barrel back chair

[gene]

Hello,

I've got a barrel back chair and the fabric is giving me trouble. I think it's the fabric. I'd hate to think the problem had anything to do with me.

I sewed welt cord along the bottom edge matching the bottom rim of the back, so the bottom of the fabric fits very well. The top edge looks great. It has 9 buttons. The fabric just is not laying flat. If the buttons are on top of the fabric or pulled in at any depth the fabric still does not lay flat.

The back is foam covered with cotton. I added cotton in places and that did not help at all.

Do you think using muslin would make a difference? This is what I was going to do next but thought I might ask first.

I took pictures and left my camera at the studio. I'll try to post the pics tomorrow evening.

I know we've talked about this a lot and I did a search.

Thanks for any thoughts (helpful and constructive thoughts),

gene

[MinUph]

Will wait for pics

[DDandJ]

Gene - I'm gonna watch this post for advice.  I have a pair of matching barrel chairs waiting to be redone.  They have buttons as well.

[gene]

Please ignore the curved line of the gray fabric with the gray welt cord. It will be smooth when the chair is finished.


<a href="http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz228/genejoe/3-12/DSCF2387.jpg"; target="_blank"><img src="http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz228/genejoe/3-12/th_DSCF2387.jpg"; border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a>


<a href="http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz228/genejoe/3-12/DSCF2386.jpg"; target="_blank"><img src="http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz228/genejoe/3-12/th_DSCF2386.jpg"; border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a>


<a href="http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz228/genejoe/3-12/DSCF2385.jpg"; target="_blank"><img src="http://i830.photobucket.com/albums/zz228/genejoe/3-12/th_DSCF2385.jpg"; border="0" alt="Photobucket" ></a>


Thank you,

gene

[kodydog]

I hate to point out the obvious Gene because I know your smarter than this but it looks like the pattern is to big. Are the arms sewn to the back.

This is one of those chairs that look simple but there not. If its not cut just right you will get bad results. If you used the old fabric for the pattern I would say you should have allowed for stretch. The old fabric may have looked fine on the chair but different fabrics work differently.

I'll wait to see what others have to say.

[sofadoc]

It does look like the center inside back panel is too wide between the arms.
I'm not sure if you can do anything about it unless you start over.

[JuneC]

I had a revelation on the construction of well-fitting inside curves recently.  Vinyl is different from wovens, but I'm sure the principle still applies.  I took apart a corner seat on a boat - 90 degree curve on maybe an 15" radius.  So, I grab my white vinyl, turn the plastic seat upside down and trace the curve of the top, assuming a 1/2" seam allowance and holding the thin plastic ends of the seat inward a bit because I just KNEW it was going to wrinkle in the center. 

Then, after disassembling the vinyl, tested the old piece against my new curved top boxing.  It was a good 3" inside my pattern at the center of the curve (less curved).  It didn't match at all.  Their inside seam was probably a good 5" shorter than my inside seam would have been.  After scratching my head a bit, I concluded that maybe they were on to something.  I didn't pull in my inside seam to match the old (because it was OLD and shrunken), but brought in the seam to be quite a bit shorter than the seam "should" have been.  Worked like a champ.  I had my top/bottom boxing perfectly fitted to the curve.  It should have been way inside the curve so the fabric would trampoline off the foam.  Then, when installing, it would be perfect.  Pics of my inside curve tomorrow..

June

[lc]

I agree it looks a bit big but if you could also test putting your steamer on a sample piece .,

if it shrinks it may work to steam out the ripples...worth a try rather than have to take it apart...curved backs are tricky at the best of times.
Having unyeilding fabric doesn't help much either ?
An upholsterers nightmare at times.