retro barstools

[65Buick]

Mid Century!

Client asks that I eliminate the buttons. Were they installed to help the outside back be nice and tight?

And, think inside back/welt/outside back is sewn into one piece and then installed?

http://gdurl.com/3EIE

[MinUph]

Yes a slip over. The buttons definitely help keep the fabric both tighter and shaped. Not an easy back to do. Charge accordly.

[kodydog]

The buttons need to stay. Its hard to make a new pattern from the old fabric. Sometimes it takes 2 or 3 try's to make it come out right. The hardest part is getting that knife edge welt to fall in the right place and at the sametime leave no wrinkles on the concaved front.

[65Buick]

Well... that's no fun.

We have a couple IKEA barstools that are leather over a foam substrate (closed cell I think -very thin) which are stitched. Granted they have better tools and equipment.. but, is there any way I can do this without the buttons? Client was quite adamant. Worse comes to worse, I'll just say sorry, it's beyond my skill level. I will be doing  some nice loungers which I'll share.

[Darren Henry]

Two thoughts come to mind;

A) substrate and material allow you to glue the inside back down. Your pattern will have to be spot on, but it is doable.

B) can't be glued. See if customer will let you introduce two vertical seams and staple the salvage to the frame.

Either way it has nothing to do with your skill set. You can't fight physics.

[MinUph]

Factories know what is needed and build accordingly.

[65Buick]

I had another thought. A little while ago I spotted a furniture reupholsterer down in LA actually hand sewing. It was one of those Arne Jacobsen egg chairs. If you're not sure what this is, check it out. Probably the epitomy of unreal, gray hair inducing curves and contours.
Plus, it was done in leather. Pinned first then hand sewn. Came out beautiful.
Btw, thanks for suggestions already made

[kodydog]

Factories know what is needed and build accordingly.

You got that right. Last year we upholstered these Adrian Pearsall dining room chairs. What a nightmare to get the backs to fit right. Should have charged double what we did. I made the mistake of cutting and sewing all 6 at the same time. The first one did not fit right. It took 3 tries to get it right. Then I had to rip out and recut the other five with very limited fabric.

Later Rose read up on these chairs. Pearsall did not take COM's on these chairs. He only offered them in a special fabric that would conform to the contours and shape of the chair. Lesson learned the hard way.

[MinUph]

Pearsall did not take COM's on these chairs. He only offered them in a special fabric that would conform to the contours and shape of the chair. Lesson learned the hard way.

This happens all the time. One of the main reasons you only get 5 or 6 choices of fabrics in the showrooms. Everything is figured into a build to keep costs down. It is also a great thing for the Upholstery industry as we can make most anything work given the time and expertise. I get people in all the time saying I'd buy new but they just don't offer nice choices in fabrics.

[65Buick]

Kody - sorry you had that experience. They do look incredible though. What kind of fabric was it?

[kodydog]

it was a tweed type fabric with a good backing on it. I would recommend this fabric for almost any type of upholstered furniture. The customer sent us a sample and we told her it would be fine. We had no choice but to make it work. And we did. :)

[baileyuph]

Very impressive job on the barstools - Kody Dog.

Great encouragement for the item in this discussion (no buttons).  Important is fabric selection, precise
execution, and equipment needed.  Depending on materials - most would have agree a steamer or
possibly a heat gun would be of great assistance.

The steamer might be helpful if buttons are dropped - it would or could eliminate the depressions left
by existing buttons.


Doyle