upholstery skirt

[gene]

When reupholstering a club chair, for example:

I staple the front panel on and pull it under the chair and staple. Then the two out side panels, and then the back panel. All stapled under the chair.

I then staple the welt cord all around the chair with the lip of the welt cord under the cord itself.

I then staple the skirt under the welt cord.


Anyone ever do this? Maybe for really thick fabric:

Staple the skirt on first.

Then staple the welt cord on all around the chair on top of the skirt, with the lip of the welt cord on top of the cord.

Then staple ply grip on top of the welt cord, all around the chair.

Then put the front panel on and instead of pulling it under the chair and stapling, (you can't because the skirt is there), you tuck it into the ply grip.

Do the same for the outside panels and the back panels.

I hope you can follow my notes.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,

Gene

[sofadoc]

Took me a few minutes to visualize what you're saying, but I get it now.

What advantage do you hope to gain from this method? I can't picture it being quicker, or less tedious than the normal way.

Is it just solely for working with thick fabrics that don't fold well? In other words, the skirt panels are installed in a "hanging" position, and are never folded over?

It seems like any advantage that you gained for the skirt is negated by having to ply-grip all the outside panels.

I may give this technique a spin on a future job.

[MinUph]

Sorry to be blunt but the seems crazy. On thick fabric hammering down the skirt after installed helps it hang better.

[Darren Henry]

I have also ironed the finish skirt to help it hang. Obviously, only if the fabric is iron-able.

[MinUph]

I have also ironed the finish skirt to help it hang. Obviously, only if the fabric is iron-able.

Yes all skirts need to be ironed. A cotton cloth placed on top solves most ironing problem fabrics. Steaming after installing also helps.

[gene]

I thought of including diagrams but I thought that might only confuse things more.

Thanks for understanding my idea and for your comments.

I was thinking of thick fabric. I worked with an 80% wool fabric last year and it was a bear, or sheep?,  to get the skirt to hang straight. I beat it with a mallet and steamed it more than I cared to. I got it to look great but it got me thinking about this current idea.

I was mainly wondering if anyone ever ran into a situation where this idea was used.

It would take a lot more time.

gene

PS: I did a small club chair today and the old skirt was hand stitched to the chair. The fabric was thin so it worked well.

[baileyuph]

Hmmm, I admit, couldn't follow the technique.  Maybe a diagram or something would get my mind on the same track.

What is your impression Gene?  Have possibilities of using?

Doyle

[sofadoc]

Hmmm, I admit, couldn't follow the technique. 

Basically, he's talking about hanging an un-welted skirt panel first, THEN tack the welt over it with the hem turned UPward. Then ply-grip the bottom of the outside panels over the welt hem. The idea is to avoid folding a THICK skirt panel.

I could only see it working on a very simple square frame.

[gene]

My impression is always this:

When I get a great idea and share it with folks who have been making a living at upholstery for 20 to 40 years, and they don't think it's a great idea, I no longer think it's a great idea.

Again, thank you all for the feedback.

gene

[sofadoc]

When I get a great idea and share it with folks who have been making a living at upholstery for 20 to 40 years, and they don't think it's a great idea, I no longer think it's a great idea.

Nothing wrong with thinking out loud. Sometimes, those "not-so-good" ideas just need some tweaking.

[MinUph]

When I get a great idea and share it with folks who have been making a living at upholstery for 20 to 40 years, and they don't think it's a great idea, I no longer think it's a great idea.

Nothing wrong with thinking out loud. Sometimes, those "not-so-good" ideas just need some tweaking.

DITTO ^

[byhammerandhand]

Yes,  even if tweaking doesn't work, it might trigger another ideas.   Keep them coming.n  The whole idea behind "Brainstorming."

When I get a great idea and share it with folks who have been making a living at upholstery for 20 to 40 years, and they don't think it's a great idea, I no longer think it's a great idea.

Nothing wrong with thinking out loud. Sometimes, those "not-so-good" ideas just need some tweaking.

[Lo]

Yes,  even if tweaking doesn't work, it might trigger another ideas.   Keep them coming.n  The whole idea behind "Brainstorming."

When I get a great idea and share it with folks who have been making a living at upholstery for 20 to 40 years, and they don't think it's a great idea, I no longer think it's a great idea.

Nothing wrong with thinking out loud. Sometimes, those "not-so-good" ideas just need some tweaking.

Sounds like a 'McGyver' approach to me 🗽 . . . I kinda like out-of-the-box thinking and appreciate Gene posing this concept for conversation/consideration. When I first read the post, I thought well that is doable as it does solve the uber-thickness issue at the fold-over point. Then I thought this might be a solution for curved backs as the curve tends to curl that skirt in my experience . . . great idea? maybe not for today but who knows about the future??? 

[baileyuph]

The post as I understood it, is actually two different techniques, which I am not clear totally on either:

The first instruction (states:  staple the front panel on and pull under the chair and staple -- can't visualize what has been done, I know it isn't what I am under standing.  LOL.

The second instruction(technique for thick fabrics), I might understand and it could offer something.  Let me ask, would a double cord work toward the same effects?  No ply grip because the double cord would hide the selvage.  I have seen mass production use this technique.  I kinda of like the idea for thick fabrics - even on curved backs.

Thinking out of the box is nothing but positive, there are no bad ideas altogether.

Doyle

[sofadoc]

The second instruction(technique for thick fabrics), I might understand and it could offer something.  Let me ask, would a double cord work toward the same effects?  No ply grip because the double cord would hide the selvage.  I have seen mass production use this technique.  I kinda of like the idea for thick fabrics - even on curved backs.

I'm not a huge fan of double welt made out of thick material, since thick fabrics usually ravel easily.

But like you, I've seen a fair amount of factory sofas that had double welt covering the raw edge of the skirt panels. It's certainly an option on some fames.