Upholstering the Back of a Chair

If you guys are getting sick of hearing about this chair.....

Just imagine how I feel!!!!!

The back wasn't quite as bad as the front.

BUT.....

that ain't sayin' much.

I used the instructions Gilles gave me for the front.....

and applied them to the back!!!!!

I AM A GENIUS!!!!!

Sooooo.....

here is how I did it in nauseating detail.

I reused the existing underlayment that supplies support for the Dacron stuffing.

I reattached it at the bottom using my trusty staple gun.

I wasn't able to use the piece from the back, since the chair had been tufted, so I made a new support piece out of lining fabric.

I cut it to fit the back and tacked it in place in the middle of the top and sides and started working out from the centers, pulling the fabric tight as I went.

Then I trimmed the excess fabric.

At this point, I was thinking.....

"HA!!!!! This is easy!!!!!"

I am an idiot.

Then I pulled out my Dacron and cut off a piece that fit the back of the chair.

It's a really bulky roll, and cutting off pieces are a pain in the @$$.

(thanks for letting me complain.......)

I stapled it to the chair, first tacking it in the middle of each side and then working out from the center.

Then I used razor blades to trim the excess.

I say "blades" because I am going through those little suckers like they are water.

Once again, let me remind you to leave around a half an inch of space from the edge of the dacron to the frame.

This way there will be room for the double welt when you are done.

Now it was time to sew the fabric together for the back of the chair.

This is where I freaked out when doing the front.

Sooooo.....

I used the lessons Gilles had taught me and got out my trusty twine.

I decided where I wanted the back seams to go and tacked the twine at that place on the chair.

This would now be my guide for the pattern of the back.

I cut a piece of lining fabric to fit the back section and pinned it in place.

Then I used a pencil and ran the lead along the outline of the frame and the line of the twine.

I could feel the wooden frame and the twine through the fabric.

Then I cut a piece for the side panels, pinned it in place and outlined this piece too.

Then I trimmed the pattern pieces.

I drew on the arm pieces where the stripe needed to go so that it would line up with the stripe on the inside of the arm.

Then I added a half inch seam allowance to the edges that would be sewn together and cut the pieces.

I recently bought this handy little ruler from Joanne's.

It's transparent and is 1/2" wide, so it is great for helping draw a 1/2" allowance. 

I cut the pieces and lay them side by side.

I had made marks along the seam allowance edge on each piece so that I could line them up properly when I sewed them together.

Here's a close up so you can see what I'm yammering about.

Then I cut out the pieces of the striped fabric making sure that the stripes were properly placed.

I ironed the fabric flat at the seams.....

Then!!!!!

I hauled the chair back up onto the table.....

took a big gulp of air.....

and started trying to attach the fabric to the frame.

And I panicked....

So I pulled out my notes from Gilles and applied what I had learned for the inside back to the outside back!

I tacked the center of the stripe to the top and bottom to set the stripe the way I wanted it.

Then I used staples to tack it in strategic places on the frame.

Then working from the center I smoothed the fabric and worked my way out.

I set the stripes to line up on the arms and worked out from those points also.

I cut slashes in the excess to ease the curves.

I stapled all the way around the outside back......

trying to make sure the arm stripe was somewhat vertical.

I mean.....

I'm only human.....

Then I used more razor blades to trim the fabric.

So here she is!!!!!

All that's left to do is......

Make the double welting.

Apply the double welting.

Make a ticking cover for the down seat cushion.

Fill the down cushion with DOWN.....

and then make the cover for the cushion!!!!!

See how the stripes line up on the arms?????

I am a goddess!!!!!

The back lines up tooooooo!!!!!

Check out her tush!!!!!

So here's a progress collage for your enjoyment!!!!!

What I started with and where I am now....

My father can't believe I'm still working on this baby.....

neither can I.....

On that note,

Latah, Gatah