Upholstery Class Week 5

It's already week 5!

But I've only been 3 times...

Last week I missed class because of Carter's surgery. 

I arrived to class this week about 5 minutes late because I had to take Austin to work so I got a later start on the drive.

Traffic wasn't the worst its ever been but it wasn't good either

A couple of people in our class can actually walk there

(I am so jealous)

so when I told them that I try to give myself 2 hours to get there, they were flabbergasted.

It is kind of ridiculous when you think about it

but it's only once a week so it doesn't make me nuts.

If I was commuting daily, I would definitely be unhappy.

Anyway, I got a lot done today!

Today was a weird combination of fun and super stressful.

I took the chair home and painted the visible wood.

and didn't take a single picture

Then while moving it around to work on the upholstery, I scratched the heck out of it.

*tears up*

Fist step was to finish putting burlap over the arms 

(I did the straps last time)

I built up the arm by using some strapping and then filling it with cotton batting

Staple it down with a  small pleat so that you can have a pocket to fill.

the original chair had flat arms but I think I'll like the round, rolled look better

Now my chair had to be turned on its side for the next steps, so that's what your looking at.

I placed foam over the burlap area and stapled in place

Then a piece of cotton is placed over the foam

and it brought all the way over the arm in one piece.

I put smaller pieces of batting into any lumps or bumps that I could feel

so that the arm is nice and smooth

Next cover the whole thing with muslin

and staple in place.

It's necessary to pleat the area by the front of the arm.

I found this difficult to get looking nice

which makes me nervous for the real fabric!

I also had to cut slits in the fabric to go around the wood pieces along the bottom

so that I could pull it down into the bottom of the chair and get it tight.

Whenever I cut the fabric it totally stresses me out.

No going back from a bad cut!

Again, I am imagining having to do that with the real fabric.

EEEK!

The burlap, foam, cotton and muslin are all pulled down through the bottom area of the arm

and brought UP and tacked in place.

This hold it temporarily until I can put the fabric

After the fabric is placed, everything will be pulled DOWN and secured

Once the arms were done, I began to put the webbing on the back of the chair.

On the seat, when you put the webbing, you use a webbing stretcher to get it very very tight.

But on the back we leave it slightly loose so that the back is comfy and has some "give"

When class was over I was pretty happy with how much I got done!

Sadly next week is a vacation week so no class!

I'll be bringing in my fabric next time.

YAY!

I'm sort of amazed how much stuff is required to do this.

And everything is BIG.

Big rolls of batting and foam are not easy to store.

Not to mention the furniture itself.

Someone in another class is making a King size tufted headboard

and I was kind of jealous...