I found this really lovely little chair in a dusty workshop in Kendal, it had a thin hard wood seat which was cracked and had no cushions. After a really good wax and wood treatment the Maple wood came alive and the chair really deserved a smart and comfortable seat. What I love about this chair is that you can see the beautiful Maple grain in the flower detail on the back.

It has been traditionally upholstered with strong black and white webbing, 2 layers of horse hair, firm layers of blind stitching and top stitch. The cotton wadding is then added and covered. A matching seat cushion was then made to finish this piece creating a practical yet individual chair for any home.

Miriam’s Victorian chair is a real family favourite. Used every day for many years it had been recovered many times and the frame was in need some serious attention. After stripping back the layers of foam, cotton wadding and very old horse hair I was able to re web the base and glue the joints making this chair stand tall again. With new springs, stuffing and a comfortable layer of padding the chair is ready for its new fabric. The owners of this chair chose an amethyst tone with brass pins to match the new interior of their home.

This is a small Victorian ‘Crinoline’ or ‘Iron back’ chair. So called because the frame of the chair is made of Iron and the frame structure is similar to the fame work of the crinoline skirts and dresses worn by Victorian ladies. It was popular after world war one as iron was in good supply. They make very strong and pretty chairs that last many lifetimes.

In these pictures you can see it was covered in a Blue Dralon fabric, although as I stripped it back to its frame I found evidence of many other fabrics underneath this one. Next you can see the Iron frame in all its glory, clean and ready for a new life. With Iron back frames the structure must be created by stitching hessians directly onto the frame by hand, a real labour of love. The stuffing can then be completed on the back lumber support and seat, three rows of strong blind stitching and one row of top stitch ensure strength is added.

The buttoning is carefully added before finishing the final fabric.