2 and 3, draw a diagram to illustrate the finished dimensions of the four main skirt flaps. As is common in most chairs, the chair’s back legs are shorter than the front legs, so the side flaps will be a trapezoid rather than a rectangle.
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5¼"
front
5¼"
5"
back
5"
23"
31"
5"
5¼" 5¼"
left
5"
19"
5" 5¼"
front kick pleats (2)
5"
right
19"
5. A small skirt flap called a kick pleat will cover each leg and attach behind the split in the skirt s. We’ll make them all 5" wide. The ones over the front legs will be the same height as the front skirt flap, while the back s will be the same height as the back flap.
5" back kick pleats (2)
Cut Dimensions of skirt fabric front
6¼"
19"
6¼" 6¼"
6"
right 19"
6"
21" 6"
11"
11½"
front kick pleats (2)
front
left
front
6"
6"
25"
33"
21"
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back
6"
back
6¼"
back
Ch. 11: Making and Attaching the Skirt and Back Scroll s
finished Dimensions of skirt fabric
slipper chair
page
128
back kick pleats (2)
6. The fabric will wrap around to the back of each large skirt flap by ½" on both sides and will require an additional ½" seam allowance on all sides for sewing and stapling at the top. The small kick pleats will be one piece of fabric that folds in half widthwise. We’ll sew the right and left sides shut and attach them at the top, so add ½" seam allowance to all four sides. Draw a diagram to illustrate the dimensions of the fabric when cut.
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page
Cut Dimensions of decking material front
back
6"
23"
6¼"
left
6"
right
6¼"
6"
19"
19"
33" 61⁄4"
Front 25" 6"
Back
6"
21"
21" Left
61⁄4"
61⁄4" 6"
111⁄2"
Front corner (2)
8. We’ll match the pattern from the tack band to the skirt s. The front and back flaps will be centered over the same part of the pattern as the seat, inside and outside back. For matching the skirt flaps to the right and left sides of the tack band and boxing, use the illustration from chapter 8, step 5 (page 96) as a reference. We’ll begin the front edges of the side skirt flaps ½" closer to the center of the fabric roll than we did the side pieces for the boxing and tack band to
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Right
6"
Ch. 11: Making and Attaching the Skirt and Back Scroll s
7. Decking material will line the back of the skirts. Since the fabric covers 1" of the backside as it wraps around, we’ll subtract 1" from the width of the decking material, but we’ll still need ½" allowance on all sides for sewing and stapling. Draw out the cut sizes of the decking material for the backs of the skirts.
31"
slipper chair
6¼"
129
6"
11"
Back corner (2)
accommodate the ½" wrap around to the back of the skirt flaps. Corner s can be drawn anywhere there’s room since they’re barely visible.
9. Cut out all fabric pieces, including enough single welt cord to reach around the chair (80") (see Sewing Tips and Tricks, page 358). Cut the decking material to the sizes noted in the illustration for step 7.
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Ch. 11: Making and Attaching the Skirt and Back Scroll s
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130
Sewing and Attaching Skirt s Supplies • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Sewing machine Single-welt cord foot attachment Thread Fabric pieces cut to size 5/32" fiber flex welt cord Scissors T-pins or hand-stapling plier and staples Iron Skirt stiffener Masking tape Goggles Staple gun 1/2" staples Cardboard tack strip
11. With good sides facing, pin or staple the sides of the fabric to the sides of the decking pieces for the front skirt flap. With cut edges aligned, stitch the left side and then the right, and remove the staples or T-pins.
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10. Stitch all of the single welt cord (see page 364) for the skirt. Fold a kick pleat in half width-wise with good sides facing and stitch the right and left sides shut. Repeat for the other three kick pleats.
12. On the bottom edge of the skirt flap, line up the centers of the fabric and decking material and stitch from one side to the other. When the bottom is sewn, there should be ½" of fabric on each side of the back of the skirt flap. Repeat steps 11 and 12 for the other three flaps.
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131 slipper chair
14. Lay each flap on top of the skirt stiffener and
15. We’ll use the welt cord to hold skirt flaps
16. Continue sewing and attaching the flaps side
together side by side. Lay an end of the welt cord on top of the middle of the back skirt flap with the edge of the welt cord tail lined up with the top edge of the back skirt flap. Stitch from the middle to the right side of the flap. When you’re 1" from the right side, lay the left skirt flap adjacent to the back flap.
by side until you get back to where you started. Cut off the excess welt cord 1" past the middle of the back flap. Open up the ends of the welt cord fabric and cut the cording inside so the ends meet.
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cut it to the size of the flap minus ¾" in height. Insert the stiffener into the flaps. It’s not necessary to add skirt stiffener to the kick pleats.
Ch. 11: Making and Attaching the Skirt and Back Scroll s
13. The key to a crisp and tailored skirt is ironing. Turn the flaps right side out and use your fingers to push out the corners and all the seams to the fullest extent. Press the s so the edges and seams are flat.
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Ch. 11: Making and Attaching the Skirt and Back Scroll s
slipper chair
132
17. Wrap a piece of masking tape around the ends to hold them together.
18. Lay the fabric from the right side straight out and around the welt cord. The fabric from the other side should fold under and wrap around the cording and fabric so no raw edges show.
19. Stitch over the connection of the welt cord ends.
20. Center a kick pleat over a split in the skirt with its top edge ¼" above the edge of the welt cord tail and stitch across the flap. Repeat for the other three kick pleats to complete the skirt sewing. Attach the kick pleat ¼" higher than the other flaps to make sure they hang slightly above the bottom edge of the four main flaps. You could cut the kick pleats so they’re ¼" shorter, but I find it easier to adjust the height this way.
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21. Slip the skirt on and line up the pattern. When the skirt is positioned correctly, flip it up and staple the seam allowance to the chair. As you staple, be sure the top edge of the cording is lined up with the marked line from step 1.
22. After stapling, go back and attach cardboard tack strip on top of the seam allowance. Push the cardboard into the welt cord to get a tight connection between the skirt and chair.
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slipper chair
For hard floors, the skirt should hang 1/4" from the bottom of the legs, but for carpeted floors, increase that distance to 1/2". When furniture sits on carpet, the weight pushes the legs through the fluff, causing the skirt to touch the ground.
135
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
use the rubber mallet to gingerly tap the nails into the wood. Work in small increments by tapping all the nails from top to bottom in ½" at a time. Continue hammering, little by little, until the s are flush to the wooden frame. Use the air blower to dust off the chair and you are finished!
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
Ch. 11: Making and Attaching the Skirt and Back Scroll s
29. Line up the s in the correct location and
I must confess: When we did the photo shoot for this chair, the dragon rug hadn’t been completed, so I made the skirt as if the chairs would be sitting on the hardwoods. When the rug arrived, I laid out my furniture as planned and realized I had goofed! The front legs sit on the carpet, causing the skirts to graze the floor — oops! So this pair made another trip back to Spruce for a skirt adjustment.
the finished chair!
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Project 3
Spread Your Wings
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page
If you’re looking for a crowd-pleaser, choose blue! It’s by far the most popular selection at Spruce. Can you tell?
Box shapely decks to avoid pleats and wrinkles.
from the spruce archives
design inspiration
140
A solid-colored exterior on this wingback saves money and directs your attention to the striking velvet pattern on the interior.
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Chapter 17
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187
Upholstering the Inside Back In addition to horsehairand steel webbing, I also found coil springs when I stripped this chair. It’s rare to find pieces with coil-sprung backs, and when you do, it’s a sign of great quality. Tying coil springs in the back is very similar to tying springs in the seat. Because the back does not provide as much as the seat, the springs are less firm, smaller, and only need to be tied vertically and horizontally to stay in place. I also use a lightweight jute twine since the springs are thin and easily held in place with thinner rope. If you are upholstering arms that require no seaming, follow the steps from this chapter to complete them.
Attaching Webbing and Tying Springs on the Inside Back No coil springs? No problem!You’re probably working with a chair that doesn’t have coil springs in the back. If you have sinuous (zigzag) springs, see page 83 for tying instructions, and then continue with step 6. If you don’t have any springs, after completing steps 1–3, skip straight to step 6.
Supplies • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Jute webbing Goggles Staple gun 3/8" staples Webbing stretcher Scissors Back springs Klinch-It (optional) Klinch-It staples (optional) Button needle Button twine Magnetic tack hammer 10-ounce tacks Lightweight spring twine
1. Attach vertical strips of webbing to the inside back. Staple the webbing to the bottom bar with 2" of extra length beyond the staples. Fold the excess back and staple again.
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Ch. 17: Upholstering the Inside Back
wingback chair
188
2. Pull the webbing to the top of the inside back and over the teeth of the webbing stretcher. Leverage the stretcher against the frame and staple as you stretch the webbing tightly. Leave the webbing connected to the roll until you’ve attached both ends to the chair, and then cut 2" beyond the staples at the top of the chair. Fold over and staple the excess down. Because the back needs less , it’s acceptable to leave small gaps between the strips. Repeat steps 1 and 2 until all vertical rows are stapled.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 to staple all horizontal strips. Because the beams at the top and bottom of the back are recessed behind the beams on the left and right, I’m pulling the horizontal strips of webbing behind the vertical ones instead of weaving back and forth. This method pushes the vertical strips forward so the inside back isn’t concave.
4. Lay the chair on its back and evenly space the
5. Repeat steps 18–34 (pages 34–39) to tie the springs with a domed shape. Since back springs are smaller and less resistant, use cheaper, lightweight spring twine for tying.
back springs on the webbing. Use the Klinch-It tool to attach the springs to the webbing (page 237) or hand-sew springs to the webbing with a button needle and button twine (page 32).
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Supplies Measuring tape Burlap Scissors Goggles Staple gun 3/8" staples Cotton batting or horsehair Large curved needle (optional) Button twine (optional) 2"–3"-thick low-density foam (optional) Permanent marker Electric carving knife (optional) Dacron Fabric Square White or yellow chalk Yardstick Staple remover Pliers
Ch. 17: Upholstering the Inside Back
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
wingback chair
Padding and Upholstering the Inside Back
189
6. Cut out a piece of burlap large enough to cover the inside back with a few extra inches for pulling and stapling. Stretch and staple it to the beams where we stapled the webbing, fold back the excess and staple again.
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7. If you’re only using cotton for padding, cover
190
Ch. 17: Upholstering the Inside Back
wingback chair
the inside back with three to five layers. I will reuse the horsehair from the original chair and plump it up with an additional layer of cotton. There should be enough layers so you don’t feel the individual springs through the padding. If foam is your padding of choice, start with a light, allover layer of cotton followed by 2"-thick lowdensity foam (see pages 277–278, steps 4 and 6, for tracing and attaching foam). Staple the padding along the top edge of the back and tuck in the other sides.
8. Before attaching Dacron, hand-sew bridle ties, if necessary (step 8, page 178). Cut a sheet of Dacron large enough to cover the inside back. Pull it through the bottom and staple it to the top of the outside back. Trim the excess from the sides so they barely tuck into the pull-through space. Trim off the excess Dacron at the bottom and just past the staples at the top.
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9. Measure the largest width and height of the inside back and add 4"–6" to each dimension for pulling and stapling (26" wide × 37" tall).
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1"
191 wingback chair
Inside back fabric
A 26"
10. We already determined the pattern placement on the inside back when we cut out the deck fabric (see page 165). Since the marks we made in that illustration denoted the edges of the visible fabric (from the top of the cushion to the top edge of the inside back), we need to add a few inches to the
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6"
Ch. 17: Upholstering the Inside Back
37"
top and bottom for pulling and stapling. At the bottom, add 3" to reach the deck and 3" for pulling through the bottom and stapling. At the top, add 1" for pulling and stapling. Draw lines to indicate the edges of the inside back fabric.
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Ch. 17: Upholstering the Inside Back
wingback chair
192
11. Cut out the fabric and drape it over the inside back. Center the dragon between the arms and sub-staple 1" of fabric to the top of the outside back. Tightly pull the fabric through the bottom and sub-staple. The distance from the deck to mark A should be 3". Make adjustments to the vertical positioning of the fabric until the pattern is correctly placed, and then sub-staple the middles of the right and left sides.
wingback chair
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12. Perform release cuts around the bars at the bottom and top of the inside back. Fold under the excess fabric where the inside back meets the top of the wings and staple to the outside back. Continue sub-stapling the fabric on all four sides. Double-check the pattern placement, and then replace sub-staples with permanent staples.
Deck, inside arms, and inside back complete
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It’s not (always) easy being green. There’s a fine balance to be struck between ecofriendly, economical, and long-lasting upholstery. Over the years, I’ve done a lot of research in an effort to provide clients with the most affordable and healthy options for their homes. In a perfect world, traditional upholstery materials, such as horsehair, would be applied with the techniques developed by our upholstery ancestors. But the time and cost associated with these methods and materials are cost-prohibitive for most people. When considering how to pad your furniture, ask yourself these questions: 1. How much use will this piece get, and how long do I expect it to last?
for the last 20 years. For other projects, I recommend starting fresh with padding you know is clean. Here are some tips for combining ecofriendly and modern upholstery materials to achieve a happy medium.
Research foam options From natural rubber to polyurethane foam, the options are vast. Natural latex foams are longlasting and the most eco-friendly, but are also costly. If you’re on a tight budget, choose a synthetic foam without the added chemicals that can jeopardize the health of your home.
4. Am I on a stringent budget?
Use natural products to supplement Supplement foam with layers of cotton to significantly reduce the percentage of synthetic padding without decreasing the comfort. Cushions wrapped in feathers use 50–66 percent less foam than standard foam cushions.
Don’t worry: Your character and values are not being judged. One of the great things about custom upholstery is that you have the chance to answer these personal questions and tailor your furniture to your needs. The recipe I’ve found that works for most people is a combination of natural and synthetic materials. With projects like this wingback surface, I always recommended reusing as much of the horsehair as possible, provided that it hasn’t lived in a barn
Don’t forget the fabric Many times we consider the innards of our furniture without examining the fabric. Don’t forget that the fabric is our first point of with a piece of furniture. Although fabric companies are developing more eco-friendly fabrics for the home, do your own research and make informed decisions about what you consider healthy and practical for your space.
2. Do I or family have allergy issues? 3. Am I willing to compromise the cosmetics of my furniture to use natural or organic padding and fabric?
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217 wingback chair
the finished chair!
Ch. 19: Constructing a T-Cushion
Stealing the Show I’m always pleasantly surprised when a pattern actually comes together as planned. Although I’m rarely timid about going bold with pattern, at times even the most striking fabric is better saved for another project. Consider these factors before you create your next showstopper. 1. Size. Larger patterns are displayed well on furniture with a lot of surface area. On a chair like the Louis chair, only the dragon head would fit on the inside back, and while the head is striking, it’s far less impressive without its body. For smaller pieces, go for a smaller scale pattern or a large print with an allover abstract design instead of one main attraction. 2. Cost. On a budget? that large-scale patterns require more yardage. For this
wingback, we used 12 yards of fabric when 8 would be sufficient with a small pattern or solid. A great way to go bold without going broke is to cover the inside of a piece with a solid and the outside with a pattern, or vice versa. 3. Focal point. Use pattern to draw attention to a particular part of a room or connect sev-
eral pieces of furniture by using a multicolored fabric that ties them all together, as we did in this room.
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Project 4
Three-Seater Tune-Up
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Ch. 20: Determining Yardage for Railroaded Fabric
three-seater sofa
224
Measuring for Fabric 1. To determine yardage, let’s begin by writing down all of the fabric pieces on the sofa so we don’t forget anything: • Deck and tack band • Inside arms (ISAs) • Inside back (ISB) • Outside arms (OSAs) • Outside back (OSB) • Seat cushion (SC) • Seat cushion front boxing (SCFB) • Seat cushion zipper boxing (SCZB) • Back cushions (BC) • Back cushion top boxing (BCTB) • Back cushion zipper boxing (BCZB)
inside back (behind cushions) left inside arm
back cushion
back cushion
back cushion
right inside arm
seat cushion front boxing deck tack band
left outside arm
right outside arm outside back
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225 three-seater sofa
3. We’ll measure the deck and tack band as one
each fabric piece. The width of the deck begins just inside the left arm and ends at the right arm (74").
piece. The front portion of the deck that’s covered with the fabric begins 4" behind the front edge of the sofa and the tack band ends at the bottom edge of the sofa (11").
4. Start where the inside arm meets the inside
5. Measure from the deck to the top of the inside
back and measure to the front edge of the sofa to get the width of the inside arm (33").
arm for the height (17").
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Ch. 20: Determining Yardage for Railroaded Fabric
2. Don’t forget to measure at the largest parts of
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Chapter 22
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243
Padding a Straight Deck The journey to padding and upholsteringthe deck is often a long and labor-intensive process. There are hours of stripping, being covered from head to toe in dirt and dust, sweating, and flexing muscles. And then there’s the marathon of spring tying. Fear not: You’ve already wrestled your way through the backbreaking work. Now it’s time for padding, fabric, and seeing the sofa come back to life. Since the cushion will do most of the work keeping the seat comfortable, we’ll apply a light layer of padding on the deck, as opposed to the thick padding we attached to the seats in projects 1 and 2.
Covering the Springs with Burlap Supplies • • • • • • •
Measuring tape Burlap Scissors Goggles Staple gun 3/8" staples Permanent marker
1. First, we’ll cover the springs with burlap so the padding doesn’t squish through. Measure across the springs from the back to the front tacks to get the depth of the burlap.
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Ch. 22: Padding a Straight Deck
three-seater sofa
244
2. Measure from the tacks on the left to the ones on the right side to determine the width of the burlap. Add 4" to the depth and width for pulling and stapling, and then cut out a piece to these dimensions.
4. After stapling the front middle, pull the burlap tightly to the back middle. Since I have a wooden post in the way of my burlap, I’ll make a Y-cut to release the burlap around it (see page 44 for release cut instructions).
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3. Center the burlap over the springs and staple the front middle, being careful to avoid tacks as you staple. Staples should be placed around the seat on the top face of the frame where we attached the tacks for spring tying. Tacks deflect staples, so staple around them to avoid flying metal and sparks.
5. Fold under the burlap on either side of the post and staple. When the front and back middles are secured, staple the middles of the right and left sides.
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245 three-seater sofa
7. Trim the excess burlap to 2", fold back, and staple again.
Ch. 22: Padding a Straight Deck
6. Staple the rest of the front, back, left, and right sides (in that order). As you staple, make cuts to release the burlap around wooden posts that are in the way.
Attaching Edge Roll The firm yet forgiving density ofedge roll keeps padding from breaking down and wearing out quickly, so we’ll attach it to the front edge of the deck where there’s constant pressure from sitting and standing. On sofa decks, I prefer a larger 1" edge roll, which helps build up the height of the front edge to keep the cushion in place. If you tied springs without an edge wire, staple the edge roll to the frame and skip to step 17 (see Attaching Edge Roll, pages 45–46 and 157–158).
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Supplies • • • • • •
1" edge roll Permanent marker Square-point upholstery knife Large curved needle Button twine Scissors
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Ch. 26: Attaching the Outside Back and Completing the Sofa Frame
three-seater sofa
290
Attaching Welt Cord and Dustcover to the Bottom of the Sofa Supplies • • • • • • • • • •
Sewn welt cord Goggles Staple gun 1/2" staples Scissors Painter’s or masking tape Measuring tape Dustcover Cardboard tack strip White or yellow chalk
22. For the rest of the steps, flip the sofa upside down. Staple the welt cord made in step 3 around the bottom edge of the sofa, starting at the back middle. When you begin, leave an extra 1½" of cording, which we’ll connect to the other side at the end.
23. Use your forefinger and thumb to line up the edge of the cording with the wooden edge of the sofa frame. Pre-bend corners before stapling them down and cut out the excess fabric to minimize bulk.
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24. Continue stapling around the bottom edge of the sofa until you’re 2" from where you started. Cut off the excess cording 1½" past the middle.
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291 three-seater sofa
26. Wrap a piece of tape around the ends of the
27. Lay the fabric from one side straight out and around the cording. Fold under the fabric on the other side and wrap it around the fabric and cording so no raw fabric or cording shows. Finish the welt cord by stapling the connected ends to the sofa.
28. Cut a piece of dustcover large enough to cover
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cords to connect them together.
Ch. 26: Attaching the Outside Back and Completing the Sofa Frame
25. Open up the seams of the stitched cording about 3" on both ends to expose the cord inside. Lay the raw cords (without fabric) side-by-side and cut through both so they meet.
the bottom of the sofa with an additional 3" in width and height for pulling and stapling. Center the dustcover over the front edge of the sofa and staple ½" of its front edge on top of the welt cord tail. Reinforce this first stapled edge by pushing cardboard tack strip into the welt cord and stapling it on top of the dustcover.
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Ch. 26: Attaching the Outside Back and Completing the Sofa Frame
three-seater sofa
292
29. Before we continue stapling the dustcover, staple cardboard tack strip into the welt cord on the other three sides. This keeps the welt cord tight to the frame.
30. Pull the dustcover tightly to the backside of the sofa and make release cuts around the legs. Since these legs are a few inches from the edges of the sofa, I’ll cut an X in the dustcover to make a square hole for the legs to poke through.
31. Slip the dustcover over the legs and pull it to
32. To prevent the release cut flaps from falling
the backside of the frame. Pull tightly enough to smooth out the dustcover without stretching it out. Fold the dustcover under so the folded edge meets the welt cord, and then staple it down. Continue folding under and stapling until the entire backside is stapled. Repeat this step to attach the right and left sides.
out, staple the dustcover around the legs. Flip over the sofa and ire the finished frame.
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293
If doctors can sew up a patient with forceps inside, imagine how easy it is to close up a sofa with tools left in the inside back or under the dustcover. The first piece of furniture I ever upholstered was finished with a pair of scissors inside. When I turned the chair over to ire my hard work, the loud metal clanking against the frame startled me. Since then, I always do a spot check before clo my project.
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Frame complete
Ch. 26: Attaching the Outside Back and Completing the Sofa Frame
three-seater sofa
three-seater sofa
Case of the Disappearing Scissors
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16
the completed space!
Always leave room for adding to your collection of knickknacks.
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page
17
Pillows connect colors, patterns, and textures across the room.
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Getting Inspired and Deg the Space.......................................... 7
Project 1: An
American in Paris: Upholstering a Louis Chair....... 18
Chapter 2:
Design Plan and Yardage Estimate................................................ 20
Chapter 3:
Tying Coil Springs for a Tight Seat................................................ 28
Chapter 4:
Padding and Upholstering a Tight Seat........................................ 41
Chapter 5:
Upholstering Arm Pads, a Picture Back, and Finishing the Chair................................................................... 55
Project 2: A
New Pair of Slippers................................................................. 70
Chapter 6:
Determining Yardage for a Small Pattern................................... 72
Chapter 7:
Prepping Sinuous Springs and Padding a Tight, Boxed Seat............................................................................. 82
Chapter 8:
Sewing and Attaching Fabric to a Boxed Seat............................. 94
Chapter 9:
Upholstering a Channel Back....................................................... 102
Chapter 10: Finishing Chapter 11:
the Frame of the Slipper Chair................................... 118
Making and Attaching the Skirt and Back Scroll s....................................................................................... 126
Project 3: Spread Chapter 12:
Your Wings.......................................................................136
Calculating Yardage for a Large Pattern...................................... 138
Chapter 13: Spring
Tying for a Loose Seat........................................................ 148
Chapter 14: Padding Chapter 15: Sewing
a T-Shaped Deck...............................................................155
and Attaching the Deck Fabric...................................... 164
Chapter 16: Upholstering Chapter 17:
the Inside Arms and Wings................................. 175
Upholstering the Inside Back........................................................ 187
Chapter 18: Finishing
the Outside of the Wingback and Applying Nailhead Trim..................................................................194
Chapter 19: Constructing
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a T-Cushion.............................................................205
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Project 4: Three-Seater
Tune-Up.........................................218
Chapter 20: Determining
Yardage for Railroaded Fabric............................................................................220
Chapter 21: Spring
Tying with an Edge Wire........................... 233
Chapter 22:
Padding a Straight Deck..........................................243
Chapter 23:
Sewing and Attaching the Deck Fabric and Tack Band............................................................ 252
Chapter 24: Padding
and Constructing Boxed Arms............. 262
Chapter 25: Upholstering
an Inside Back with Back Cushions........................................................... 275
Chapter 26: Attaching
the Outside Back and Completing the Sofa Frame...........................................................284
Chapter 27: Fitting
and Sewing Boxed Cushions....................294
Project 5: Ottoman
Empire..................................................... 306
Chapter 28: Material
Requirements for Diamond Tufting and Leather Upholstery 101.................... 308
Chapter 29: Diamond
project 6: Topping
Tufting the Cocktail Ottoman..............318
It Off........................................................... 332
Chapter 30: Sewing
Knife-Edge Pillows, Bolsters, and Boxed Pillows.....................................................334
Appendix........................................................................................ 348 Setting up Shop...................................................................... 349 Stripping Furniture.............................................................. 353 Sewing Tips and Tricks......................................................... 358 Glossary................................................................................. 369 Resources............................................................................... 385 Acknowledgments......................................................................... 386 Contributors.................................................................................. 387 Index.................................................................................................. 388
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This is a sampling of pages from
Spruce: A Step-by-Step Guide to Upholstery and Design © 2013 by Amanda Brown All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief ages or reproduce illustrations in a review with appropriate credits; nor may any part of this book be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means — electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other — without written permission from the publisher.
Photography by © Ryann Ford Illustrations by Allegra Lockstadt Cutting layout illustrations by Ilona Sherratt
page
1
Foreword I’ve been known to saythat if I ever won the lottery, the first thing I would do is have all of my furniture upholstered in beautiful patterned fabric. And if I had my first choice of upholsterers, that person would be Amanda Brown. When I was younger, I thought of upholstery as something only fancy or stuffy people had done. I ed all of the scratchy formal couches my grandparents had and couldn’t imagine ever being interested in such a thing. But in 2003, everything changed. I moved to Brooklyn, started immersing myself in the design world, and was blown away by all of the beautiful textile designs coming out from younger artists. Their fabrics were affordable, fun, and the opposite of stuffy. But unfortunately, no one seemed to be doing anything with them other than making pillow after pillow. Then I discovered Spruce. Amanda Brown led the wave of upholsterers who started looking at found and vintage furniture and reimagining it with bold, contemporary fabrics. In Amanda’s skillful hands, old sofas, chairs, and ottomans were transformed into hip new furniture for younger families, and the community noticed. Spruce may have started as a local Austin business, but the influence of Amanda’s work and taste has spread across the country. Whether you’re looking to reupholster your very first thrift store score or want to tackle every piece of furniture in your home, Amanda can teach you how. But she doesn’t stop there. Her ideas for combining different fabrics and using found materials like vintage embroideries will open your eyes to all of the incredible ways you can give your old or used furniture new life. Trust Amanda. She’s been teaching students to reupholster for years now and you’re all about to get a master class from a seriously talented — and tastemaking — master.
— Grace Bonney, founder of Design* Sponge
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Project 2
A New Pair of Slippers
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126
Chapter 11
Making and Attaching the Skirt and Back Scroll s I agree, the days of ruffled skirtshave ed, but it doesn’t mean a well-tailored skirt can’t add a bit of sophistication to a piece of furniture. Although these slipper chairs would look equally as dashing without a skirt, I’ve decided to attach one to minimize the legginess in the room and add a little variation. On rockers or furniture with unsightly legs, a skirt may be a necessity, so pay attention, even if you’re skipping the skirt.
Measuring and Cutting out the Skirt s Supplies • Ruler • White or yellow chalk or water-soluble fabric marker • Cardboard tack strip • Pencil • Paper • Fabric • Square • Yardstick • Scissors • Decking material • Welt cord stick (optional)
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127
Ch. 11: Making and Attaching the Skirt and Back Scroll s
2. Measure from the floor to the marked line above every leg and record the measurements on a piece of paper.
slipper chair
1. As we discussed earlier, we’ll staple the skirt to the top edge of the wooden beam around the bottom of the chair (see step 1 illustration, page 95). Since this beam is 1" thick, make several marks 1" above the bottom edge around the perimeter of the chair. Use a piece of cardboard tack strip and chalk to connect the marks with a line all the way around the chair. Since my fabric is white and yellow chalk doesn’t come out of the fabric completely, I’m using a water-soluble marker to draw the line.
3. Measure and write down the distance between each of the four legs.
4. Using the measurements from steps 2 and 3, draw a diagram to illustrate the finished dimensions of the four main skirt flaps. As is common in most chairs, the chair’s back legs are shorter than the front legs, so the side flaps will be a trapezoid rather than a rectangle.
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5¼"
front
5¼"
5"
back
5"
23"
31"
5"
5¼" 5¼"
left
5"
19"
5" 5¼"
front kick pleats (2)
5"
right
19"
5. A small skirt flap called a kick pleat will cover each leg and attach behind the split in the skirt s. We’ll make them all 5" wide. The ones over the front legs will be the same height as the front skirt flap, while the back s will be the same height as the back flap.
5" back kick pleats (2)
Cut Dimensions of skirt fabric front
6¼"
19"
6¼" 6¼"
6"
right 19"
6"
21" 6"
11"
11½"
front kick pleats (2)
front
left
front
6"
6"
25"
33"
21"
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back
6"
back
6¼"
back
Ch. 11: Making and Attaching the Skirt and Back Scroll s
finished Dimensions of skirt fabric
slipper chair
page
128
back kick pleats (2)
6. The fabric will wrap around to the back of each large skirt flap by ½" on both sides and will require an additional ½" seam allowance on all sides for sewing and stapling at the top. The small kick pleats will be one piece of fabric that folds in half widthwise. We’ll sew the right and left sides shut and attach them at the top, so add ½" seam allowance to all four sides. Draw a diagram to illustrate the dimensions of the fabric when cut.
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page
Cut Dimensions of decking material front
back
6"
23"
6¼"
left
6"
right
6¼"
6"
19"
19"
33" 61⁄4"
Front 25" 6"
Back
6"
21"
21" Left
61⁄4"
61⁄4" 6"
111⁄2"
Front corner (2)
8. We’ll match the pattern from the tack band to the skirt s. The front and back flaps will be centered over the same part of the pattern as the seat, inside and outside back. For matching the skirt flaps to the right and left sides of the tack band and boxing, use the illustration from chapter 8, step 5 (page 96) as a reference. We’ll begin the front edges of the side skirt flaps ½" closer to the center of the fabric roll than we did the side pieces for the boxing and tack band to
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Right
6"
Ch. 11: Making and Attaching the Skirt and Back Scroll s
7. Decking material will line the back of the skirts. Since the fabric covers 1" of the backside as it wraps around, we’ll subtract 1" from the width of the decking material, but we’ll still need ½" allowance on all sides for sewing and stapling. Draw out the cut sizes of the decking material for the backs of the skirts.
31"
slipper chair
6¼"
129
6"
11"
Back corner (2)
accommodate the ½" wrap around to the back of the skirt flaps. Corner s can be drawn anywhere there’s room since they’re barely visible.
9. Cut out all fabric pieces, including enough single welt cord to reach around the chair (80") (see Sewing Tips and Tricks, page 358). Cut the decking material to the sizes noted in the illustration for step 7.
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Ch. 11: Making and Attaching the Skirt and Back Scroll s
slipper chair
130
Sewing and Attaching Skirt s Supplies • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Sewing machine Single-welt cord foot attachment Thread Fabric pieces cut to size 5/32" fiber flex welt cord Scissors T-pins or hand-stapling plier and staples Iron Skirt stiffener Masking tape Goggles Staple gun 1/2" staples Cardboard tack strip
11. With good sides facing, pin or staple the sides of the fabric to the sides of the decking pieces for the front skirt flap. With cut edges aligned, stitch the left side and then the right, and remove the staples or T-pins.
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10. Stitch all of the single welt cord (see page 364) for the skirt. Fold a kick pleat in half width-wise with good sides facing and stitch the right and left sides shut. Repeat for the other three kick pleats.
12. On the bottom edge of the skirt flap, line up the centers of the fabric and decking material and stitch from one side to the other. When the bottom is sewn, there should be ½" of fabric on each side of the back of the skirt flap. Repeat steps 11 and 12 for the other three flaps.
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131 slipper chair
14. Lay each flap on top of the skirt stiffener and
15. We’ll use the welt cord to hold skirt flaps
16. Continue sewing and attaching the flaps side
together side by side. Lay an end of the welt cord on top of the middle of the back skirt flap with the edge of the welt cord tail lined up with the top edge of the back skirt flap. Stitch from the middle to the right side of the flap. When you’re 1" from the right side, lay the left skirt flap adjacent to the back flap.
by side until you get back to where you started. Cut off the excess welt cord 1" past the middle of the back flap. Open up the ends of the welt cord fabric and cut the cording inside so the ends meet.
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cut it to the size of the flap minus ¾" in height. Insert the stiffener into the flaps. It’s not necessary to add skirt stiffener to the kick pleats.
Ch. 11: Making and Attaching the Skirt and Back Scroll s
13. The key to a crisp and tailored skirt is ironing. Turn the flaps right side out and use your fingers to push out the corners and all the seams to the fullest extent. Press the s so the edges and seams are flat.
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Ch. 11: Making and Attaching the Skirt and Back Scroll s
slipper chair
132
17. Wrap a piece of masking tape around the ends to hold them together.
18. Lay the fabric from the right side straight out and around the welt cord. The fabric from the other side should fold under and wrap around the cording and fabric so no raw edges show.
19. Stitch over the connection of the welt cord ends.
20. Center a kick pleat over a split in the skirt with its top edge ¼" above the edge of the welt cord tail and stitch across the flap. Repeat for the other three kick pleats to complete the skirt sewing. Attach the kick pleat ¼" higher than the other flaps to make sure they hang slightly above the bottom edge of the four main flaps. You could cut the kick pleats so they’re ¼" shorter, but I find it easier to adjust the height this way.
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21. Slip the skirt on and line up the pattern. When the skirt is positioned correctly, flip it up and staple the seam allowance to the chair. As you staple, be sure the top edge of the cording is lined up with the marked line from step 1.
22. After stapling, go back and attach cardboard tack strip on top of the seam allowance. Push the cardboard into the welt cord to get a tight connection between the skirt and chair.
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page
slipper chair
For hard floors, the skirt should hang 1/4" from the bottom of the legs, but for carpeted floors, increase that distance to 1/2". When furniture sits on carpet, the weight pushes the legs through the fluff, causing the skirt to touch the ground.
135
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
use the rubber mallet to gingerly tap the nails into the wood. Work in small increments by tapping all the nails from top to bottom in ½" at a time. Continue hammering, little by little, until the s are flush to the wooden frame. Use the air blower to dust off the chair and you are finished!
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM
Ch. 11: Making and Attaching the Skirt and Back Scroll s
29. Line up the s in the correct location and
I must confess: When we did the photo shoot for this chair, the dragon rug hadn’t been completed, so I made the skirt as if the chairs would be sitting on the hardwoods. When the rug arrived, I laid out my furniture as planned and realized I had goofed! The front legs sit on the carpet, causing the skirts to graze the floor — oops! So this pair made another trip back to Spruce for a skirt adjustment.
the finished chair!
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Project 3
Spread Your Wings
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page
If you’re looking for a crowd-pleaser, choose blue! It’s by far the most popular selection at Spruce. Can you tell?
Box shapely decks to avoid pleats and wrinkles.
from the spruce archives
design inspiration
140
A solid-colored exterior on this wingback saves money and directs your attention to the striking velvet pattern on the interior.
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Chapter 17
page
187
Upholstering the Inside Back In addition to horsehairand steel webbing, I also found coil springs when I stripped this chair. It’s rare to find pieces with coil-sprung backs, and when you do, it’s a sign of great quality. Tying coil springs in the back is very similar to tying springs in the seat. Because the back does not provide as much as the seat, the springs are less firm, smaller, and only need to be tied vertically and horizontally to stay in place. I also use a lightweight jute twine since the springs are thin and easily held in place with thinner rope. If you are upholstering arms that require no seaming, follow the steps from this chapter to complete them.
Attaching Webbing and Tying Springs on the Inside Back No coil springs? No problem!You’re probably working with a chair that doesn’t have coil springs in the back. If you have sinuous (zigzag) springs, see page 83 for tying instructions, and then continue with step 6. If you don’t have any springs, after completing steps 1–3, skip straight to step 6.
Supplies • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Jute webbing Goggles Staple gun 3/8" staples Webbing stretcher Scissors Back springs Klinch-It (optional) Klinch-It staples (optional) Button needle Button twine Magnetic tack hammer 10-ounce tacks Lightweight spring twine
1. Attach vertical strips of webbing to the inside back. Staple the webbing to the bottom bar with 2" of extra length beyond the staples. Fold the excess back and staple again.
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Ch. 17: Upholstering the Inside Back
wingback chair
188
2. Pull the webbing to the top of the inside back and over the teeth of the webbing stretcher. Leverage the stretcher against the frame and staple as you stretch the webbing tightly. Leave the webbing connected to the roll until you’ve attached both ends to the chair, and then cut 2" beyond the staples at the top of the chair. Fold over and staple the excess down. Because the back needs less , it’s acceptable to leave small gaps between the strips. Repeat steps 1 and 2 until all vertical rows are stapled.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 to staple all horizontal strips. Because the beams at the top and bottom of the back are recessed behind the beams on the left and right, I’m pulling the horizontal strips of webbing behind the vertical ones instead of weaving back and forth. This method pushes the vertical strips forward so the inside back isn’t concave.
4. Lay the chair on its back and evenly space the
5. Repeat steps 18–34 (pages 34–39) to tie the springs with a domed shape. Since back springs are smaller and less resistant, use cheaper, lightweight spring twine for tying.
back springs on the webbing. Use the Klinch-It tool to attach the springs to the webbing (page 237) or hand-sew springs to the webbing with a button needle and button twine (page 32).
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page
Supplies Measuring tape Burlap Scissors Goggles Staple gun 3/8" staples Cotton batting or horsehair Large curved needle (optional) Button twine (optional) 2"–3"-thick low-density foam (optional) Permanent marker Electric carving knife (optional) Dacron Fabric Square White or yellow chalk Yardstick Staple remover Pliers
Ch. 17: Upholstering the Inside Back
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
wingback chair
Padding and Upholstering the Inside Back
189
6. Cut out a piece of burlap large enough to cover the inside back with a few extra inches for pulling and stapling. Stretch and staple it to the beams where we stapled the webbing, fold back the excess and staple again.
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7. If you’re only using cotton for padding, cover
190
Ch. 17: Upholstering the Inside Back
wingback chair
the inside back with three to five layers. I will reuse the horsehair from the original chair and plump it up with an additional layer of cotton. There should be enough layers so you don’t feel the individual springs through the padding. If foam is your padding of choice, start with a light, allover layer of cotton followed by 2"-thick lowdensity foam (see pages 277–278, steps 4 and 6, for tracing and attaching foam). Staple the padding along the top edge of the back and tuck in the other sides.
8. Before attaching Dacron, hand-sew bridle ties, if necessary (step 8, page 178). Cut a sheet of Dacron large enough to cover the inside back. Pull it through the bottom and staple it to the top of the outside back. Trim the excess from the sides so they barely tuck into the pull-through space. Trim off the excess Dacron at the bottom and just past the staples at the top.
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9. Measure the largest width and height of the inside back and add 4"–6" to each dimension for pulling and stapling (26" wide × 37" tall).
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1"
191 wingback chair
Inside back fabric
A 26"
10. We already determined the pattern placement on the inside back when we cut out the deck fabric (see page 165). Since the marks we made in that illustration denoted the edges of the visible fabric (from the top of the cushion to the top edge of the inside back), we need to add a few inches to the
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6"
Ch. 17: Upholstering the Inside Back
37"
top and bottom for pulling and stapling. At the bottom, add 3" to reach the deck and 3" for pulling through the bottom and stapling. At the top, add 1" for pulling and stapling. Draw lines to indicate the edges of the inside back fabric.
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Ch. 17: Upholstering the Inside Back
wingback chair
192
11. Cut out the fabric and drape it over the inside back. Center the dragon between the arms and sub-staple 1" of fabric to the top of the outside back. Tightly pull the fabric through the bottom and sub-staple. The distance from the deck to mark A should be 3". Make adjustments to the vertical positioning of the fabric until the pattern is correctly placed, and then sub-staple the middles of the right and left sides.
wingback chair
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12. Perform release cuts around the bars at the bottom and top of the inside back. Fold under the excess fabric where the inside back meets the top of the wings and staple to the outside back. Continue sub-stapling the fabric on all four sides. Double-check the pattern placement, and then replace sub-staples with permanent staples.
Deck, inside arms, and inside back complete
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It’s not (always) easy being green. There’s a fine balance to be struck between ecofriendly, economical, and long-lasting upholstery. Over the years, I’ve done a lot of research in an effort to provide clients with the most affordable and healthy options for their homes. In a perfect world, traditional upholstery materials, such as horsehair, would be applied with the techniques developed by our upholstery ancestors. But the time and cost associated with these methods and materials are cost-prohibitive for most people. When considering how to pad your furniture, ask yourself these questions: 1. How much use will this piece get, and how long do I expect it to last?
for the last 20 years. For other projects, I recommend starting fresh with padding you know is clean. Here are some tips for combining ecofriendly and modern upholstery materials to achieve a happy medium.
Research foam options From natural rubber to polyurethane foam, the options are vast. Natural latex foams are longlasting and the most eco-friendly, but are also costly. If you’re on a tight budget, choose a synthetic foam without the added chemicals that can jeopardize the health of your home.
4. Am I on a stringent budget?
Use natural products to supplement Supplement foam with layers of cotton to significantly reduce the percentage of synthetic padding without decreasing the comfort. Cushions wrapped in feathers use 50–66 percent less foam than standard foam cushions.
Don’t worry: Your character and values are not being judged. One of the great things about custom upholstery is that you have the chance to answer these personal questions and tailor your furniture to your needs. The recipe I’ve found that works for most people is a combination of natural and synthetic materials. With projects like this wingback surface, I always recommended reusing as much of the horsehair as possible, provided that it hasn’t lived in a barn
Don’t forget the fabric Many times we consider the innards of our furniture without examining the fabric. Don’t forget that the fabric is our first point of with a piece of furniture. Although fabric companies are developing more eco-friendly fabrics for the home, do your own research and make informed decisions about what you consider healthy and practical for your space.
2. Do I or family have allergy issues? 3. Am I willing to compromise the cosmetics of my furniture to use natural or organic padding and fabric?
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the finished chair!
Ch. 19: Constructing a T-Cushion
Stealing the Show I’m always pleasantly surprised when a pattern actually comes together as planned. Although I’m rarely timid about going bold with pattern, at times even the most striking fabric is better saved for another project. Consider these factors before you create your next showstopper. 1. Size. Larger patterns are displayed well on furniture with a lot of surface area. On a chair like the Louis chair, only the dragon head would fit on the inside back, and while the head is striking, it’s far less impressive without its body. For smaller pieces, go for a smaller scale pattern or a large print with an allover abstract design instead of one main attraction. 2. Cost. On a budget? that large-scale patterns require more yardage. For this
wingback, we used 12 yards of fabric when 8 would be sufficient with a small pattern or solid. A great way to go bold without going broke is to cover the inside of a piece with a solid and the outside with a pattern, or vice versa. 3. Focal point. Use pattern to draw attention to a particular part of a room or connect sev-
eral pieces of furniture by using a multicolored fabric that ties them all together, as we did in this room.
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Project 4
Three-Seater Tune-Up
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Ch. 20: Determining Yardage for Railroaded Fabric
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Measuring for Fabric 1. To determine yardage, let’s begin by writing down all of the fabric pieces on the sofa so we don’t forget anything: • Deck and tack band • Inside arms (ISAs) • Inside back (ISB) • Outside arms (OSAs) • Outside back (OSB) • Seat cushion (SC) • Seat cushion front boxing (SCFB) • Seat cushion zipper boxing (SCZB) • Back cushions (BC) • Back cushion top boxing (BCTB) • Back cushion zipper boxing (BCZB)
inside back (behind cushions) left inside arm
back cushion
back cushion
back cushion
right inside arm
seat cushion front boxing deck tack band
left outside arm
right outside arm outside back
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3. We’ll measure the deck and tack band as one
each fabric piece. The width of the deck begins just inside the left arm and ends at the right arm (74").
piece. The front portion of the deck that’s covered with the fabric begins 4" behind the front edge of the sofa and the tack band ends at the bottom edge of the sofa (11").
4. Start where the inside arm meets the inside
5. Measure from the deck to the top of the inside
back and measure to the front edge of the sofa to get the width of the inside arm (33").
arm for the height (17").
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Ch. 20: Determining Yardage for Railroaded Fabric
2. Don’t forget to measure at the largest parts of
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Chapter 22
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Padding a Straight Deck The journey to padding and upholsteringthe deck is often a long and labor-intensive process. There are hours of stripping, being covered from head to toe in dirt and dust, sweating, and flexing muscles. And then there’s the marathon of spring tying. Fear not: You’ve already wrestled your way through the backbreaking work. Now it’s time for padding, fabric, and seeing the sofa come back to life. Since the cushion will do most of the work keeping the seat comfortable, we’ll apply a light layer of padding on the deck, as opposed to the thick padding we attached to the seats in projects 1 and 2.
Covering the Springs with Burlap Supplies • • • • • • •
Measuring tape Burlap Scissors Goggles Staple gun 3/8" staples Permanent marker
1. First, we’ll cover the springs with burlap so the padding doesn’t squish through. Measure across the springs from the back to the front tacks to get the depth of the burlap.
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Ch. 22: Padding a Straight Deck
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2. Measure from the tacks on the left to the ones on the right side to determine the width of the burlap. Add 4" to the depth and width for pulling and stapling, and then cut out a piece to these dimensions.
4. After stapling the front middle, pull the burlap tightly to the back middle. Since I have a wooden post in the way of my burlap, I’ll make a Y-cut to release the burlap around it (see page 44 for release cut instructions).
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3. Center the burlap over the springs and staple the front middle, being careful to avoid tacks as you staple. Staples should be placed around the seat on the top face of the frame where we attached the tacks for spring tying. Tacks deflect staples, so staple around them to avoid flying metal and sparks.
5. Fold under the burlap on either side of the post and staple. When the front and back middles are secured, staple the middles of the right and left sides.
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7. Trim the excess burlap to 2", fold back, and staple again.
Ch. 22: Padding a Straight Deck
6. Staple the rest of the front, back, left, and right sides (in that order). As you staple, make cuts to release the burlap around wooden posts that are in the way.
Attaching Edge Roll The firm yet forgiving density ofedge roll keeps padding from breaking down and wearing out quickly, so we’ll attach it to the front edge of the deck where there’s constant pressure from sitting and standing. On sofa decks, I prefer a larger 1" edge roll, which helps build up the height of the front edge to keep the cushion in place. If you tied springs without an edge wire, staple the edge roll to the frame and skip to step 17 (see Attaching Edge Roll, pages 45–46 and 157–158).
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Supplies • • • • • •
1" edge roll Permanent marker Square-point upholstery knife Large curved needle Button twine Scissors
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Ch. 26: Attaching the Outside Back and Completing the Sofa Frame
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Attaching Welt Cord and Dustcover to the Bottom of the Sofa Supplies • • • • • • • • • •
Sewn welt cord Goggles Staple gun 1/2" staples Scissors Painter’s or masking tape Measuring tape Dustcover Cardboard tack strip White or yellow chalk
22. For the rest of the steps, flip the sofa upside down. Staple the welt cord made in step 3 around the bottom edge of the sofa, starting at the back middle. When you begin, leave an extra 1½" of cording, which we’ll connect to the other side at the end.
23. Use your forefinger and thumb to line up the edge of the cording with the wooden edge of the sofa frame. Pre-bend corners before stapling them down and cut out the excess fabric to minimize bulk.
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24. Continue stapling around the bottom edge of the sofa until you’re 2" from where you started. Cut off the excess cording 1½" past the middle.
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26. Wrap a piece of tape around the ends of the
27. Lay the fabric from one side straight out and around the cording. Fold under the fabric on the other side and wrap it around the fabric and cording so no raw fabric or cording shows. Finish the welt cord by stapling the connected ends to the sofa.
28. Cut a piece of dustcover large enough to cover
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cords to connect them together.
Ch. 26: Attaching the Outside Back and Completing the Sofa Frame
25. Open up the seams of the stitched cording about 3" on both ends to expose the cord inside. Lay the raw cords (without fabric) side-by-side and cut through both so they meet.
the bottom of the sofa with an additional 3" in width and height for pulling and stapling. Center the dustcover over the front edge of the sofa and staple ½" of its front edge on top of the welt cord tail. Reinforce this first stapled edge by pushing cardboard tack strip into the welt cord and stapling it on top of the dustcover.
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Ch. 26: Attaching the Outside Back and Completing the Sofa Frame
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29. Before we continue stapling the dustcover, staple cardboard tack strip into the welt cord on the other three sides. This keeps the welt cord tight to the frame.
30. Pull the dustcover tightly to the backside of the sofa and make release cuts around the legs. Since these legs are a few inches from the edges of the sofa, I’ll cut an X in the dustcover to make a square hole for the legs to poke through.
31. Slip the dustcover over the legs and pull it to
32. To prevent the release cut flaps from falling
the backside of the frame. Pull tightly enough to smooth out the dustcover without stretching it out. Fold the dustcover under so the folded edge meets the welt cord, and then staple it down. Continue folding under and stapling until the entire backside is stapled. Repeat this step to attach the right and left sides.
out, staple the dustcover around the legs. Flip over the sofa and ire the finished frame.
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If doctors can sew up a patient with forceps inside, imagine how easy it is to close up a sofa with tools left in the inside back or under the dustcover. The first piece of furniture I ever upholstered was finished with a pair of scissors inside. When I turned the chair over to ire my hard work, the loud metal clanking against the frame startled me. Since then, I always do a spot check before clo my project.
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Frame complete
Ch. 26: Attaching the Outside Back and Completing the Sofa Frame
three-seater sofa
three-seater sofa
Case of the Disappearing Scissors
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the completed space!
Always leave room for adding to your collection of knickknacks.
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Pillows connect colors, patterns, and textures across the room.
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