The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-11-11

Upholstery of home make is used so much
now that few hints as to It's easy accom-
plishment may be of use Stripes are very
fashionable for chairs, and that is favorable
for ladies with limited purses, as scraps o
almost any goods heavy enough for the pur
pose may be used Say that you want t.
upholster straight backed Quaker rocking
chair Divide the width you need into three
equal parts with strip of flannel for each
part of three different colors. They should
be Of dark shades as possible, dark blue,
alive green, and garnet Or the two out
side strips may be alike, the center one be
ing the darkest color. These strips should
be long enough to cover the back and seat,
and hang down about six inches from the
seat, and over the back. The ends should
be finished with fringe. The strips may be
plain, but looks much better embroidered
bright colored silk or woods, or with vines Of
autumn leaves. You can get models by
choosing any pretty shaped leaf covering it
with soft paper and ironing with warm
iron. When the shape IS sufficiently dis
tinct, cut it out, and then fasten this pat
tern to bright colored fannels, cutting them
with sharp pointed scissors. Basic these
flannel leaves on to the strips IN an easy
vine like style and button hole the edges
down. The stems and tendrils may be sim
ulated by fine feather stitch vine, the
veins of the leaves by a long back stitch,
others call it kensington stitch. The stems
and veins show better if made of coarse silk
If you have neither the time nor taste for
embroidery, your strips for upholstery may
be ornamented with inch wine strips Of gay
colors of any meterial put on In clusters
across the strips, or length wise, the edges
button holed or feather stitched down.
Patchwork in bright colors Of either wooden
or silk goods make pretty stripes. After
ornamenting the strips, sew them together.
press the seams fiat, and cover the JOINT with
a fancy stitch of some kind.
If the woodwork of your chair Is defaced
paint it black, with here and there a narrow
ring Of bright yellow, or better still, Of gild
irg, if you have a sign painter handy.
Make fiat thick cushions for the back and
seat, tacking them firmly on, then put on
your outside covering, tacklng 1t on with
brass headed nails to the top OF the back,
and both the front and back of the seat. II
YOU have dozen chars TO cover, you may
have as many different styles Of covering,
for these strips may be made Of embroidery
of anv kind of velvet or silk, Of Turkish
toweling, crash, or burap, though the latter
needs to be nearly covered with embroidery
IF YOU have an unholstered arm chair which
is worn on the edges and arms, cover it with
these embroidered strips instead Of tides
remembering to have them stylish the,
should pass over the top of the back am
down the seat in one piece, leaving tev
inches to nang down in front and over tn
back. For the arms, have your covering
only broad enough to cover the deface'
part, and fringe only the edge which hang
on the outside This should hang Owe
about as long as the drapery does on tn
seat and back. You can take woode
kitchen chair, saw off the legs SO that
will be comfortably low, paint it as befor
described, uphoster it 10 strips, and yo
will have pretty addition to your slttln
room.