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General Upholstery Questions and Comments => General Discussion => Topic started by: gene on November 02, 2015, 04:17:20 pm

Title: fabric restoration
Post by: gene on November 02, 2015, 04:17:20 pm
Let me start by getting off the topic.

Have you seen Buckminster's video on the 1890 chair restoration? I kept asking "How does he know to do that?", regarding some of his techniques. At the end of the 5th and last video he says that after almost 200 hours and several nervous breakdowns, he got the chair finished.Now I know. I thought of the line that Anthony Quinn said to Omar Sharif about Lawrence of Arabia: "He is human, that Lawrence."

http://www.buckminsterupholstery.com/video-gallery.html

I'm referring to the second set of videos. Absolutely awesome work!

Now, back to my topic. If I have a small hole in a fabric on a chair, for example, their are times when I can use threads from the fabric to restitch the hole in order to fill the hole in. My question is this: Is there a sealer, adhesive, some type of chemical that is put over the threads that will help to keep the threads in place, or do they stay in place if I use long enough threads and weave them in and out enough times?

A cigarrete burn in a fabric would be an example of where I might use this. I've only done this with very small holes where a few threads were enough. I'm thinking about how to do it with larger holes like a cigarrete burn size.

Thank you,

gene
Title: Re: fabric restoration
Post by: byhammerandhand on November 02, 2015, 04:44:43 pm
If I understand your question (and it depends on the weave) I'm thinking Fray Check
http://www.walmart.com/ip/28168102?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=83&adid=22222222227019012921&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=52500904271&wl4=&wl5=pla&wl6=84061895831&veh=sem

I've also used this kit to do some repairs.  Some work better than others.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0007TQWKQ/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1/188-4341492-9544767?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_r=15FRYJSVN50K8HGC3GQ3&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_p=1944687662&pf_rd_i=B0019W6GMY
also available at
http://www.amazon.com/Fabric-Repair-Kit-As-Seen/dp/B0019W6GMY

I think I bought mine at the auto section of Wal*mart
Title: Re: fabric restoration
Post by: MinUph on November 02, 2015, 07:35:36 pm
gene,
  I would think as long as you use long enough threads and back sew a bit it would stay in place. This sort of repair has been done forever. I'm sure well before products like fray check etc. My seamstress' use fray check a bit and I think it shows on some fabrics. Not a problem when she uses it but a repair like your thinking it would.
  This is actually a lost art. Reweaving for repairs. Keep it up I always like to hear people doing old stuff and keeping it going. We need more of this.
Title: Re: fabric restoration
Post by: gene on November 03, 2015, 06:51:10 pm
Thanks for the comments.

I've used Frey Check often but not for this application. It can turn some fabrics a darker color.

I may try on of the other products just to see how they work. It seems it would work on solid colors more easily.

I've got a  customer who had a new chair delivered with a hole in the front kick panel. I may try this on that hole. It's a big hole but the threads are large and this looks like a good place to try. It certainly would be easier than putting on a new front kick panel.

gene