thought this was going to be easy!

[cleanqueen]

I have two wood chairs with arms with an upholstered seat.  I'm trying to reupholster them.  They are notched out in the front and back for the arms and the seat is curved alot in the front.  I can't get the fabric to go around these curves and lay flat.  It's a medium weight sort of a corduroy feel upholstery fabric.  Any suggestions or tips?

[kiwistuffer]

I have two wood chairs with arms with an upholstered seat.  I'm trying to reupholster them.  They are notched out in the front and back for the arms and the seat is curved alot in the front.  I can't get the fabric to go around these curves and lay flat.  It's a medium weight sort of a corduroy feel upholstery fabric.  Any suggestions or tips?

Difficult without a photo but generally mark center on fabric and chair, then temporary tack front and rear center,make cuts to go around arms and temp tack ,then work to back of seat and cut around back upright,temp tack into place then go back to center tacks and tighten fabric front and rear then work around as normal tacking into place .

[cleanqueen]

The cushion screws into the frame so I removed the cushion and stripped it.  Yes I know all what you mentioned but around the curves I can't get it to lay flat.  Do I steam the fabric?

[MinUph]

Is this seat boxed or a tight seat?

[cleanqueen]

It's not boxed.  It's a 3 inch piece of foam covered with fabric and welt cord and it screws into the frame of the chair.  It's a drop in seat.

[MinUph]

  As it is a tight seat you are probably having trouble with the front curved section. You need to pull this down real tight and work out the wrinkles from the center out. There will be a pleat needed in the front corners. If there is a pattern it will run off but this is not avoidable. You will not be able to remove the wrinkles in the curved section unless you pull the fabric really tight. Pin the center of the front. stretch each front corner then working from center work the wrinkles out. One staple at a time left side, then right side, the left, then right etc.
 All this is done after the back and sides are pinned in place very close to finished. This keeps the fabric in place.

[cleanqueen]

Thanks for your help. The fabric originally on there had no pleats.  I wonder if they didn't steam the fabric  to shrink it at the curves to get it to lay flat without having to put in pleats?

[MinUph]

is it possible to see a picture of this? By pleats I mean just in the corners. Either a folded pleat or a kiss pleat not very big and hardly seen.