Labels

Antique fabric upholstery



For the classes I'll be teaching this summer I've made a few other chairs with several different fabrics and finishes on them. Just to show the students the different effects that can be achieved with the same design.

I upholstered this chair with an antique silk embroidered damask, brought from China 100 years ago by my husbands grandparents. The fabric was disintegrating and fading badly, but I managed to cut around the bad areas so that I had just enough to upholster the chair. I gilded the frame of the chair with real gold leaf and then aged it. I love the combination of the gold and the faded fabric. Even though the scale of the embroidery is completely out, I think it works really well.

The fabric on the back of the chair is less faded than the rest because I used the wrong side of the fabric. The front embroidery was almost worn away. What amazes me is that the wrong side of the fabric is just as beautifully embroidered as the right side of the fabric!
Labels:

Comments

  1. KathiJune 12, 2009 at 2:12 PM

    Gorgeous! Wish I could come to the Netherlands and take your class!

    ReplyDelete
  2. doraJune 12, 2009 at 2:48 PM

    !Que maravilla! lastima que esté tan lejos.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sans!June 12, 2009 at 3:11 PM

    Josje, that's the beauty of fine Chinese embroidery. The back must look like the front. Have you seen those where the image on the 2 sides are different and it is 1 piece of canvas! How do you intend to keep it from disintegrating further?

    ReplyDelete
  4. SabineJune 12, 2009 at 8:09 PM

    This is so incredible... You must be very, very handy!

    ReplyDelete
  5. rosannaJune 12, 2009 at 8:44 PM

    How I wish I could come to Nederlands in September....the fabric is beautiful and the chair worth of it

    ReplyDelete
  6. JosjeJune 12, 2009 at 9:57 PM

    Thank you Kathi, that's a really good compliment!

    ¡Gracias por el elogio Dora!

    Sans, I didn't know that. I would love to see one with the two different images on the same canvas, wow, that sounds amazing!
    I did think about trying to preserve the fabric and keep it from disintegrating any further, but wasn't sure how to do it. Now I just got a tip that the Dutch Textiles museum has some sort of solution which will protect the fabric.

    Thank you Sabine and Rosanna! I wish I could teach you all, we would have a fabulous array of different chairs!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Linda CarswellJune 12, 2009 at 9:59 PM

    I would LOVE to be a student of that class!!! The chair looks devine....just goes to show if you have the 'right' piece of fabric 'scale' doesn't really matter.

    Regards, Linda

    ReplyDelete
  8. SofiaJune 13, 2009 at 1:31 PM

    It's so beautiful and you are right when you say that it doesn't matter if the embroidery it's out o scale.


    Hugs


    Sofia

    ReplyDelete
  9. Teresa Martínez- IGMA artisanJune 13, 2009 at 6:42 PM

    Un trabajo muy bello!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. hannajaleijonaJune 13, 2009 at 9:59 PM

    Wonderfully beautiful this chair of yours! The fabric is just perfect for it and I love the gilded finish.

    ReplyDelete
  11. rosannaJune 17, 2009 at 10:07 PM

    Hi Josje, I have given you an award. Please come and take it. Rosanna

    ReplyDelete
  12. sylviaJune 18, 2009 at 11:16 PM

    Josje, je stoel is fantastisch!!
    Maar alles is prachtig wat je maakt.
    Ook van harte gefeliciteerd met de cover en het uitgebreide artikel in de poppenhuizen & miniaturen. Dubbel en dwars verdiend hoor,

    groetjes Sylvia

    ReplyDelete
  13. PubdollJune 19, 2009 at 4:55 PM

    I love the fabric and your use of it!
    It fits the chair so perfect!
    The chair itself is gorgeous too, and I love the aged gilded treatment you have given it!

    ReplyDelete
  14. JosjeJune 22, 2009 at 9:09 AM

    Thank you all!
    En dank je wel Sylvia ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  15. adelaMarch 29, 2012 at 11:42 AM

    Cómo me gustaría recibir clases tuyas!

    ReplyDelete
  16. JosjeMarch 29, 2012 at 12:41 PM

    Ah, thank you Adela! You probably live quite a distance away from me....

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment