Sewing Technology Marches On!

[bobbin]

Greg, would they perhaps have used some sort of gathering attachment or simply a differential feed to create the gathering on the piece in question?

[baileyuph]

Now...I'm not exactly sure how they are 'gathering' the first pass with the chainstitch, but it looks like it's being done by hand with no guide or attachment.

I am not looking at the sample sent, but referencing the two chairs I just finished, the gathering was not done by hand.  The gathers are too systematic to be manual.  Plus,  they were able to vary the degree of gathering to achieve the fit of cut pattens to fit various components of the chair.

in a factory setting, it would be much too inefficient to do it manually.  I also noted that the gathering is done for esthetic reasons as well as practical.  By practical, my analysis of their seam work means it lowers their number of pieces that have to be patterned and joined.  They mask over detailed fitting requirements via their gathering.  Something someone with considerable experience in this area would note.  

La-Z-Boys gathering technique is impressively implemented when understanding how it plays out in patterning requirements, efficiency, and affects.  It is impossible to duplicate as systematically as they have in a custom shop as many of us work in.

Small shops, can make the job look presentable but not equal to much of the gathering results accomplished by La-Z-Boy.

As a starter for gaining insight into the La-Z-Boy operation is to understand the equipment that they use which produces the very systematic fulness in gathers but obviously has variable settings.  I mused over their work and several questions came up, were attachments used and was the machine a differential walking foot machine?  

All my comments and thoughts are based on complete reupholstery of complete chairs which I did note a variance in their technique of gathering.  They did used elastic in the apron that extends from the cushion to the footrest, like I say their technique employed varied due to the requirement being accomplished for different parts of the chair.  Therefore, what Greg saw might not represent what one would see if an entire chair was inspected?

Doyle

[sofadoc]

Doyle sums it up pretty well. Factories that are mass producing can get their gathering down to a uniform science. Small shops that are doing jobs one at a time will have some variance. Whether we use elastic, or some type of pull string, we can achieve a good result. It just won't exactly match the appearance of a factory job.
As it has been stated, most people just dispose of those sub $500 recliners, and buy new. So I really don't do that many of them any more (and glad I don't).
The sample piece that I sent to Gregg looked to me like it was gathered with some type of shirring foot. Or maybe they sew a loose stitch, and then fit it over a mold, and then pull the loose stitch tight. This would give them the uniformity.
Whatever the method, I guess I'll just keep doin' what I been doin'. I haven't had a customer notice the difference so far.
So, for me anyway, this topic should be re-titled "Sewing technology remains stagnant" :D