Lauren's Weekly Upholstery Update

Each week our chairs start to look a little more like real chairs again. The first few weeks of class were about stripping them down to the bare bones and making sure they were sturdy, but now we're in the midst of the rebuilding process. After putting in the webbing last week, the next step was to make sure the springs were all tied into place.

The tying process is...tough. It involves knowing/feeling the right amount of tension in the springs and in the strings, and really having confidence in what you're doing. For my chair, the springs needed to be tied horizontally, vertically, and diagonally. Ruby tying twine (below) is the best for the job -- it's made of tough hemp fibers that aren't so nice on the hands.

photo by seaboardpaperandtwine.thomasnet.com

Once the springs were all tied in, I put some cotton padding underneath to soften things and prevent it from squeaking when someone sits. Then I covered the entire seat with burlap.