How to Reupholster Furniture
(Page 2 of 4)
November/December 1974
By Virginia Schmitz
My first pointer is that you don't need guidelines, loose or otherwise — not really. The furniture will tell you how it was made. There are no mysterious inner goings-on to confound you. Still,for those who want them, here are some suggestions:
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Let's say you have a chair you want to overhaul. Start by examining it closely. Note all details: skirt, welting, buttons, etc. Poke into the seams. Are they really sewn, they appear to be, or are they stapled or tacked? Commit the construction to memory.
Next look over the item to find the piece of fabric that should obviously come off first: usually the back or bottom. Carefully remove it by prying it loose. (Don't rip the cover free, you'll be using it later as a pattern.) If your memory isn't completely trustworthy, pin a paper on the segment cloth to identify it as "Number One" and to remind you of its location on the chair. Then note which section ought to come off next and treat it in the same way, marking it as "Number Two, outer right side" or whatever.
Keep making notes, mental or written, on how and where the fabric is attached to the frame, and don't disturb the batting or stuffing beneath. Carefully smooth out lumpy padding (this is very important if you want the finished product to look even). It's best not to remove the cushion casing unless you feel it's absolutely necessary, since the innards usually fall apart and lose their shape. Just cover right over the shabby material.
After all the ratty covering has been removed, step back and say, "Lord, what have I done?" This isn't really a necessary part of the procedure, but everyone does it on first seeing a favorite piece of furniture stripped down.
When you've recovered from the shock, you'll need fabric to attach to your hypothetical chair. A few words about cloth at this point: Jim and I have worked with various medium-weight cottons to very heavy tapestry materials. The tapestry was beautiful, cost $14.00 a yard and will undoubtedly last many years, but as far as I'm concerned, the birds can have it. Apart from the expense, the luxury textile thickness and stiffness made it so difficult to work with that the value of increased wearability was negated.
Medium-weight, softer fabrics are far less trouble to handle than heavy ones, and wear better than one might expect. Even the cheap dress cotton I used on that first chair surprised us by lasting four years. Still, it isn't easy to find a suitable patterns in ordinary yard goods, and I've settled on the more expensive drapery and upholstery materials as my usual first choice. Lately, though, I've thought that some of the new printed sheets would look wild on furniture. They're high-priced as bedding but would be a bargain as chair covers. Anyhow, use your own imagination.
