Every piece of furniture we make, whether its a standard sofa, lounge chair or custom sofa, is cut by hand. First thing in the process is laying out the fabric. We unroll and inspect every roll of fabric before cutting. If there is a question of direction do to a design, pattern or nap we will contact you and discuss your options. After the roll is inspected, measurements are taking from the frame. If it is one of our standard pieces, a cutting pattern is pulled and used for fitted cuts in the piece.
A roll of fabric being inspected
Before I give a piece to a cutter, I tell them which upholsterer will be doing the piece. This allows for the them to work together if needed, everyone has certain ways of doing things and this allows for a smoother upholstery process. This is especially true when it comes to a custom piece of furniture.
Cutting Patterns
After the piece is upholstered it is time to make the cushion. Each cushion is made by hand at our factory. The first step in the process is making a paper pattern for the piece. Cutting cushions is more of an art than a science. You have to take in consideration the give or stretch of the fabric as well as the construction of the cushion itself. Taking that in to consideration we then determine what to cut the boxing and what the construction will be to ensure a good crown and shape is achieved.
An example of paper pattern for a cushion
The paper pattern is then given to the cushion maker. They take the pattern and use it to cut the shape of the foam used for the cushion. After it is cut a layer of dacron is glued onto the foam to give it shape and add crown to the cushion. A full wrap is used on all of our standard foam and fiber cushions. For our premium cushions, the placement depends on how much give or stretch the fabric has. Once the foam is cut and wrapped, it is stuffed into the fabric “shell”. It is then placed into the piece to ensure it fits well. If it fits and has a good shape, the final test is then taken, the comfort test. I personally set in the piece to make sure it sets comfortable. That is the final process to the cutting of the piece. Next in our blog is the upholstery and padding process. Until next time.
A premium cushion before being stuffed into its fabric “shell”