I recently had the pleasure of working on Sue’s dining chairs. They are Victorian dining chairs, probably part of a larger set, but only two were in good enough condition to be upholstered. She chose a beautiful cotton velvet by Sanderson (Canteloupe in the cherry/alabaster colourway) and we agreed to upholster them in the traditional way using natural materials.
Traditional upholstery involves creating the shape of the seat pad by stuffing with natural materials, such as coir or hair, and stitching around the edges. After the webbing is stretched across the frame, tarpaulin (a tight-weave hessian fabric) is secured with tacks. Next is the coir stuffing – it always seems like too much to squeeze into the chair but it does compress later! Then the lighter-weight hessian is secured with tacks in preparation for the stitching process. Rows of stitches are added around the edge to create the desired shape and to make a firm edge. Once this process is complete, hair is added to create a slightly springy feeling, then cotton-wool felt and wool barrier cloth. Finally, a layer of calico is stretched over the top. With these chairs, I stitched the calico to the edges of the seat pad as the rail of the chair was too small to accommodate any more tacks! Then the chair is ready to be dressed with the beautiful fabric and accessorised with a fancy gold-coloured gimp-braid, which really complements the colours on the fabric and finishes them off nicely.
Sue says: “The chairs were not only beautifully upholstered, but Jessica gave advice on matching braid and colourways. The chairs have a new life and I would love to ask for Jessica’s help and artistry again”