Burlap
was secured over the springs and stapled to the top of the seat apron with
3/8-inch staples. A front edge riser rail was cut out of maple and routed out
at the bottom to allow for the spring nails and twine. We screwed the riser
into the top seat rail for comfort.
The
rail riser adds height to the rail so that, in this case, the finished front
edge will be higher, adding shape to the upholstery as well as affecting the
seat’s center of gravity.
Sinuous
springs were attached to the inside back and hand-tied to the frame.
We allowed the sinuous springs to arc out
in the middle, to achieve an arch translating to the central finished back.
Helical
springs and upholsterer’s rubber bands attached to the sinuous springs. It is
important to support sinuous springs with ties; otherwise, the springs will list
and eventually break. The helical springs and heavy bands act as central
supports in the same manner tying might, but with the advantage of allowing for
expansion of the unit while a sitter applies backpressure. This translates as
comfort.
A
lighter weight, 9 lb. jute webbing was stretched on
the inside arm, so that it will stretch over time, allowing the interior of the
chair to become more comfortable with age.
The
inside back and inside arms were covered with
burlap. Jute filled edge-rolls were installed to soften all sharp frame edges:
front seat edge, arms, and the cameo of the inside back. The front edge roll was
of particular importance, because it not only softened and protected the front
edge, but it also increased the height of the front edge. The 1½
thickness of the edge roll, combined with a 2-inch riser, allowed for a
well-defined edge as well as a center of gravity that was further back on the
seat.
The
seat pod was filled with blonde cattle tail hair, carded and hand stitched to
the burlap with a looping-lock stitch. We began with one layer of carded hair,
stitched this layer down, and then added another and another until three layers
of hair were stitched to the spring deck.
Muslin
was glued to the edge of a seat form made of medium density 1½-inch
Pin core latex foam. This topped the hair, and allowed the muslin edges to be
pulled taut and stapled to the seat frame edge, creating a soft, pliable
waterfall front seat edge.
Two layers of 50/50 cotton batting
topped the latex and feathered out at the edges to minimize lumping.
300-count
cotton muslin ticking was placed atop the cotton batting, finishing the contour
of the seat. Notice the muslin stretcher under the arm in the right
photo, which helps to create the contour of the seat? The muslin was
stretched and tacked to create the contour of the seat, and to give an
additional upholstery cover underneath the outer fabric covering. This
will enhance the shapeliness of the form and increase its durability.
The
inside arms used a similar build-up as the seat. Cattle tail hair filled the
top of the arm, secured with a looping lock stitch. 50/50 cotton batting was
placed on the inside arm.
Two
additional layers of 50/50 cotton batting topped the hair and the existing
cotton batting on the
arm. Muslin was then stretched to create the final contour.
The front
seat edge corners were tucked and tacked.
A
final layer of 505/50 cotton batting was added to the top of the muslin seat,
and the seat was ready for upholstery fabric. This last additional layer of
cotton batting acts as a buffer between the upholstery cloth and the ticking,
adding additional softness and security from abrasion.
The
button tufting design was drawn onto the inside back burlap in anticipation of a
tufted back build-up. The intersecting points of the diamonds identified the
points where the button twine would pull through when the tufting began.
The
decisions about positioning of the motif are critical. In this case, the
pattern repeat was large, so it was a relatively easy decision – center it! We
created patterns from cotton twill, and the cutting began. The back pattern was
interesting in that Mitchell had to make the basic pattern, then add selvage to
accommodate the tufting around the buttons. A typical tufting formula is to add
2 inches to the width and 1 inch to the height for each button.
The
silk damask was upholstered over the top of the completed seat platform. We
upholstered the chair seat with soft Turkish pleats on the seat front corners,
instead of a plain downward pleat that runs the risk of gaping open and looking
unsightly.
Inside
arms were upholstered after hair, cotton batting, and muslin were secured to the
frame. Creative attention was paid to the positioning of the pleats around the
front arm panel. Each arm was symmetrically pleated and the fold lines
intersected along the round of the panel at the same point.
The
inside back burlap was covered with 50/50 cotton batting, then surrounded with
rolls of hand-carded blonde cattle tail hair. The hair was secured with a
looping-lock stitch and stapled to the frame cameo at strategic points.
The
back pad was created from two layers of light density Pin core latex foam, glued
together in a knife-edge (photo from Couch-In-The-Woods, below left.) In this
case, the latex was wrapped down to waterfall in the front, as is shown when it
is flipped over, below.
Mitchell chose this latex so that the back
would be soft and enveloping. Two layers were utilized so that the larger
piece could form around the smaller, creating a waterfall form.
Buttonholes
were cut with a button die cutter. A muslin scrim stretcher was glued to the
edges of the latex to secure the back form to the frame.
Additional
blonde cattle tail hair topped the cotton batting, and then secured. Pin core
latex was secured to frame with the muslin stretcher. The muslin ticking
undercover was installed (no photo). We chalked the diamond tufting onto the
ticking cloth previous to installation; then rounds of hair “biscuits” wrapped
in cotton were slipped beneath the muslin as it was tied into position to
achieve a round definition to each of the diamond biscuits. The extremities of
the muslin ticking were tacked to the outside frame and folds were steamed into
position. Super-soft Dacron® batting was then placed around the cameo edge, and
placed into the tufting diamonds as the final silk fabric was upholstered.
Buttons
were covered in the damask with a button press. The button pattern was
pinpointed on the damask temporarily, button by button, starting from the middle
button. Diamond folds were created, as Mitchell moved out to the outer buttons
in succession. The buttons were hand-secured with nylon tufting twine and
locked into place using a long needle, a slipknot, and then a lock knot!
When
the tufting was completed, the diamonds were symmetrical and the folds were well
tucked with a ½-inch to
¾-inch under turn. Special
attention was paid to all five quadrants of the inside back. When completed the
lumbar area had firmness and fill to the base of the back. The central back
accommodated the dorsal shoulder of the back, allowing for a soft drop into its
hollow. The top back rose slightly forward to fill the cervical collar at the
center of the neck. The two sides rolled around the shoulders to envelope and
support the sitter’s neck and shoulders. This back was constructed for comfort
and classical beauty!
Click here to view the
Outside Arms & Back!
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