Re: victorian chair
Posted: Thu Jan 23, 2020 5:48 pm
I've been watching lots of videos , there is some great stuff on upholstering with the old methods. I'm looking for upholstery and emailed a place in Germany that still makes horsehair upholstery. the price of shipping alone is 200 bucks Canadian so I'm thinking it's probably out of my range but they did say they could send samples. I will check around locally maybe someone here is interested in being one of their distributors. this chair requires some nice upholstery but there is a lot of work before I'll need that. I have some cloth but I'm questioning if it is able to take the compound curves well enough. I think I need something with some give to take the compound curves without lots of pleats.
I'm slowly taking it apart. removing all the nails. It was recovered before but I think the stuffing and materials are all original. It did not have any staples, modern upholsterers always seem to use the air powered staple guns even on antiques. Its easier and holds the fabric more evenly. I'm wondering if I can use tacks instead to keep that original or maybe it's OK to use them.
im finding some guidance on tying the springs, replacing the webbing, I can wash the horsehair and use it again. Ill replace the cotton. some old chairs have hay or wood shavings but this one was done in horsehair. thats good it's higher end.. there is a lot of technique to fluffing and working the materials, sewing the contents to create Just the right form. I might leave the back alone and just recover it. I better focus on the seat first I guess.
There is so much technique, I'm not even good at sewing but some of the videos are so descriptive it helps. I'm just going in baby steps so I could see this project taking a long time. Ill plan to post some updates as I go.
I solidified the arm and the frame and did some basic structural repairs. I tried rejuvinating the original finish and it seemed to be working. my aim is to just remove the whitish blush in the finish and not try to strip it or anything severe. I tried different concoctions ended up mixing shellac flakes, alcohol, some almalgamator and a bit of laquer thinners. It seems to work If I dont get too aggressive and sort of try to melt into the finish without disturbing it too much or washing off the finish. I'll try to retain the patina and not try to make it look all new. there might be a point where I need to get someone to lean over my shoulder or maybe I can take a night school course but I think I can manage to do the webbing tie up the springs and prepare to stuff and fill it. then the real techniques of shaping it are pretty involved and maybe I'd do better with a bit of help. If it gave it to an upholsterer I'm sure it would be really expensive but I might be able to just buy some advice when I get to the more fussy parts.
I'll need some cotton and burlap some heavy thread, giant needles, darning needles, I have some webbing. there is a thing called a regulator for working the fibers. Maybe I can make one myself.
I need to decide if I use staples or tacks. I think Ill use tacks for the webbing. I might resort to the staples for some of the upholstery because it might actually work better and hold more evenly. I have a vintage magnetic tack hammer. Ill need a webbing stretcher but I can make that myself.
I think I'm on a slippery slope here.. its a lot of work and there is a lot of technique involved. fun to learn but a test of patience. I might have to go about this in steps. I wan tot set it aside already. Im thinking maybe I can plan to do it in stages and give my mind a rest from it between. I just watched a video where an upholstered did one and it was spaced over 5 years, You can see him getting older as he goes The end result was very beautiful. I bought it 10 years ago, I'm making it older
I'm slowly taking it apart. removing all the nails. It was recovered before but I think the stuffing and materials are all original. It did not have any staples, modern upholsterers always seem to use the air powered staple guns even on antiques. Its easier and holds the fabric more evenly. I'm wondering if I can use tacks instead to keep that original or maybe it's OK to use them.
im finding some guidance on tying the springs, replacing the webbing, I can wash the horsehair and use it again. Ill replace the cotton. some old chairs have hay or wood shavings but this one was done in horsehair. thats good it's higher end.. there is a lot of technique to fluffing and working the materials, sewing the contents to create Just the right form. I might leave the back alone and just recover it. I better focus on the seat first I guess.
There is so much technique, I'm not even good at sewing but some of the videos are so descriptive it helps. I'm just going in baby steps so I could see this project taking a long time. Ill plan to post some updates as I go.
I solidified the arm and the frame and did some basic structural repairs. I tried rejuvinating the original finish and it seemed to be working. my aim is to just remove the whitish blush in the finish and not try to strip it or anything severe. I tried different concoctions ended up mixing shellac flakes, alcohol, some almalgamator and a bit of laquer thinners. It seems to work If I dont get too aggressive and sort of try to melt into the finish without disturbing it too much or washing off the finish. I'll try to retain the patina and not try to make it look all new. there might be a point where I need to get someone to lean over my shoulder or maybe I can take a night school course but I think I can manage to do the webbing tie up the springs and prepare to stuff and fill it. then the real techniques of shaping it are pretty involved and maybe I'd do better with a bit of help. If it gave it to an upholsterer I'm sure it would be really expensive but I might be able to just buy some advice when I get to the more fussy parts.
I'll need some cotton and burlap some heavy thread, giant needles, darning needles, I have some webbing. there is a thing called a regulator for working the fibers. Maybe I can make one myself.
I need to decide if I use staples or tacks. I think Ill use tacks for the webbing. I might resort to the staples for some of the upholstery because it might actually work better and hold more evenly. I have a vintage magnetic tack hammer. Ill need a webbing stretcher but I can make that myself.
I think I'm on a slippery slope here.. its a lot of work and there is a lot of technique involved. fun to learn but a test of patience. I might have to go about this in steps. I wan tot set it aside already. Im thinking maybe I can plan to do it in stages and give my mind a rest from it between. I just watched a video where an upholstered did one and it was spaced over 5 years, You can see him getting older as he goes The end result was very beautiful. I bought it 10 years ago, I'm making it older