Saturday, April 7, 2012

Purple!!

Purple as a home decor color.....risky?
Purple could come off as an Easter pastel.




While working on this beautiful camelback sofa in Michael Jon Designs Prima Velvet (gumdrop), everyone who came into my shop commented. "Oh! Look at that beautiful purple couch!"
This picture doesn't show the richness of the color and sheen - but I wondered how many of them would actually be able to pull off the look.


But when I saw how my customer had accessorized...whoa! THIS is how you do purple!




Happy Easter!

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Saturday, March 10, 2012

Antique Indoor/Outdoor Chairs and Double Welt Tutorial

Remember that old eastlake style chair I was going to start on? It's been painted (love it!!), but put that aside while we worked on 2 others. I'll post pics of that when it's done. We got these chairs sprung up and upholstered. All the padding and fabric is appropriate for use in a protected outdoor area, or a powder room.

What we started with

And now!




 I'm going to show you how to make the double welt that is used to trim out the edges

How to sew double welt on a walking foot machine

My industrial machine is a Chandler that I bought last year from Bob at Toledo Industrial Sewing Machines.
It's the second machine I got there - great place. Go there to buy yours!

Ok, start out by cutting your fabric strips on the bias. I cut mine 2".  You'll want enough strips to make the length you need...

Then sew the strips together like this. I don't show it, but trim off that corner to reduce bulk.

I use a double-welt foot. Makes life easy. The 2 channels ride right on top of the cords. This is for 5/32" cord - which is what I use in my shop.

It's a 2 step sewing process. Sew in one cord, then the other. With fabric right side down, place cord on the left.


  Fold the fabric over the cord from left to right, just enough to cover. That cord will be fed in to the left channel of the foot.

(when you come to where you joined the strips, finger press that seam open and continue folding over and sewing)
Next take the welted fabric out of the machine and turn it around so that you can sew in the second cord. 

Notice you start right side down, second cord on the left. Now tuck it in close.




Hold on to both cords and fold over from right to left. You'll be sewing on the right side of the fabric now. Makes a neater double welt and draws the 2 cords together nicely.

Stitch in the ditch...or right over the first stitch.
See how the 2 channels of the welting foot ride on top of the 2 cords?



As you feed it in to the foot, use your left hand to tuck the cord in close, the right hand to fold the fabric snug over that cord.

Then trim off the excess fabric


And you've got yourself double welt trim to attach to your chair!


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Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Just a quick post to get started here. I'm starting to really enjoy painted wood.
Especially like on these sweet dining chairs I reupholstered this winter.


I like the light, clean look.
Sometimes it's distressed and worn looking like this set I saw over at Dreamy Whites
Or not so distressed like this one at Kate Forman's

I'm going to try my hand at recreating the painted look of these antique painted chairs
using Miss Mustard Seed's technique which she offers Here and Here.
I happen to have an Eastlake style chair begging for a makeover.
I've also got a crazy notion to put outdoor fabric on it so I can put it on the front porch.
These fabrics from P. Collins, Ltd. are yummy.
I'll let you know how it turns out.
I'll even throw in a tutorial on how I make the double welt trim!

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Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Great news! I'm in the process of updating this blog - stay tuned for a fresh new look and lots of new posts!

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Monday, November 22, 2010

Thanksgiving Design

I got to take photos of my latest upholstery job in the newly remodeled dining room. The inside backs on the dining chairs are upholstered in pearlescent carbon colored Garrett leather with nickle finish corative nails.

                                                     

The window treatments were done by Laura Nelson, of Sew Nice Custom Window Treatments and More,
 using the same leather at the top and studded with rhinstones.

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Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Call of the wild...

Yesterday's project: before and after.
This chair will add a punch of pizazz to the living room now!

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Sunday, October 24, 2010

Reclaiming a living room sofa


This sofa had been the favorite napping spot for the family dogs...


Now it's a beauty in leather!


And THIS is what it looked like within seconds of delivery :)

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Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Nice day, isn't it? Except I have a headache...
There are 2 big bulldozers next door. This one is busting through the pavement "BAM" "BAM", then scooping it up and tossing it in the dump truck. Each "BAM" makes everything in my shop quake and the tremor goes up my feet to my hurting head....
Hope they get it all done today.

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Monday, August 30, 2010

Upholstery Fair 2010

It wasn't just upholsterers...Sheryl McAfee of "A Stitch in Time Design" in Indianapolis explores ways to expand her custom window treatment business by offering light upholstery. In this class we built and upholstered a simple slipseat - the kind you would find in a dining chair or side chair. Those corners are trickier than they look :) We then attached them to a hand built footstool frame to take home and use.

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Wednesday, August 25, 2010

This is EXACTLY what I wear to work each day! :)

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