The
back saddlebag cushions were fabricated out of Ultracell High Resilience Foam,
above. Two thicknesses of Ultracell were glued together and knife-edged for a
soft, round profile. Soft Dacron sheeting was glued to the foam.
Inside
back and inside arm patterns for the cushion saddlebags were cut, then sewn and
stuffed in preparation for the upholstery frame.
Note:
The black fabric sewn into the center back of the saddlebag, above, was also
spandex. This allowed for flex, in the same way the spandex served the need in
the base construction over the top of the inside back springs. It was a perfect
way to allow for maximum flex while maintaining strength. Abrasion was not a
consideration, since the spandex never gets rubbed by the sitter. It will last
as long as the chenille upholstery.
Back
saddlebags were stuffed, above, and applied to frame. The saddlebag arm
pattern for the interior of the arm cushion was cut from the Ultracell foam
slab, below.
The
foam for the saddlebag arm was glued with a spray gun and then pressed into a
knife-edge, above. Soft Dacron® batting was glued to the entire surface of the
foam in order to achieve crown and softness. (Not shown.)
All
of the saddlebags interiors were pre-constructed with an internal 300-count
muslin. This interior ticking gave form to the cushion as well as longevity.
The ticking, left, constitutes a second upholstery covering and can almost
double the life of the cushion. These tickings can often be dry-cleaned and
reused when the piece is reupholstered if they haven’t been exposed to caustic
cleaning materials or air pollutants. If the tickings can’t be reused when the
piece is re-upholstered, they can often be used as reliable patterns, which will
save the next upholsterer labor time!
Before
the final stuffing of the upholstery cover, Mitchell cut a layer of super-soft,
long strand, Dacron® batting and hand stitched it to the ticking. He used a
soft cord and a blanket stitch to secure the ticking, then slipped the finished
ticking into its chenille cover.
Saddlebag
constructs for the inside arms and inside backs were installed. The knife
edging on the saddlebag foam forms translate as a soft tapering on the outside
edges of the cushions.
The
pocket-down seat cushion was stuffed then hand-sewn into place. The black tabs
on the side, shown above, are the hooks that hold the long cushion into place!
Meanwhile,
the bun feet were painted and set aside to cure!
Outside
arm and outside back cavities were covered with sheeting muslin. Mitchell
stapled down all the interior stretchers of twill and spandex coming out from
the back side of the inside back saddlebag.
Dacron®
sheeting was applied over the muslin; then topped with a layer of Dacron®
batting.
Mitchell
placed the chenille upholstery over the top to finish the outside arm and
outside back forms, left. The chenille was blind-tacked to the top rail behind
a tack strip, then pulled down and stapled to the bottom of the base rail, on
the underside of the frame. End pieces were hand stitched with a locking
slipstitch, which made an invisible seam.
A
tack strip was installed over the top of the welt cord, which defined the bottom
edge of the sofa. The tack strip ensured that the welt cord stayed firm and
stable in the face of environmental factors such as shrinkage from moisture
retention from professional carpet cleaning. It also guards against shoe
scuffing, so that the edge won’t be driven back.
Cotton
batting was placed over the bottom webbing. Black cotton twill canvas was
secured to create a dust barrier. The specialty bun feet were screwed into
machined bolts, which were in turn secured to the interior corner blocks.
The piece was vacuumed,
steamed, brushed, and ready for delivery!
The
sofa was wrapped in multiple layers for its
mid-January delivery in the mountains! The sofa was “sledded”
up the mountain behind their snowmobile! Since it was snowing on delivery day,
snow-shoveling was part of the delivery!
Decorative
nails were later installed at the house; our clients were not sure until the
last minute if they wanted them. We used a non-resin coated, burnished and
pitted brass decorative nail. It was important that the nails matured along
with the cloth and the bun feet, taking on a beauty that only time can impart!
Couch-in-the-Woods gracing its new home!
Contact Information
©Mitchell Powell Furnishings
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