Cushions, Cushions, Cushions…

It’s been a while since I posted photos of projects. April and May were chock full of cushion projects and family travel. Cushions, cushions, cushions, travel, travel, travel!

Friends have asked how I learned upholstery. I was learning online a long time before the pandemic made online learning fashionable, or necessary. I found a great teacher in Kimberley Chagnon of Kim’s Upholstery. Kim has been my teacher for years, and has taught me just about everything I know about upholstery.

Upholstery, like most things, is a discrete set of skills applied with the right tools, mixed with some problem solving and creativity. I was lucky enough to work with Kim in person last weekend at a 3 day chair workshop near Ann Arbor. It’s always a privilege to work alongside a master.

This chair is a vintage piece, with great sentimental value for the owner that required a little frame repair in addition to its new clothes. There is one ”before” photo in the dark green fabric. This chair was last upholstered more than 30 years ago. The other photos are “in process” from springs to finish.

I used a cream matelasse fabric, with a lighter, off white matelasse fabric as an accent. I think the lighter welt cord pops against the beautiful dark wood.

I enjoyed this piece, from its subtly curved back, to its delightfully poofy down cushion. As I worked on it, I kept wishing it was mine. Alas, I have to give it back!