The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-02-13
PROFESSIONAL UPHOLSTERY.
1t Is a New and Congenial Employ
ment For Women.

In the main street of town not thou
/ sand miles from everywhere. in a brick
building. Is the busiest woman of that
whole section, especially on order day.
when, in a well-furnished Office she re-
ceives orders for the coming week.
Her business is novel one. Her
single. swaying in the breeze. announces
/ that shs is an ''upholsterer," also a seller
/ of such fabrics and stuffs as her business
| requires
| This new path of labor for a woman
J seems to answer the question that many
girl is asking today with a thoughtful
face-the inquiry as 10 what road to enter
tnat is not now crowded to jOStling point
with busy travellers.
Every trade or occupation that does not
come under the good old term-trade-
I is full. and ii is little satisfaction to the
earnest young woman to say there is
room at the top. She cannot get an en-
trance in most cases into any avenue of
toll but that which but poorly repays her
in the end, and the top is always a van
ishing point.
This suggestion of upholstery as an oc-
cuDation for women is rather new, that
is, technical and industrial schools have
only within year or less formed classes
in this industry for women.
There is so much individuality nova
days in furnishings that many women like
to have il executed directly under their
own eyes. Draperies and furniture cover
ings can be picked up at low prices here
and there. and with them. divans. easy
chairs, coy corners and the like be de-
nghtfully and ineXpensively evolved If the
housewife has the assistance of one of
these professional workers.
Four dollars a day is the average sum
a woman should get who goes out by the
/ day If one sets up an Office, with as
sistants. so day or $50 or more should
be the average. with very aDDreciaDle
sum added to the income from the sale
of furniture stufs.
Strong hands and strong back and a
real preference for the work are prime
requisites. One can fearn the trade in
from four to six months by applying
oneself most diligently. day after day,
to it,
The beginner is put to work on a small
mattress; then a hassOck is given to the
prentice hand. Here one can exercise
ones ingenuity in shaping and tufting-
one. too. can invent different shapes or
vary the style TO a certain degree The
first attempt probably is not JOY for
ever. although it may afford a certain
amount Of satisfaction as ones hrst ef-
fort at upholstering-
The different methods of tufting sofas
and divans is almost a distinct branch of
the industry: crOSS-tufting. for example,
is nice bit of work to learn.
A great advantage TO woman in this
work is the lightness of the tools; needles
of different sizes. some straight, some
curved mattress needles. strong Irvine.
curled hair or excelsior. or for ordinary
upholstering. tow or flax and cotton: our-
sizes. a tack-lifter and a hammer-these
are the tools of the trade.
If one takes a chair in hand upon which
10 try her skill. perhaps an old chair, the
frame of which is mcldy and dusty and
the covering il rags and tatters. the first
thing is to strip it entirely, consigning the
stuffing to the fire and the springs to the
ash barrel. All the old tacks are easily
removed with the tack-lifter Give the
frame a good scrubbing with soda and
water. and then after it is dry rub il well
with fine Sand-paper. then with pulverlzed
pumice. after which it viii be ready for
a coat of varnish diluted with turpentine.
Mahogany. cherry. black walnut or rose
wood can be treated in this way. but one
takes care not TO put the varnish on too
thiclly.
to be covered; it is best to put the springs
in before the frame is vanished Either
a board is put underneath. TO which the
springs are fastened by means of Irvine
nassed through the holes made in the
board, or straps of stout webbing are
used. Curled hair is next required. and IS
covered with burlaps. which are securely
tackled down over the edge or the CHAIR
The outer covering is then tackled on. be-
ing finished with gimp. neatly held in
place by tiny gimp tacks-
So much for uphOlStering chair For q
divan. which is. perhaps. the most difh-
cult work a n uphOlSterer is called upon
to do. the method of procedure is almost
identical
The teacher from whom one learns her
trade may have-he probably viii have
certain ideas and an individual knack
which are his secrets of success and which
he kindly transmits to those he instructs-
Once at work. with that growth in knowl-
edge which brings perfectness from prac--
tice comes a confidence in the success or
welI-directed. intelligent effort.
To keep posted in all that is novel and
fashionable in furniture draDeries and
coverings is. of course. one branch or the
trade. Curtain and portiere hanging also
comes under the head of upholstery. and
its secrets and intricacie must also be
mastered. FRANCES STEVENS.