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Messages - Virgs Sew n Sew

16
General Discussion / Re: Wing chair is a wreck.
December 11, 2018, 04:07:12 am
I know she'll be absolutely thrilled when she sees it.

A few years ago, I recovered a French Provincial type chair for a lady.  I personally thought her fabric choice sucked but that's just personal taste.  This was when Joe was a very boisterous puppy and also when the contractor from Hell was working downstairs.  I was working on an alteration project and I thought Joe was on his pillow napping.  I heard a crunching noise and, much to my horror, discovered that Joe had decided to nibble on one of the legs.  Damage was minimal but had to be repaired and was out of my comfort level. Contractor happened along and he knew he owed me big time for his lack luster progress on Sew & Sew's expansion/upgrades.  He put some wood putty, sanded it and stained the leg, as well as all of the wood surfaces.  That chair was looking sharp when the customer came.  I told her that I wanted it to look like a brand new piece of furniture.  She was beyond thrilled when she saw it.  It almost made up for the contractor being a total jerk.
17
Quote from: sofadoc on December 06, 2018, 02:23:47 pm
Quote from: SteveA on December 06, 2018, 11:01:47 am
Tramadol helped me when my back and/or knee bother me.  But the insurance will only allow me to order 7 pills at a time before i have to call the Dr. for another prescription. 
When I was in Cabo, there was a pharmacy on every corner (no Rx required). I loaded up on Tramadol and Amoxicillin, and Lisinopril for HBP.

I never take more than one Tramadol a month. When I do, I get a good buzz.


I hear people talking about getting a buzz from Tramadol.  I never did.  Helped control my back pain and that was it.  I also heard people talk about all the energy they got from taking it.  Never got that either.  LOL
18
Quote from: gene on December 05, 2018, 06:18:09 pm
If one chair has sagging elastic and the others do not, that's probably the chair that was used to stand on by someone.

I usually take off the old elastic when I add new webbing. I like getting all the staples out of the way. I don't think it really matters especially if you cover the bottoms with cambric.

gene

I'm doing 2 chairs at a time so that they can still use their dining room.  I know at least one other is sagging as I sat in one that I felt like I was going to hit the floor on.  I'd just as soon replace all the webbing as get a phone call next month, next year,whatever that the chairs are saggy again.
19
Quote from: kodydog on December 05, 2018, 11:48:13 am
Good to here you're busy Virginia. You're too young to retire. :)

Some days I feel absolutely decrepit!  I'm very careful of the jobs I accept.  I don't hide having a fused back and have done a lot of very physical work.  Got by with it because I had a litany of prescription drugs that kept me going.  After I got the two restaurants finished last year, I started feeling VERY over-medicated.  One by one, I lowered the dosage and then eliminated the drug.  I got down to the last script, Tramadol and still felt overly medicated.  Started lowering the dosage on that and my world kind of came crashing down.  I had been on it for 13 years and my body was very much addicted to it.  Psychologically, I was not but that's not much of a help when your body is screaming at you.  Couldn't eat, sleep, restless legs and arms, no concentration, the list went on and on.  I did some research and it was textbook physical withdrawal symptoms.  Took about 90 days to start feeling like my old self.  I'm just about at the 6 month mark and haven't had any need or desire for any prescription meds.  I have also added frequent yoga stretches throughout the day.  That's been a tremendous help as it keeps me from hunching over too long and if I do something I shouldn't, the stretches kind of pop my back back where it should be.  I do know for sure that my restaurant upholstering days are over.  Dining room chairs and patio furniture are not much of a problem so I'll continue to do those.  I might even do a boat as long as it's just back to backs and those seats and backs that go along the side of the boat but much more than that, not so much.

Hope all is well with you!

20
Boy was I wrong. I was trusting myself last night that it was jute webbing.  Got downstairs this morning and double checked and it is elastic webbing.  One chair the webbing is fine.  The other chair (only brought two seats with me), the elastic is really stretched out and it has distorted the foam (already was replacing that).

Contacted customer and recommended that I replace the elastic with jute and she agreed that is the wisest course of action.

Side note:  I asked her if they bought the furniture when they bought the house 3 years ago. Previous owners had the dining room set.  She and hubby thought it looked great in the dining room and original owners were willing to sell it.  She thinks it's approximately 15 years old.
21
General Discussion / Re: Posting photos
December 04, 2018, 02:26:05 pm
I saw that.  Too bad as there is a lot of good info here.  I refuse to do the facebook thing.
22
Basic run of the mill elastic.  I'll tighten it down.

Thanks!
23
General Discussion / Re: Posting photos
December 04, 2018, 02:01:55 pm
Is it possible to post a picture to use as an avatar?  I entered a quilt in the 2018 Nebraska State Fair this summer.  Much to my amazement, it was awarded a ribbon.  I am standing by the quilt, grinning like an idiot.  Think the ribbon got cut out when I cut the pixels down so I could use it on another forum.

Thanks!

Virginia
24
Hi All!

I just cannot seem to stay away from upholstery, I guess.  I swore I was done with upholstery when I went into semi-retirement mode.  Then I bought a sinfully pricey dedicated quilting machine.  So, I'm pretty much taking any and all jobs until I get this sucker paid off.  Good news is that I have 2 quilting projects for paying customers that will make a nice dent in the purchase price.  No interest for 4 years kind of deal. Love the new machine and love that I'm getting quilting jobs.  Much easier on my fused back than throwing 6 foot restaurant bench seats around.  LOL!

Question is this.  I am putting new foam and a gorgeous vinyl that looks like leather on 10 dining room chairs for a customer.  I stripped the first one this afternoon and, much to my surprise, the webbing is not taught but is sagging.  They bought these chairs within the last three years.  Shortly after they purchased their house.  I cannot believe that the webbing is sagging.  I am correct that it should be taut??? It is an Ashley product and I am NOT an Ashley fan.  This goes back to when I was the office manager for the furniture store I worked at.  Worst repairs we had were always Ashley and they were a bear to get reimbursed from.

I did turn down a crap job.  Lady's son bought a sectional and threw the pieces in the back of his pick-up, without tethering down.  One piece flipped out on I-80 while he was going 90 or whatever the speed limit is on I-80 in Nebraska.  Ripped the doo doo out of the pleather.  I originally was going to take the job and recover the piece.  I had requested a sample of the pleather my vendor had in stock to make sure it was a good match and for reasons I don't understand it, the sample never arrived. She actually called me at 9 PM on a Saturday night.  Fortunately we were not home or I would have gone off on her.  Then called about 8:30 the next morning,which I ignored. I called her the next day and told her that I was going to decline the job.

Also have a nice little patio furniture project. Fun and easy to whip out.  Between the quilts and these two jobs, I'm hopping.  Also have a bride who hired me to design and create her wedding day apparel.  That's not until closer to spring though she is coming over tonight so I can get her measured and start ordering patterns.  I'm combining 3 patterns to get the look she wants.  Challenging but yet very fun (I hope).

Looking forward to getting my new machine paid off so I can hide downstairs and churn out quilts all day long.  LOL!!!

Hope things are going well for everyone and definitely appreciate an answer on my webbing questions!

Thanks!!!

Virginia
25
General Discussion / Re: OMG I need Help
May 24, 2018, 04:45:28 am
I cannot imagine that I will ever truly "retire".  Hubby retired in '05 and is very content, but he has some major health issues.  I have to always be doing something or my hands just go crazy.  Even if we are hunkered down watching TV, I'm generally pinning quilt blocks, or working on alterations, etc.  I like having a bit more "down" time.  I've already seeded our entire yard.  One section Missy and Joe tore up the first month or so we had them and the grass never came back completely.  I would estimate it at 80% covered now that the seed has done its thing.  We also purchased adult 3 wheel bikes and have taken to long rides throughout our neighborhood.  We both weren't comfortable on bikes anymore and the looks we get from oncoming traffic is just too much fun.

I'll try to pop in here sooner rather than later to see what everyone is up to.  I'm sure I'll continue to do some upholstery -- just no more huge restaurants -- especially those owned by Italian/Armanian -- those guys cannot seem to honor a bid.  Live and learn.

Virginia
26
General Discussion / Re: OMG I need Help
May 16, 2018, 04:16:22 pm
Just a quick note to let y'all know that I finished up the restaurant this morning.  Looks great and I'm very glad it's finished.  Off to the over-sized recliner that's been put on hold for the last 6 months and then "semi-retirement".  WHO HOO!
27
General Discussion / Re: pot question
May 07, 2018, 06:10:36 pm
Read a bit on Colorado laws.  DUI if pulled over with 5 nanograms per millileter of blood.  Their best advice is don't drive after you've smoked.  Sleep it off and drive fresh the next day.
28
General Discussion / Re: pot question
May 07, 2018, 06:05:04 pm
Colorado, near as I can tell, seems to have done a fairly good job with their legalization efforts.  I can't answer the whys and wherefores of where you can and can't smoke and what happens if you get pulled over.  I know they are raking in big tax bucks.  I have a SIL who lives there.  She & hubby go to a shop when they get the urge and buy their legal pot.

I'd be thrilled if we could have medicinal mj.  I would much rather be doing an edible every day that the assortment of meds that keep me and my back functioning.  Unfortunately, Nebraska does not seem to be heading in that direction.  We have a state senator that tries to introduce that legislation every time the Unicameral meets and somehow they never seem to get around to voting on it.  So it goes.
29
General Discussion / Re: Excitement
May 02, 2018, 03:59:33 am
My most satisfying project was a boat I did 3 years ago, I can remember exactly when it was because it was right after my MIL passed.  Customer is THE ULTIMATE Cornhuskers fan and wanted seats done in Huskers colors.  He went to Lincoln, to the UNL Book Store and purchased a bunch of Huskers patches for me to sew on each seat.  Seats turned out gorgeous.  I was beyond pleased and that doesn't happen too often as I'm always like "I could have done better on such and such."  So the day arrived when they brought the boat by so we could install the seats in the boat.  Guy got the biggest sh*t eating grin I've ever seen and his significant other actually started crying, she was so happy.  Hubby was outside with me when they came (we had all the finished pieces stored in our garage) so he got to witness first-hand their reactions.  After my very happy customers left, hub turned to me and said "I see why you like doing this so much.  We never got feedback from our customers like that when we worked in the Network Control Center."

The boat pictures are down quite a few pages ago but they were put on here after I finished the job.  Still my favorite job probably because this project was a labor of love for me.  It's been hard to cheer for the Cornhuskers since Tom Osborne retired  but I still am a fan.  Now that Scott Frost is at the helm, we hope sunnier days are just ahead!  He certainly worked miracles at UCF.
30
General Discussion / Re: OMG I need Help
May 01, 2018, 11:25:24 am
Good news, bad news thing here.

Just got back from Hastings.  I was so excited when I looked at the cushion that got stood on last week.  The vinyl recovered itself, just as Paul said it should.  The first one has a few wrinkles but we will be able to get them out when I stretch it a bit tighter the last day I go there.

The bad news was that the seat that we stretched had a crease at the seam.  We spent so much time on that piece.  It looked like Tony and Noddie didn't stretch the vinyl tight enough at the seam.  Everything else looks perfect but by the time, they called me over, they had pulled staples and restretched 2 or 3 times.  I could see where they had left too much vinyl at the opposite end so it was short a bit at the seam joining the other section.  If we start fresh, I should be able to get some additional fabric that will give some give and hopefully work out the crease.  It was already past opening time and I needed to get out of there and give them their restaurant back.

Tony said it was fine because you would only see that if the table wasn't in place.  I told him that as far as I was concerned, it should be redone (at my expense).  I told him that I'll call him next week and if he wants me to redo it, I will.  I go in on the 14th for an all day session.  We will stretch the last booth then and take a walk around and make sure that everything is as Tony wants it.