Latest project

[JDUpholstery]

Here are some pictures from my latest project....its a reupholstery of couch, love seat and rocker, the current upholstery is still good but does not match the customers new house (who woulda thunk it with that pink?)







and of course this picture is for Sofadoc because he said my shop is not cluttered enough



will post some progress pics and after photos as I go

[gene]

That looks like a wonderful project. I love it when folks change colors.

I will never forget the first sofa I did where the designer told me it had never been sat on. The homeowners change the colors in their entertainment room (formal living room) every 4 years. They are retired and no longer entertain, but they still change the colors in that room every 4 years (furniture, window treatments, carpet, paint, etc.).

If you do everything in the same fabric you might have as much as 3000 inches, or more, of welt cord.

I also envy the space you have. I have two sets of saw horses in my studio. With that kind of space I could easily have two or three more.

Looking forward to the progress pics.

gene

[JDUpholstery]

They said these couches were almost never sat on, they were in the formal living room, and they normally used the den or the basement, but since they downsized when moving into this new house they chose those to keep of the 3 sets of furniture...I cant say I understand the logic, but then I cant afford to do it either so thats probably why I dont understand it lol

My shop is pretty large, its 40'X60'...broke down into three sections 40'X25' in the front "staging" room then 40'X15' covers the office and restroom section and then 40'X20' back room where i have my 6'x16' cutting and sewing table. I live in a part of the country that prices are better so it is easier to afford larger shop... my house is on same property so have a 50' commute to work in the morning!

[Mike]

Geeze you could fit 10 of my seeing shops into your space

[JDUpholstery]

Got a start on the chair last night and part of the morning today, cant go much further until my tack strips and tufting buttons get here...only thing I am unhappy with is the stuffing just does not want to stay up the top corners and it looks weird...I am assuming given time and sitting on it the stuffing will work into the corners better, but if anyone has any advice on that I would like it

[sofadoc]

It's hard to tell in the "before" pic of the chair (in blue). But were there not any pleats in those top notched corners? Do you have any loose dacron or blown fiber to stuff them out?
Also, it looks like the raised parts of the inside arms are pulled down too tight. Almost like they're missing some pleats too (along the welted seam).

[JDUpholstery]

took the back apart and made my corner pleats a little bigger...gotta beat the lumps out still but sits a lot better



Thanks for the help Sofadoc

[JDUpholstery]

redid the arms and back, and it is finally starting to look better...I still have not added the zipper to seat cushion so it is looking a little loose, but taking shape finally

[kodydog]

I'm trying to figure why they shaped the back like that. Why not just a square or rounded top with pleats. Anybody would have a hard time making those inside curves look right on a knife edge back cushion.

I know you haven't put the buttons in yet but I think, even though this is a cheep chair its a much better look

http://www.besthf.com/best/Furniture/Chairs/Swivel-Glide

[JDUpholstery]

think the top is like an extended headrest....it has been tricky, and once I get the buttons in I think it will look like the original chair, or I sure hope so anyways....in the original one the top did not look perfectly shapped either so just going to do the best I can with it....maybe not the best choice for my very first chair....

[JDUpholstery]

it is beginning to look like a chair...still needs a skirt and back cushion tufted (I don't have a button machine yet, but will before the couches are done so have time)



Thanks for the guidance, I think I might just pull off my first chair and have a happy customer too

[JDUpholstery]

well my first attempt at tufting buttons today



think I put them too close together, not sure though

and another question...what would you use to remove blood from fabric...i guess i nicked my arm and dripped a drop of blood on the couch....hate to have to remove it for one drop of blood

[needles eye]

yo bro i hate to say this but the tufting looks more crooked than to much buttons ..

[well, now, when you point your finger at somebody you are pointing 3 back at yourself]

did you do it by eye, or with a chalk line?
did the line move if extant?

wish i could do diamond tufting
and, you certainly have more apparent skill with the rat skewer than me, hey

could you use a string line tied around?

one thing for sure, love ya style, sure have natural talent mate.

[sofadoc]

I think you can straighten them up pretty well without having to redo all of them.

Starting in the upper left hand corner, if you number them 1-12:
Lower #1
Raise #10
Lower #12

I'm also concerned about the wavy piping on the seat cushion. Until you get the hang of doing them, you might try sewing the cording separately first, then making a lot of snips as you sew it to the seat panel (particularly around curves).

If you can straighten the buttons, and get the wavyness out of the seat cording, looks like you're good to go.

[JDUpholstery]

Thanks all, the seat cushion is on punch list...it is really just 1 spot i need to rip and straighten on the right side top, I thought I had the buttons straight but now that I look at it I see what you mean...I used a straight edge for the center line then measured off it, using the lines in fabric to keep vertical lines, but next time I will straight line all of them as the measuring doesn't work!