Hairy Chairy!

Chair stages so far...Webbing, springs, lash springs, stuff top rail, add coir fibre stuffing, Hessian over coir and regulate into shape. Starting to look like a chair again! 

The next Big Chair challenge

Now I've done a few smaller pieces and practised different techniques I'm going to attempt to do this quite large armchair. Probably biting off more than I can chew in attempting to get it done before Christmas.

 We stripped it down in one afternoon, and found all sorts of things hiding down the back; matches, sweet wrappers, sequins, pens, money, cat hair, peanuts....I have had to stress to Stu that this chair is not for muddy work clothes (him), crisp and nut munching (both of us) or red wine drinking (me). 

 OOooh its exciting, I cant wait to have it finished and be in front of the fire in it. (maybe I could have my red wine in a camelbak?)  Fabric choices are yet to be made but it probably will be something by Moon with piping in a tweed. Now if I can just finish the hundred other jobs I have on....

Willow Pattern Nursing Chair

From bleak to chic in 2 weeks. The mustard velvet has a certain charm but its not a patch on the beautiful willow pattern woven cotton and blue satin piping. Getting a nice round shape at the front was a bit testing, but it has all been done traditionally and the shape benefits from it.  I would love to keep it but alas have no room so it will be going on my shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/UpholsterybyLaura.
The great thing about this chair is that it could go anywhere, it would be lovely in a nursery or bedroom but equally at home in a bathroom or lounge.

Crikey! Its been a busy month already! AMUSF Upholstery course, Helfa Gelf Open Artists Studios, Radio interview, miles of bunting to make, and a wedding. Well here are the highlights:
Radio interview on the BBC iplayer, skip to 18 minutes in to hear my feature:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0079ghv

And my first exposure in someone else's blog:
http://www.blogandbuysale.com/2011/09/lauras-attic-re-upholstery-and-renovation-studio/

Spring has Sprung

Third piece finished: a traditionally upholstered sprung dining chair, complete with retro yellow floral fabric, all the different layers and processes to get to this final look are documented at www.facebook.com/laurasattic
I am really pleased with my fabric choice, the colour brightens the chair and the pattern matches the lovely little floral shapes carved on the back. I'm so glad this chair was saved from being thrown away, and it just goes to show that everything has life left in it - Now she just needs a good home!

Serious Stripping

Victorian Balloon Back chair with traditionally upholstered stitched and stuffed seat.

The next piece on my course was a bit more challenging, a stitched and stuffed seat. Because the seat is part of the chair (unlike the drop-in seat which was separate) I had to treat the wood first. See the step-by step pictures in my album on facebook. The wood underneath the old thick Marmite-like layer of varnish was beautiful and came up a treat when stripped and re-polished with several layers of shellac and wax. 

 I used a cream and silver woven fabric for the top cover, which is tres glam! I just need to find an equally glam trim to cover the tacks now.

Turn On, Tune In and Drop In Seat

Drop - In Seat Dining chair, Traditionally upholstered

The first piece completed on my course was a Drop-In seat, traditionally upholstered using animal hair. See the full step by step pictures in my Photo album on my facebook page. I plan to strip the wood and re-polish with a dark shellac, to match the black in the fabric, giving the chair quite an oriental feel. The chair is one of 4, so I've got quite a lot of work still to do! But its definitely worth it, the finished seats look lovely and will last for a lifetime.