P3 - short-time work

Autumn had a job for me. One meaning a lot of work, fun and a little money too. :)

 

A client wanted to overhaul an armchair from the 50ies. I was to renew the very used covers of the seat and back cushions. A first-time thing for me and therefore exciting. As I'm aware of upholstery being a craft of its own for good reasons. It has its own techniques (that I had a go at once already in some cases, but mainly only witnessed someone else doing), special gadgetry (I of course don't own myself) to do stuff with and a many things to know about and keep in mind while doing! :s

This chair I only had to put a new fabric over the old one on. But the cushions sat quite tight in the chair's wooden frame as it was and I couldn't be sure they would still fit in with yet another layer fixed to them. If maybe with another cover on top they might only squeeze in just so and put to much pressure on the frame.

And then I would have to make sure things look neat, meaning hems mustn't show through, the fabric needs to be pulled over the cushions straight and tight, opposite sides have to look alike, that seams fit the edges and borders of the chair's wooden frame is mandatory.

So I did a dry run once, thought every step through twice, hesitated thrice, checked the measurements four times... then slept over it. Just to repeat the procedure again the next day before finally daring - with my heart pounding - to cut the new fabric of which I was to make the new covers from. Praying I would do right, because to keep the costs down I had had to order a very limited quantity of the fabric. Cutting the piece the wrong way would have been fatal.

 

 The chair by the way was an only survivor of a set that had belonged to my client's grandparents. They had come as WWII-refugees from Yugoslavia via Austria to Germany. Interestingly when I opened up the cover of the seat inside I found a label from the Austrian company "Elefant" and a nice employee from the still existing firm I had contacted to find out more informed me that not only the cushions but the chair in its entirety was "very likely [...] to date from around somewhere inbetween 1938 and 1965 and originate from us".

Hui! :)

  • It's pretty obvious - something isn't quite right here!
  • Inside the seat the material is reduced to fibre / powder.
  • The straps are torn.
  • One of the springs is cracked.
  • The fabric of the covers ripped,...
  • ...worn,...
  • ...seams come undone.
  • As it seamed the original cover was still in place under the old one on the back, meaning the cushion wasn't at risk to fall to pieces if the old cover was taken off, I did.
  • And surprise: he who placed the old cover over the original took the side panels off the cushion to reduce the volume he too had feared otherwise could be too much!
  • The grey fleece inside the cover was crushed.
  • The back cushion with the orignal, the seat with the old cover.
  • As there was no original left underneath the cover on the seat, the used fabric had to stay put.
  • Damaged areas were at least secured with couching stitches,...
  • ...the straps all doubled with new ones...
  • ...and sewn together...
  • ... in order to stabilise the system of straps.
  • To keep what material was still left inside the seat and to take off some strain from the straps a fabric was fixed insides the seat's wooden frame.
  • The old fabric cover underneath the seat fixed anew.
  • The cushions covered in the new fabric and pinned in place...
  • ...then sewn together by hand.
  • Finally a new white fabric on the underside of the seat, neat and clean.
  • And it's done. Old chair in a more modern look! :)