DIY Upholstery Lesson - Lloyd Loom Chair Makeover

Hello

Have been keeping an eye out for a Lloyd Loom chair for the summerhouse for a while, but strangely non in the local auction houses.  Finally found one on Ebay which wasn't too far away, left a bid on it £9.50 bargain.  Brought it home on Thurs so yesterday's job was to sort it out.

Buzz was very interested in it, was looking for the cat that left all the hairs.  I took the top cover off and found the original fabric on the seat but it was scanky so decided to have a go are reupholstering it so took it to bits.  Underneath all the padding, there was a beech frame and four large springs attached to the frame to make the seat a sprung seat.

Was going to unpick the fabric to use as a pattern to make another cover but decided that I quite liked this fabric and if I could get it clean?

Tried soaking it in pure soap flakes which didn't do a great deal so chucked it in the washing machine with Ariel washing powder, it worked, lovely and clean.  Gave it a good iron.

While I was waiting for the fabric to wash, gave the chair a paint .  I was going to use Laura Ashley eggshell paint but when I got the tin out it was nearly empty.  Couldn't be bothered to drive to town to replace it so used the cream fence paint that I had used for the summerhouse windows.  It worked a treat.

The seat cover was a tight fit when I put it back on, it might have shrunk a little.  I used the old tacks to fasten the fabric to the frame, I could have used the staple gun but liked the idea of using the original tacks. Some of them had rusted so broke when clonked with a hammer.  It was a bit of trial and error, haven't really done upholstery before, the tacks took some hammering in which surprised me.

Pleased with the finished result.  Going to make a cushion for it.

The lady I bought it off reckoned it was 100 years old but I think the fabric is more 1920/30s. There is no Lloyd Loom label on it so not sure who made it.

The summerhouse is just about ready as a garden getaway (sewing place), just need a few finishing touches and then I will let you see!  

Cheers

Sharon