Upholstering the Inside Back of a Chair: Chapter 4

THAT'S RIGHT PEOPLE!!!!!

I'M UP TO CHAPTER 4!!!!!

Someone go get a gun and just shoot me.....

I'm kidding.....

I'm actually having a good time.

I spend a lot of time helping my parents, who live next door to me,

 so this is wonderful therapy.

Doing projects is better than drinking.....

unless the project drives you to drink.....

But, first I would like to tell you.....

that.....

I've noticed that I have a spot on my camera lens.

OY OY OY OY

I thought that the spot was on the fabric.

It freaked me out when I was looking at the pictures.

Then I noticed that it was on a lot of my pictures in different places.

So, now I need to get this fixed......

OY VEY!!!

At least the fabric isn't ruined......

Now, back to the chair.....

Soooooo.....

let me show you how far I've gotten.

I put the buttons on the back.

Remember????

I started with this.....

Now I will show how I used the template Gilles helped make for me to cut the fabric, sew it and attach it to the back.

AND THE SCREW UPS I MADE AND FIXED!!!!!

We left off here.....

Gilles finished the pattern for the back.

So,

I took it back to my condo workroom, and laid it out to cut.

See how easy it is to see the center, since we ironed it in half?????

I laid the pattern on the linen fabric, and cut out the back and arms.

I was able to reuse the fabric from my first attempt.

Remember????

I cut it and realized I made a mess of the whole deal?????

see????

The picture below was my first attempt gone horribly wrong.

So I had to run to Gilles to help me?????

I was really, really, really lucky that the fabric was usable.

The arm pieces were just a little small, but Gilles told me that I could piece the front, and the seat cushion would hide the patch.

Here they are, repaired and ready to go.

The irony is.....

I screwed this part up, and the added fabric wasn't even needed.

I made some welting out of the white stripe of the fabric.

It was going to be sewed into the seam where the arm meets the back.

I pinned the welting onto the back piece first, 

Sewed it on, and then pinned the back to the arms.

Sewed them together....

 

 Then, I did something I've never done before!!!!!!!

 I sewed a welt around the bottom edge where the seat meets the back and arms.

 I made sure that there were tails left of the side welts that were long enough to use to pull the fabric into place once it was attached to the chair.

Then I sewed lining fabric to the bottom welt, gathering it as I went.

This was the amazing lesson Gilles taught me.

Because the fabric was gathered, 

when I pulled it down between the seat and the back, the gathering would work to ease around the curve.

I have no idea why I took the picture below.

If you know why I did, please leave a comment.

Then I laid the fabric on the chair and preceded to once again freak out......

I had several options at this point......

1. I could start drinking......
2. I could open the windows and do some primal screaming.
3. I could call Kris and have her help me bring the chair back to Gilles for more help.
4. Orrrrr.....I could pull up my big girl pants, take a deep breath, and figure the damn thing out for myself.

Soooooo

I referred to the notes that Gilles had me write down.

The man ain't dumb, I tell ya, he knew I would need some direction.

1. Stitch welt to inside arm, leave tail in back for pulling. (check)
2. Stitch inside arm to back. (check)
3. Stitch base welt around back of seat, leave four inch tail at both sides for pulling into place. (check)
4. Sew gathered fabric to back and arms at bottom. (check)
5. At this point he should have said "don't freak out", because the inside back is now ready to be attached to the chair..... but the next step is...Tack top center.
6. Tack bottom center to lock stripe into place
7. Tack both arm welts to back of chair at bottom
8. Take other end (top) of arm welt and pin to top of arm
9. Then go to upper back corners and pin fabric, checking that stripe is straight, then relief cut sides to help fabric lie flat.

So, that's what I did!!!!!

Then, I worked from the center to the corners, pulling the fabric into place and stapling to the frame.

I cut the gathered fabric to work around the legs and pulled it down to tighten the fabric on the inside back.

Then I screwed up and cut the fabric too close.....

on the bottom of the arms, where they meet the legs and frame.

On both sides!!!!!

Both sides......

I have some issues when cutting the fabric to go around legs.

Then I trimmed the fabric, and decided that there must be a way to fix this without having to start from scratch.

"Cuz everything else was looking good.

Soooooo....

Because I'm so friggin' clever.....

I used some of the white welting and created my own little detail.

It was going to be covered by the cushion anyway.

Besides.....

Kris loves me, and the labor is free.

I figured out how much welt I needed.

Then I made my very complicated pattern of a triangle.

I cut out the triangle in some of the white of the stripe, sewed it to the welt, and stapled it to the chair frame.

Both sides!!!!!

I think I am one smahrt cookie, for such a dumb broad.

The cushion completely covers it, which is sort of a shame, since I am so pleased with myself for coming up with this solution.....

So, here's the progress collage for your enjoyment!!!!!

Next post, I'll show how I attached the buttons.

I know I said that I would do that today, but this has been one long mother of a blog post,

so.....

on that note,

Latah, Gatah