Skirt question

[DDandJ]

I'm working on my set of parson's dining chairs.  Sorry I'm not able to post a pic.  They are the typical roll-back parson's chairs I'm sure you've all seen.  Mine were not originally skirted and I want to skirt them.

I'm unsure of how to proceed with the skirts as there is a couple of ways to do them.  I've seen upholsterers sew the skirt pieces to the welting and apply it to the chair and either staple it or handstitch it.  I've also known upholsterers to tack on the welting and then tack on each panel.  I can see one advantage to sewing the skirt panels to the welting would be everything would be nice and even.  Am I correct?

There is another thing throwing me about the skirts:  the back legs on these parson's chairs are slightly curved.  It's not much of a curve but enough of a curve that cutting the panel straight will not result in a correct fit.  I thought about laying the chair on its side and making a paper pattern of the profile so that I can get the shape of the curve and then proceed with the skirts.  Make sense?

I appreciate any advice that you experts can offer.  Thanks in advance .     

Jeremy

[MinUph]

I make skirts for parsons chairs the same way as any other piece. I don't worry about the curve of the leg. Nothing you do will make up for it and look good. This is how I fit skirts.
  Say you want the skirt to finish 12" Cut 13" pieces longer than the width you will need adding at least 12" for turn under. Thats 6" on each side roughly. Then take these pieces to the upholstered chair and pinch the corners at the height the skirt will go. In this case 13" off the floor allowing 1" for carpeting. Notch these pinches. Take lining, or decking and sew to one end of the piece. Fold inside out at the notch and sew a 1/2 seam on the bottom folding at the second notch so you can get a measurement of the decking. Take out of machine and sew this seam then finish off the bottom seam. You will also need 4 underparts for the corners. You can lone these making the lining the same size as the fabric say 8" wide by the 13" height. Of course this is done inside out and then turned rightside out. Iron all these pieces to make a crisp bottom edge. The sew the welt on top in the order they pieces go. I start at the left side panel and make them 1,2,3,4 and so on. You can either close the welt at the end or just finish the welt ends. Now mark 13" off the floor or horses all around the chair. Small chalk marks do well. Place the skirt on the marks and pin in place then staple. Pin meaning either staples or tacks. Being an old timer I use tacks in the welt seam. Then staples under. Remove the tacks and run cardboard and staples all around. When completed I hammer down the seam so the skirt lays flatter. Steam also helps if you're unsure.
  Sewing a skirt on is only done when there is no wood under to work with. It looks more slip covery when sewn on.
  Ask more if this doesn't make sense lol.

[DDandJ]

Paul,
I think it makes sense.  Lol.  It at least makes sense while I'm sitting in front of the computer.  I'm finishing the outside back tonight.  The skirt will be my project for the weekend.  One question, do you slip buckram in between your fabric and lining?

By the way, I got my Jiffy steamer in this week.  She's all assembled and waiting on me to finish this chair.

Jeremy

[MinUph]

Yes skirt stiffener is a nice touch. I do use it unless it is a real heavy weight fabric. 90% of the time I do. Steam that baby up.
  If you get stuck ask.

[bobbin]

Paul, do you use skirt stiffener on slipcovers, too? 

I've used a variety of different linings on slipcover skirts and sometimes the results have been great... other times, no so much.  I haven't been able to zero in on a lining that works best. 

[MinUph]

bobbin,
  To an old time upholsterer slipcovers are a sin. LOL

[DDandJ]

Paul,
I followed your instructions on assembling the skirt and it turned out great.  I honestly didn't think it would look so good.  This is the second of the four Parson's chairs to be reupholstered.  On the first one I did the skirt with no advice.  When it didn't turn out so hot, I came here.  LOL.  Following your method, the skirt on the second chair is damn near perfect.  Heck, it may be the best part of the chair!

Thank you again for your help.  I'll get some pics posted of it soon.  Tomorrow I'll fire up the steamer and see if I can get some puckers out.

Jeremy

[MinUph]

Glad to help Jeremy. Can't wit to see the pics.

[baileyuph]

Parson's chair - what defines a parson's chair, to an upholstery?  In recent years, the parson's chairs I have worked on had covered legs, in the upholstery material.  I suppose a parson's chair could be one with the block like legs without covered legs.

BTW Dede, congrats on your project.

Uhh, probably lots of comments and questions, because I have made a skirt or two over time, seems the more you do the more questions that arise.

There are so many infinite issues when working with fabrics, like tension on the fabric can be a factor depending on the fabric.  Thin delicate fabrics, well put it this way, tension is required to make a locking seam and is also a factor in how the material lays  when installed.  

Another question, the buckram;  do you cut to near exact side to side skirt dimension?  How do you determine buckram dimension.  Also, what about buckram (skirt stiffner I am sure is understood) installation:  Just slip it in and enclose or seam it somewhere?  I have seen it done as you guys have many different ways and have my own way of handling the issue.  I am sure we all differ.  How it is installed, we would all probably agree has a lot to do with how the skirt looks, especially along the bottom seam (unless you fold).  It also plays out as how the skirt hangs, on the horizontal.  One last comment about the stiffner, how tall do you cut it with respect to the finished skirt height?  Is there a a good number for that dimension, something like about an inch or so less than the finished heigth?

It is easy to ask skirt questions because they sure look nice when they hang even
and without puckers.  I have found that seam tensions adjusted slightly looser, can
help.  Paul metioned iron pressing, I can see where that helps.  Especially with thin materials.  That, seam tension, fabric content and how accurate skirts are made play into the final outcome of a hanging skirt.

New furniture doesn't incorporate skirts like a few years ago, I had to get used to that, appeared like something was missing.

Building nice looking skits isn't always a trivial task.  I have done them different ways and noted factory products over the years, the same.  Often, I have commented that the skirt can command as much attention as the rest of the chair.  The real issue might be how much time can be spent to get them "right enough" and still realize a profit on your work.  We have to make money or........

Again, good luck on your project Dede.

Doyle
 

[MinUph]

db,
  I like to cut the stiffener the exact width of the finished skirt section and about 3/4" shorter than the height. Leaving 1/4" after the top is sew. If you cut them too small either way they won't hang right. I don't like sewing the stiffening in. If it isn't perfect it isn't going to hang right. Perfection is hard to come but in short working times.

[sofadoc]

My skirting techniques vary depending on factors such as fabric, frame, pattern.

The method that Paul describes is what I consider the definitive way. But when I have ample fabric, I usually just "double" the skirt (folding the fabric in half, and sewing it down the sides). I especially like to double the skirts on COM jobs (it's nice to save labor time when you're not making any money on the material).

I like to secure the stiffener inside the skirt panel with a couple of clip staples, just to keep it from shifting as I sew the welt.

[baileyuph]

Excellent techniques Paul and Dennis, I know where you are coming from, efficiency and that should yield very nice skirts.

You two are close in technique, some materials I would cut and seam at the bottom.  others Dennis technique will work well because he adds the two staples to fix the stiffner where he wants it.

Actually Pauls technique will accommodate the staples as well.

Dennis point about com materials does apply, let them pay and he can play harder with his efficiency.

Remember the old days when, for example Henredon would curve the botom corners and stitch the stiffner in place, we even lined the corner flaps.  Those skirts were a piece of handiwork.  Skirts could take a lot of detail, back then in the old style.

Great discussion, glad Dede asked the question.

Doyle

[MinUph]

we even lined the corner flaps.
Doyle

Don't we still?

[sofadoc]

I went to a seminar years ago, where they taught us to sew the stiffener just to the outside of the bottom seam:


This way, the stiffener doesn't get folded when you turn the skirt inside-out.

But as I said before, I normally just stick it in and secure it with a couple of clip staples.