Grandmas Chair

I decided to reupholster this chair that originally belonged to my grandmother. She bought it in the 1960’s and gave it to my mother in the 1970’s. Now it is mine. It is falling apart and instead of chucking it I wanted to restore it. In order to go with my bedroom décor, I stripped the finish and stained the wood black. I choose a cream colored fabric to replace the old yellow upholstery. Both the old and new fabrics are polyester blends. Polyester was invented in 1941. It is a good choice even today because it is durable and resists staining. Damask is a weaving technique of Byzantine and Islamic origins from the middle ages. The word damask comes from 14th century France.The original fabric was a traditional pattern but the new fabric is a modern design because it was the only one I could find in the right color in my price range. Taking the old fabric off was an exhausting job, esp. all the staples. I obtained new cotton batting, brass nails and trim from an upholstery store. I used the original fabric as templates for the new fabric. It was slow going but I am very pleased with the result.