Today's PSA...upholstery!

[Spiky Bugger]

Did you know that when an upholstery dude says that a fabric is "special order," that does NOT mean that he doesn't have the fabric, but he can have it in a week or two from the people who DO have it?

Did you know that it means that the factory has to f'ing WEAVE your fabric for you?

And that the upholstery dude COULD SAY, "Give me a deposit and I'll order the fabric and in two or three months, when the fabric gets here, I'll come get your chairs...but meanwhile, you can have use of them!" But he won't.

He will take your chairs in December and strip them down so that you can't use them until some time in, say, MARCH!!!

This concludes today's PSA.


Edited to add...the first round of excuses will involve blaming the weather. But the actual fabric delivery will occur during a storm called...for good reason...Titan.

(Except... where's Jackie? I have to go see if she's posted today.)

 

[JackieOnLine]

why, where's Jackie? I don't know nuthin about no chairs. :question1:

 

[Spiky Bugger]

why, where's Jackie? I don't know nuthin about no chairs. :question1:

I felt a lack of Jackie postings yesterday. I was missing you!

 

[JackieOnLine]

that's so sweet...​

 

[Sheanie]

Hey, I upholster. Just sayin. But I would make YOU buy the fabric, then bring it and the chairs to me to work on. Because I'm lazy.

 

[southernlady]

I want to learn...I have several pieces that need it...good bones, need severe fabric help.

I read at some point that you can actually use shower curtain material as upholstery fabric. I can find shower curtains I like, haven't found an upholstery fabric I like yet.

 

[southernlady]

@southernlady let meet up at MaryJo's Fabric in Gastonia. Upholstery fabric for MILES there.

As soon as we get you thru surgery and then healed enough to tackle that!

 

[Sheanie]

Okay if you're going to try upholstery, first rule: Don't throw out the old upholstery. You use that as your pattern for the new covering. And also, save the stuffing. Especially if it's hair (animal hair, usually horse) because you can't buy that anymore. I took an upholstery class at my local college by my now-long arm quilting babe. She gave up upholstery for long arm quilting due to carpal tunnel. I learned from her and bought the right tools, learned the proper way so I won't hurt myself like she did. I also have a compressor for my nail gun (and other power tools). My favorite tool by far is my staple knocker. I have 6 of them, one in each car as well, for roadside use. I stop and check the "bones" of curbside finds that people are throwing away. I've gotten some really fine furniture that way. New upholstery and I can sell them for a huge profit.

For upholstery fabric, hit the sales. Go online. Be aware there are first-run bolts of all fabrics, those are not the most desirable. That's the "run" through the machine they use to match up the patterns with the colors. Ben Franklin carries first run fabric for quilting, for instance. "Quilt shop quality" quilting fabric is SUPPOSED to be like, third run, or perfectly matched. But always look before they cut your fabric, there are flaws. They mark flaws with red thread on the selvedge edge, or they are supposed to. Then you get a deep discount. An experienced person can work around flaws, if you buy enough yardage.

 

[southernlady]

Okay if you're going to try upholstery, first rule: Don't throw out the old upholstery. You use that as your pattern for the new covering. And also, save the stuffing. Especially if it's hair (animal hair, usually horse) because you can't buy that anymore. I took an upholstery class at my local college by my now-long arm quilting babe. She gave up upholstery for long arm quilting due to carpal tunnel. I learned from her and bought the right tools, learned the proper way so I won't hurt myself like she did. I also have a compressor for my nail gun (and other power tools). My favorite tool by far is my staple knocker. I have 6 of them, one in each car as well, for roadside use. I stop and check the "bones" of curbside finds that people are throwing away. I've gotten some really fine furniture that way. New upholstery and I can sell them for a huge profit.

For upholstery fabric, hit the sales. Go online. Be aware there are first-run bolts of all fabrics, those are not the most desirable. That's the "run" through the machine they use to match up the patterns with the colors. Ben Franklin carries first run fabric for quilting, for instance. "Quilt shop quality" quilting fabric is SUPPOSED to be like, third run, or perfectly matched. But always look before they cut your fabric, there are flaws. They mark flaws with red thread on the selvedge edge, or they are supposed to. Then you get a deep discount. An experienced person can work around flaws, if you buy enough yardage.

I have an ottoman that currently has a cover it's in such bad shape...but it has GOOD bones. I figure that is a small enough piece to try for my first attempt...the worse that will happen is I will screw it up in which case the cover goes back on it.

 

[Sheanie]

Yup, an ottoman is perfect for a test subject. Pay attention to how it was covered. Fold your fabric different ways until you like the appearance, then tack it. You want about 5 inches excess fabric, which you will cut off later. Pull the fabric rather tight, going side to side to get it evenly stretched. If you don't like it, undo it (stapler knocker) and start over. Some people use heavy muslin first, then cover that with good fabric. Add stuffing if needed. Springs can be bought at JoAnn's.

Finally, cover the bottom with something, so your pets don't climb up into the springs and get hurt. I use black fabric, folded neatly and stapled close to the edge, but not visible from the top.

Piping or fancy cording can be added around the edge as well. I like fancy nails instead.

And if it has flaps, study how those were attached, with the piping stapled on with it, then flipped down. I always say, if you can gift wrap a present, you can upholster AND wallpaper as well. Same concept.

 

[southernlady]

Yup, an ottoman is perfect for a test subject. Pay attention to how it was covered. Fold your fabric different ways until you like the appearance, then tack it. You want about 5 inches excess fabric, which you will cut off later. Pull the fabric rather tight, going side to side to get it evenly stretched. If you don't like it, undo it (stapler knocker) and start over. Some people use heavy muslin first, then cover that with good fabric. Add stuffing if needed. Springs can be bought at JoAnn's.

Finally, cover the bottom with something, so your pets don't climb up into the springs and get hurt. I use black fabric, folded neatly and stapled close to the edge, but not visible from the top.

Piping or fancy cording can be added around the edge as well. I like fancy nails instead.

And if it has flaps, study how those were attached, with the piping stapled on with it, then flipped down. I always say, if you can gift wrap a present, you can upholster AND wallpaper as well. Same concept.

Thanks...
This particular ottoman has webbing across the bottom, very heavy webbing which has stayed pretty much intact. And it's close enough to the floor AND heavy enough where our furchildren can not get under them. The springs intimidate me...they are good but need to be "rewired" for lack of a better word...they have gotten lopsided. I did see a youtube on how to do that.

With dh working again part time in a position that allows for breaks, heck even a nap if needed and doesn't tax the brain like his old career did, I need to find something to keep me busy. And I have two ottomans and four chairs that NEED help. All the pieces have good bones, made of real wood not particle board. But one is tufted and THAT may be beyond me. Doing it myself would save considerable money.

 

[Sheanie]

Youtube is excellent for learning tufting! Also, when you take it apart, you can see how it's done. Just make sure you buy EXTRA fabric when working with tufting. And learn how to cover your own buttons, if the tufting is buttoned down. Good luck and happy upholstering!

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Or, you can do it my way, which involves lots of time and writing a really big check!

 

[Spiky Bugger]

Oh...and my chairs are A BIT like this....with one chair back higher than the other, plus an ottoman.

Mom called them "Mr & Mrs chairs," and since her Mr moved out in 1959, I'm thinking mine are older than that. And, because of our bad backs, we got rid of the "low rider" casters and got wooden legs that are a bit higher.

http://ancientpoint.com/imgs/a/e/i/...ing_side_by_side_chairs_2733_1_thumb2_lgw.jpg

So...off to the Senior Center for lunch and to go buy hotdogs that aren't trying to kill me! You kids have fun!

 

[southernlady]

Oh...and my chairs are A BIT like this....with one chair back higher than the other, plus an ottoman.

Mom called them "Mr & Mrs chairs," and since her Mr moved out in 1959, I'm thinking mine are older than that. And, because of our bad backs, we got rid of the "low rider" casters and got wooden legs that are a bit higher.

http://ancientpoint.com/imgs/a/e/i/...ing_side_by_side_chairs_2733_1_thumb2_lgw.jpg

I've seen those kind.

I took a photo one time of Old Ugly and Big Ugly (two of my chairs) Old Ugly was my grandmothers and she slip covered it before I was born (almost 60 years now). Big Ugly was a freebie while I was in The Netherlands thanks to Uncle Sam. I THINK the ottoman belongs to Old Ugly. I also got two high back wing arm chairs and ottoman that goes with it off Freecycle. They aren't as important to me...Old Ugly and Big Ugly ARE as they both have meaning to me.