And the fun begins: Retro Loveseat

[65Buick]

http://gdurl.com/Qqha

I've had a few different jobs/careers, but never before have I felt so excited to get up and get to work doing upholstery. It truly is a satisfying occupation.

[kodydog]

I agree. Nothing like standing back and looking at a job well done and saying, I did that. Nothing like looking at your own two hands and saying, this is how I make my income.

[65Buick]

Probably old news for most of you: got the walking foot sewing velvet just fine after reducing tension all the way and using a new needle.

[SteveA]

I was trying to think of why you were getting puckers and didn't consider it was an easy fix.  You wrote for advice before pulling out all the stops. 
I'm the same way - kind of impatient when I'm working on a job with twists and turns -
You're going to one day know your machine likes it's a part of you
Watch the shading direction
SA

[65Buick]

Yes, Steve. I'm working on being more patient.

I finished the decking today. http://gdurl.com/AgUu

Moving on to the IB and arms.

[SteveA]

Ian you could not have done it better - looking good
SA

[65Buick]

Thank you Steve - I appreciate that.
I needed to step back, take a deep breath. Wake up with the right mind and not try to rush things.

[65Buick]

Back to this guy - the IB.

I thought the original was RR but it turns out it was not, and two pieces were sewn in on the corners.
Paul has stated that I can piece in without sewing.
The rhombs are 6.5 x 10.5. Should I keep that or change it?
Also I will be tufting through the marshall springs with a covering of cotton. I will not use foam except for the armrests.

I will probably need to use muslin first so I can get a hang of it before I go with the good stuff.

[kodydog]

The old tufting didn't have foam underneath it?

[65Buick]

Kody - no. Just the armrests.

[kodydog]

Just my two cents worth here. Before poly foam tufted backs were stuffed with cotton. I'm guessing it was a time consuming process that required much more skill than working with foam.

I have taken apart many tufted backs with stuffed cotton in them. Sometimes this cotton is still in good shape and if I'm very careful to leave it in place I reuse it. More often than not it falls apart when I strip the piece down. In this case I throw the whole thing out. I'm guessing this is what happened when you took you loveseat apart and why you didn't save it.

I have never attempted to recreate a tufted back using cotton. Foam is so much easier and probably less expensive. Maybe some of the older folks have different ideas. Sure would like to hear them.

Ha! I turned 60 last Sunday. Rose told me I don't look a day over 65.

[MinUph]

The old dog brings up a good point. Just what was it filled with when you got it?

[65Buick]

There was a lot of cotton (felt) used on this piece. Obviously a time in which cotton was cheaper and widely used for padding.

It was like this:
small sections of foam (2") in the lumbar area.
Marshall spring units for the IB only
3" foam for the armrest area
then, cotton felt over the whole back and armrest area
finally the velvet
The buttons were tufted through the cotton and the marshall units.

This was after I removed the cotton: http://gdurl.com/Mgrn

As I was thinking today, I could probably just not use the marshall units and go with foam and the hole saw trick

I believe the foam in the lumbar area was not tufted through because it was low, and met with the back of the seat cushion.

The reason it was discarded was pet stain

And one more thing: I watched a video in which the person described cotton and being the best material for tufting. Sounds like everyone here prefers foam. And, I'm guessing soft foam, Like 30lb or less.

[MinUph]

Cotton is the best to tuft over but I think you misunderstood what they may have meant. When tufting over foam or springs, many people use a dacron layer. Cotton is much better for tufting but not as an only filling just the top layer.
  If you charged enough to use foam and the customer won't mind then foam is ideal. It will be much easier and more uniformed than tufting over marshall units. Cotton over the foam and tear the cotton where the holes are in the foam. You can reuse the spring if you like and still put a 1" layer of foam over them. Again tufting will be a little easier but won't be very deep. The springs won't allow for deep tufting unless there is thickness over that like foam. But that's ok if that is the look you want. Shallow tufting is fine is requested or redoing. If you do shallow tufting see if you can find soft (cloth) back buttons. IDK if they are still produced.

[65Buick]

All excellent information.

I will have to ponder this a bit more before I decide. And if I decide to go with just foam and a layer of cotton, I would be using 3"? Or would it be 2" and then build up to about 3 with the cotton?