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Compared with other trades like cabinet-making, plumbing, etc., the upholstery trade requires few tools.

Hammers

Perhaps the most important one is the upholsterer’s hammer. Upholstery hammers are specially made for this specific craft. There are three types, the favorite one being that with the round ringed shaft.

Cutting tools

These consist of scissors and knives, the former should be about nine or ten inches in length and of good quality. A first-class pair of scissors will last an upholsterer all his working life. Here again we have a choice of design. One type has a square end finish to one of its blades and the other type has a pointed end to both blades. The last-mentioned are particularly useful when cutting loose covers and usually are a little dearer to buy. A knife is an essential tool for “trimming off” after the cover has been tacked on – particularly for hides and leather cloths.

Ripping-out tools

These consist of an upholsterer’s ripping chisel and a wooden mallet and are used to prepare the frame for a repair. The chisel end is placed against the tack and given one or two blows to remove same; always with the grain of the wood, otherwise you may crack or chip the wood-work.

Upholsterers’ needles and stitching tools

These are essential requirements. They consist of mattress or stitching needles and are from 8 to 16 in. in length. They have double-pointed ends with an eye about an inch from one end and are round in section. An exception is the one that is shaped triangularly for about a third of its length. This is called a bayonet point.

A ‘packing’ or ‘spring’ needle and a half-circular needle will complete the stitching tools, a further addition being three or four dozen steel skewers. These are used to hold hessian or covers in position until they are stitched.

Machinery required for the workshop includes a heavy-duty sewing machine and a carding machine. The latter is used for ‘teasing’ and cleaning various stuffings from repair jobs. A cushion-filling machine is needed if a large volume of this work is done. Factory machines usually include mattress-making machines and a loose-seat machine, a fairly recent innovation.

A linen tack bag with three or four sections is required to hold the different sizes of tacks, and an upholsterer’s apron which has a capacious front pocket. This pocket is invaluable to the ‘ragtacker’. Tacks are held in the mouth and it is quite a shock when one first sees a handful of tin tacks thrown into the mouth. They are brought to the lips by teeth and tongue and taken by the thumb and forefinger of the hammer hand, still holding the hammer. Experience has proved that this is the fastest and most suitable method. The advent of the hammer with the magnetic head prompted some to alter their technique by placing the hammer head to the lips and carrying the tack to the job direct.

There is a combination that is essential for each man in the workshop. This is a pair of trestles and a bench. The trestles are of the usual variety but with a beading round the top. This is to prevent pieces of furniture with castors fixed from moving off. The bench is usually about 4 ft. square and is placed on the trestle tops for doing loose seats or cutting out, etc. The old-type Gladstone bag was a favorite for carrying the tools in, and a hair cushion tacked upon the wall near the bench took care of the needles and regulator. A tape measure is often found draped around this cushion ready to hand when needed.

For The People Who Want To Upholster Their Own Furniture But Don’t Know Where To Start!

Click here for FREE online ebook!

http://www.furnitureupholstery.org/

To begin with, I want to say something as trite as it is important and that is, “Use the very best materials that you can afford for any and all handwork.” Extravagance is never smart, but good quilt materials are not expensive. It’s the sleazy ones, unreliable dyes and starched cloth that prove expensive in the end.

Wash goods is gauged by the number of threads per square inch, “68-72″ is a fair grade of percale, “80 square” is excellent, the weight we usually use and some of the very fine imported ginghams run to “120 square.”

A firm weave is imperative where one is cutting small triangles and diamonds where part of each block must be bias. Imagine trying to fit bias sides of rayon crepe or voile onto squares and you can see how totally unfitted such scraps are for quilt making. Coarse linens, crash weight cretonne and pongee unless deeply seamed ravel out too easily to be suitable. Romper cloth and any others that border onto ticking texture are too close weave and heavy to quilt well. Cheap ginghams will shrink enough to pucker in a quilt top. So to the firm weave must be added soft texture. “Beauty shine” is a permanent luster satin of finest quality, which we recommend for excellent results. The finest materials certainly do make the loveliest quilts.

The dye problem is mastered with a reasonable amount of care as “vat dyes” are usual in even very inexpensive goods. “Commercially fast” the dealer will say, which means with any reasonable care they will not run. Very few manufacturers will absolutely guarantee color, and where they do replace, they have told us it was often a case of sub-standard black thread which had spotted with washing. Quilts are naturally difficult things to launder. A wisp of silk undies may be in, out, and dry in next to no time, but a quilt with cotton filler, top and lining all stitched plumply together goes in for no such speedy procedure. When it gets wet it stays that way long enough to try colors to their limits. We have had quilt colors, yellows and reds “bleed” into the white and in subsequent tubbings clear again to white. For the “priceless” quilts we suggest the French dry-cleaning establishments.

There is a long list of woven cloths advertised from 1715 on, “Demities,” “Fustians,” “Muslings,” “Cambricks,” different sorts of “Duck,” “Lawn,” “Searsucker,” “Pealong” the ancestor of longcloth and Nankeen who begat “Blue Denim”! All of these and many more found their way into patchwork but the dearest and most suitable of all was calico. An author, who treats this history in full, writes that “the mainstay of the patch worker was from 1700 to 1775 callicoe, from 1775 to 1825 calicoe, and from 1825 to 1875 calico!”

The great majority of quilts are usually made of wash cotton materials, although silks are sometimes used in such patterns as Log Cabin, Grandmother’s Fan, or the Friendship Ring, where one’s friends are called upon to help furnish beautiful bits to make the patterns as variegated as possible. Woolens, even good parts of worn garments are excellent for the heavy type of coverlet, and such designs as Steps to the Altar, or Grandmother’s Cross are suitable. Woolens are so apt to be dull, “practical” colors, that it is imperative to have some certain unit of red, bright green, orange or such in each block.

While cotton broadcloth, percales, or fine gingham, the calico prints and such, are used with muslin for wash quilts, many women maintain that soft satin really makes the most gorgeous quilt of all. When the time comes to quilt you will know why we stress soft materials and why lustrous satin which catches light on every little silk-like puff between quilting designs is so beloved.

Who Else Wants 101 Free Qulit Patterns And Designs!

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http://www.freequiltpattern.net/

The picture frame, as it exists today, is derived from the doorway or entrance to temples, palaces and cathedrals. The earliest examples of frame-like decorations or borders bear a great resemblance to door frames. They were composed of two columns surmounted by a connecting entablature and this form persisted into the 15th century. Even the decorations painted by the artists around the edges of pictures before the introduction of movable frames were similar in form.

As a matter of fact, frames without pictures eventually came into existence because the desire to embellish with Moldings was so strong. Rooms in palaces were arbitrarily paneled with Moldings and their vestigial remains are to be seen today in the senselessly paneled walls of apartments in modern cities.

Movable picture frames for “easel” paintings gained quickly in popularity once they were introduced. Be sides the elaborate and intricate wood-carving, ebony, ivory, tortoise shell and mother of pearl were used for inlaid decoration. Gold, silver and every other metal have also been used for frames.

With the perfection of the technique of making large sheets of glass which were in turn used to cover and protect pictures, frame-making received a big impetus in the 17th century. In the 18th century, when cheaper mirrors were introduced, frames were in greater demand than ever.

This century also saw an invention that was to revolutionize the art of frame decoration – that of the development of molded composition ornaments. The use of this easily handled material, which did away with the need for laborious and expensive hand-carving, drove artisans to other fields. Since then, there has been no large group of wood-carvers devoted solely to frame decoration.

It is interesting to note that during the Renaissance period, when movable frames were first introduced, book decoration reached its highest form. Undoubtedly, the early carvers and framers, besides using architectural designs, took many of their ideas from early illuminated manuscripts. The frames of the Louis’ periods certainly got their inspiration from typographical decorative motifs. Before then, architects and sculptors designed much of the scroll-work, but later goldsmiths were employed for decoration. Overelaboration became the order of the day until all forms were lost beneath the gingerbread.

With the French revolution, people turned away from all evidences of bourgeois wealth and returned to a refreshing simplicity. Until 1850 all Moldings were cut from rough boards by hand, but with the invention of laborsaving machinery, frames could be put on the market for what the raw material had cost previously. This country was fortunately spared from the use of molded ornaments until the advent of the Victorian era. American frames up to that time were relatively simple and dignified, very often using only natural, stained wood and a gilded insert. The carving, when used, was restricted to the classical forms of ornamentation for specific molding shapes.

The frame-makers who constructed the monstrosities of the Victorian era were not content to put one heavily embellished gold frame around a picture of “The Stag at Bay” or something similar, but three or four. This birthday cake was then enclosed in a glass-covered, plush-lined, mahogany shadow-box. This was presumably for protection, but its need is a mystery since the interiors of that time were heavily shaded and hermetically sealed anyway.

Around 1900 there was a fashion for “Oxford”, plush and cork-decorated frames. Hours and hours were spent carving these horrors and fitting them intricately together or in decorating frames with segments of cork. They can be found only rarely today, even in the higher priced second-hand stores, euphemistically called “antique shops”. But perhaps it is too early to drag out another “antique” vogue. Mass production, to some degree at least, has forced a healthy simplification.

At the same time that heavy gilt frames were the vogue for oil paintings, a demand for polished, veneered oak and white enamel frames developed. In order to cheapen the cost of production, a fashion was instituted for bronze frames, i.e., frames finished with gold or silver paint. It did not last long, however, and simple, wide frames in black or dark brown wood of the Flemish type came into favor.

Learn How To Make Picture Frames And How To Finish Them Like A Bought One – Or Even Better!

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http://www.howtomakepictureframe.com/

Scrap booking is a hobby that relates to pasting articles, photos, magazine, newspaper clippings and other memorabilia into personalised decorative albums. Scrap booking is a growing hobby and often ‘scrappers’ meet on a regular basis for weekends or evenings to share tips and ideas for scrapbook ideas.

In its earliest form scrap booking was a way to blend memorabilia and journals. Scrapbooks have been created since printed material has been available.

Older style scrapbooks tended to have photos that were mounted with photo mount corners with quotes about who was in the photos and when the picture was taken. Quite often these pages would have memorabilia attached to them to make them more attractive.

If like me you are the type of person who is always taking photos and keeps memorabilia from places you visit such as tickets or receipts then scrap booking would be a perfect hobby for you to embark on.

Scrapbooks are great to improve and express your creative side as well as being something that you can store all your photos in.

It is important to use high quality materials when doing scrap booking, as your scrapbook will probably become one of your most treasured possessions due to the time you will spend on it. The most important thing to remember is always use products that are acid free using something that is not acid free can deteriorate and colors may fade over time.

It you are stuck for ideas there are so many books, websites and magazines that will give you great ideas for scrap book pages, however I do think it is important for you to try and create something personal and unique as this will reflect your crafting capabilities and your own personality.

Scrap books can also be given as gifts, sometimes just looking through a pile of photos can be rather boring but choosing the best ones and presenting them on a beautiful page filled with memories will bring a smile to any ones face.

If you are new to scrap booking then you could always purchase a kit to get you started scrapbook kits will contain the basic supplies to create a few pages. The items you will receive will all correspond in colour so you know that it will work together. Although the more professional scrapper would probably not use a kit they are perfect for beginners and will give you great ideas where to start and what colours go with what.

Once you have created your first scrapbook page and have seen how wonderful it looks im sure you will be as hooked on this hobby as I was. Then you can be more creative and try the 100s of techniques there is. It is also a great way to make new friends so keep your eyes out for local scrap book clubs that you could join to share tips and ideas.

Vicki Churchill writes for a site that specializes in card making ideas http://www.vickiscardmakingideas.com providing you with excellent tips and ideas for rubber stamping,scrapbooking and many other tricks and techniques.Plus where to find the best products for your crafts supplies.

Using embossing powders for your card making ideas is just one of the versatile techniques commonly used by crafters. Embossing powders are a wonderful addition to and card makers or scrap bookers craft box.

Embossing powders come in a huge variety of colours and textures and can easily be used by beginners and professional for card making ideas

Using embossing powders for your projects can create many different effects but you will need to purchase a few basic materials.

The main item you will need to be able to use your embossing powders is a heat gun, these can be found at most craft stores or stamp companies. Some heat guns are better than others, when you are purchasing a heat gun it is worth asking for recommendations from other experts that have used them for their card making ideas.

You will need to have an ink pad, ink pads come in many different colors I find it best to use the same colour ink pad as the embossing powder you are going to use, this will eliminate the ink showing through. You can always use a clear ink pad however if you are a beginner I would start with a color so you can see where you have stamped.

Stamps – a stamp is essential when using embossing powders as this is the foundation of the design, rubber stamps can be found at craft shops and there are simply millions that can be bought over the internet.

Of course you will need embossing powder, again these come in a huge variety of colours, try to math the colour with the theme of the stamp where possible.

To begin embossing it is advisable to wipe the area where you are going to stamp with an anti static bag, I also find a light dusting of bathroom talc works just as well.

Once the area is prepared it is time to ink your stamp. Choose your colour of ink preferably clear but if you are new to card making ideas then a matching color to your embossing powder will be fine. Always take your ink pad to the stamp rather than pressing the stamp into the ink pad, this will give the stamp an even coating.

Once you have inked your stamp you can then press it firmly onto your project, hold your hand flat over the stamp to ensure the entire image is printed, press firmly using the palm of your hand, lift the stamp carefully away from the project and make sure you are happy with the result.

Carefully undo the lid of the embossing powder and generously sprinkle over the stamped image, if you are using a tidy try all the excess embossing powder can be easily tipped back into the pot, I find a folded piece of paper works just as well.

Gently tap the back of the project or card making ideas to allow any excess embossing powder to come off if you can see any odd bits of embossing powder still in places it should not be use a small paint brush to gently remove it.

Use your heat gun to heat the image until it turns shiny, hold your heat gun approximately 6 inches from the paper sweeping backwards and forwards until you see the embossing powder melting. Do not over heat the image as you can cause the paper and embossing powder to burn.

Once you are happy that all the embossing powder had melted you are done. Step back and admire your finished project.

Vicki Churchill writes for a site that specializes in card making ideas

http://www.vickiscardmakingideas.com

providing you with excellent tips and ideas for embossing powders and many other tricks and techniques.