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A Antimacassar: Detachable cover for the backs of chairs and settees, originally used as a protection against Macassar hair oil. Arm chair: Armed or arming chair as distinguished from a single or side chair having no arms. B Backing: Latex like substance spread on upholstery fabric’s wrong side to help keep the weave intact. Usually, the thicker the backing, the less expensive the fabric. Backstitch: Stitching or a stitch in which the thread is doubled back on the preceding stitch(es). Eliminates the need to tie off a thread’s end, and strengthens the seam end. Ball fringe: A decorative trimming in which small balls, overwound with fine cord, hang at intervals among the long threads of the fringe. Balloon back chair: A name give to Victorian chairs with round or oval backs, mostly mahogany or rosewood, and upholstered seats. Barrel back: Chair or sofa with arms forming in a continuous curve with its back. Batting, quilted polyester: A kind of padding used to wrap springs or foam slabs before stuffing them into cushions. Bedford cord: A strong, finely corded fabric with a plain weave in which the cords run lengthwise. Often used as a platform cloth. Bergere: Louis XIV and XV style armchairs with upholstered backs and sides and squab cushion seats. Later designs often have cane backs and sides. Bias: A diagonal that intersects the crosswise and lengthwise threads of a piece of fabric. Binding: A narrow fabric used to support and finish an edge, such as a tape or a bias cut strip. Blind-stitch: To stitch together two fabric sections, their right sides facing each other, in such a way that the finished stitches are concealed. Blind-tack: To tack or staple fabric on its wrong side and fold the fabric back over the tacks so they don’t show. Bolster arm: Large upholstered arm in a bolster shape – typical late nineteenth century. Boucle: French name for a cloth with a rough textured surface, produced by using a fancy yarn. Border: A long strip or wall of fabric used to form the sides or boxing on a cushion or mattress, for example. Box ottoman: A divan or couch with a hinged upholstered lid forming the seat and storage space under. Boxing: Fabric strip that links two larger pieces of fabric. For instance, cushion boxing links a cushion’s top and bottom faces. Braid: A flat, narrow woven fabric, used to decorate and finish upholstery, cushions and curtains. Bridling: A stitch used to hold down and stabilize scrim coverings, usually over first stuffings. A bridle stitch is a large running stitch, which penetrates and sets the depth of stuffing. Buckram: A material stiffened by the use of 45 per cent weight of some agent such size or glue. Base cloths are usually jute or cotton. Bun foot: A turned, bun-shaped foot fitted to chairs and sofas – early twentieth century. C Cambric: A fine, plain-weave cotton fabric, often glazed on one side, and used as a down-proof casing. Canape’: The French name for a divan or sofa of Louis XV period or design. Cane edge: A sprung edge built on to a chair or bed using hour glass springs and flexible cane. Canvas: A strong, heavyweight, plain-weave fabric, traditionally made from flax or cotton. Also a term often used by upholsterers to describe the first covering over webbings and springs. Casement: A plain weave, even textured, lightweight all cotton fabric. Traditionally used for sun curtains on south facing windows. Claw tool: Its bent shank and beveled, forked blade are designed to rid furniture of old tacks and staples. Crowning: Building the center of a mound of stuffing higher than its perimeter. D Chair bed: A low chair made from wood or metal which is dual function. The seat and back frames are completely adjustable for use as a single bed, with a minimum of three loose cushions. Chaise lounge: A French term for a couch or day bed with an upholstered back. Chenille: A pile fabric in which the weft thread is specially prepared and twisted by machinery, or woven and cut, before being woven into the yarn to form the pile. Cotton chenille is used in upholstery. Chill: The cast iron jointing black mounted on the head and foot ends of a metal bedstead. A chill, which may be single or double, has a tapered slot and supports the angle iron bed frame. Chintz: A fine calico 90 or 120 centimeters wide, usually roller or screen printed and glazed or semi-glazed. Quilter chintz: Indian word meaning brightly colored. Circ: A commonly used abbreviation for the small circular needles used for hand sewing and slip stitching of upholstery and soft furnishings. Collar: A strip of cover sewn into an inside back to provide a pull-in around an arm. Cozy corner: A seat with a high upholstered back which could be fitted into a corner and enable two or more people to sit together. Counterpane: A bed cover concealing bedding. Couch: A long upholstered seat with a back and one or two ends. Originally a double arm-chair. Cretonne: Originating from the French village of Creton and traditionally a copper roller printed cotton fabric. A term now more generally used to describe almost any type of lighter weight floral printed cotton. Damask: Figured Jacquard fabric, the weft forming the design and the warp composed of a comparatively fine yarn making the background. Denier: The weight in grams of 9000 meters of filament yarn, such as silk. Divan chair: Fully upholstered arm chair with long seat, often with scroll arms; late nineteenth century. Dogs: Large iron staples with sharpened ends. Used to brace and strengthen timber chair frames. Drop: A curtain measurement, taken from the fixing or hook level down to the hem. Headings and turnings are added to the drop Duck: A strong closely woven cloth of cotton or flax, similar to canvas. An average weight would be 10 oz per square yard. Dug roll: Sometimes called a tack roll or thumb roll, it is formed around frame edges using small amounts of stuffing rolled up in hessian. Preformed dugging is produced from compressed paper or reconstituted chip foam. Dyeing: Application of a permanent color to textile fiber, yarn, or cloth. Dust catcher: Lightweight fabric tacked to the underside of an upholstered frame to prevent bits of upholstery material from dripping onto the floor. E Edge roll: Thick jute cord wrapped in burlap. Used to soften frame and spring edges. Edge wire: Spring-based decks and backs are sometimes surrounded by this stiff, thick wire, to which outer springs are tied. Embossing: A technique used on thick cloths and leathers to create relief patterns. F Feather down: The fine downy fibers cut and stripped from the quills of large feathers and used as a filling mixture. Feather edge: A fine top stitch applied to a stitched edge to create a sharp edge line. Fiber identification: Yarns taken from the warp and weft of a cloth and tested by burning, staining or microscopy to identify composition. Field bed: A canopy type of bed easily dismantled Filament: A very fine, long and usually continuous textile fiber. Several filaments of silk of example are spun together to produce one strong yarn. Flax: Strong, lustrous bast fiber taken from the stalk of the flax plant and woven into linen cloth. Fly piece: A narrow strip of fabric sewn to the edge of inside backs, inside arms, or seats to economise on cover. Foam, polyurethane: Less
expensive and easier to handle than springs, polyurethane foam
often fills cushions and replaces old hair or moss stuffing
in seats and backs. Frame: Basic structure of a sofa, chair, or stool. Usually made of wood or metal. French overlay: A soft, unspring, unbordered mattress filled with layers of hair sandwiched between new wool. French work: The upholstery of chairs in the French style, using techniques such as diagonal stitching, feather edging, rope work, and deep squab seats. Frise: An American term used to describe a moquette with cut or uncut pile woven from mohair. Front arm panels: Padded, upholstered wood panels used to cover arm fronts of some chairs and sofas. Futon: A simple Japanese floor bed or mattress made from strong cotton fabric and filled with cotton waste, tufted and unbordered. A futon is easily adapted and folded for sitting. G Garnett machine: Produces felted fillings, such as cotton and wool, in layered and cross lapped form. Genoa velvet: A heavy velvet with a smooth ground weave and a pile figure in various colors. Gimp: Ornamental braid used to cover tack heads that hold fabric’s edge against exposed wood. Edgings as used in bedding and upholstery to decorate seams, etc. Made from cotton, silk, rayon, or mixtures. H Hessian (burlap): A plain woven cloth of flat yarns, usually jute, and made in 7 to 12 oz weights. Hog ring: Heavy wire loop used to secure spring coils to webbing. Also small steel open ended rings which are clenched to fix materials and pads to spring edges and units. I India tape: Twill woven 100 per cent cotton tape similar to webbing and used to bind or reinforce edges. K Knitting chair: An armless upholstered chair with a wooden drawer fitted under the seat. Knock down furniture (KD): Pieces of furniture which may be easily folded, broken down, or flat packed for distribution. Knock up: A mass production system producing upholstered components for assembly and fitting before dispatch. L Line: The long, lustrous fibers stripped from the bast or stalk of the flax plant. Linters: Very fine cotton fibers taken from the seed after staple cotton has been removed. Lip: Front section of platform that supports a loose seat cushion. Has both a vertical and a horizontal face. Lit: The French name for a bed or mattress. Loose cover: A slip cover used over unholstered furniture. Traditionally employed in the summer season and made from cool linen union fabrics. Loose seat: Also called a slip seat, drop in seat or pallet. An upholstered frame forming the seat of a dining chair supported on rebated rails. Love seat: The name given to a small seat on which two people can sit close together. Lug chair: Early English term for the wing type of easy chair. M Moire: A fine ribbed fabric with a watered surface produced by heated pressure rollers, creating a reflective surface. Monk’s cloth: For upholstery, a rough basket weave fabric of cotton or jute. Monofilament: A fine continuous thread, usually synthetic. Transparent types are used as sewing threads. Moquette: Hard wearing pile fabric, traditionally with a wool pile and cotton ground. Moquettes may be plain, figured, cut, uncut, or fries. Morocco hide: Soft goat skin leather, distinguished by its fine grain and texture. Much used by eighteenth century upholsterers and cabinet makers. Morris chair: Early twentieth century Arts and Crafts style chair with adjustable back, padded wooden arms and loose seat and back cushions. Motifs: The decorative figures in a pattern applied to or woven in a cloth. Murphy bed: W. L. Murphy, its U.S. inventor (c. 1900). A bed that swings up or folds into a closet or cabinet when not in use N Nursing chair: A nineteenth century term for a single chair with a low seat – 13 inches to 15 inches high. O Ottoman: A long low seat without a back which originates from Turkey. P Piece: An accepted unit length of fabric, ranging from 30 to 100 meters. Pile: Tiny, stand-up threads
that form the surface of certain fabrics such as velvets and
corduroys. Pinstuffed: Shallow padded seat or back set into a rebated show wood frame. Piping: Narrow strip of fabric folded and sewn into a seam. Used with or without a cord. Plain weave: A simple weave in which each warp thread interlaces over and under each weft thread. Also known as Tabby weave. Platform rocker: A rocking chair that rocks atop an attached, stationary base Plush: A general term for pile fabrics, which have a longer pile that velvet and are less closely woven. Pouffe: A stuffed footstool which stands high enough to be used as a seat. Presspahn: A strong, narrow strip of compressed cardboard used for back tacking and reinforcing edges. Prie-dieu chair: A low seated praying chair with a tall back and a narrow shelf. Pull-in upholstery (taped): A fly or tape sewn into a covered surface and pulled in to create a waisted effect. May also be hand stitched through the cover surface. Q Queen-size: Larger than usual, but less than king-size (a queen-size bed is 60 by 80 in. R Ramie: China grass, providing a strong lustrous fiber resembling silk. Repp: A heavy and firmly woven wool fabric with transverse ribs; used for upholstery. Repeat: Distance between centers of identical motifs, measured along the length of a bolt of fabric. Rollover arm: A style of easy chair arm upholstery with a strong rollover scroll shape. Runching: Narrow knitted decorative trimming with a heading and a cut or looped surface. Used generally in place of piping around cushions and edges. S Scrollover arm: An arm which curves inwards from the seat of a chair in the form of a double scroll, breading into a convex sweep before curing back to form an arm rest. Seating: Upholsterers’ term for hand wearing cloths, for example haircloth. Selvage: Lengthwise border running along both edges of fabric, finished so as not to ravel. Settee: A name derived from the seventeenth century settle. It is usually made from wood with a high back, large enough for several people. Shadow fabric: A cloth in
which the warp yarn is printed prior to the cloth being woven. Skirt: Fabric panel that sometimes surrounds the base of a piece of furniture and reached to the floor, hiding the furniture’s legs. Skiving: A technique used to trim leather with a knife to a fine feather edge and produce a scarf joint. Thin skivers of leather are used to trim surfaces in cabinet work. Slip cover: Alternative name given to a loose or detachable cover. Slip-tack: To hammer a tack or shoot a staple only partially into a frame member so the tack or staple can be easily removed. Smokers’ chair: A club easy chair, covered in leather, with a D or tub shape. Sofa: This term appeared in the late seventeenth century and described a couch for reclining. Spinneret: The stainless steel nozzle drilled with fine holes through which synthetic fiber filaments are formed by extrusion, such as rayon, nylon, terylene. Spoon back: The shape of a chair back, Queen Anne style, curved to fit the shape of the body. Spring-edge lip: Extended sofa or chair lip that is not attached to the furniture’s arms. Squab: A loose cushion. Stitch up: A stuffed and
shaped edge, reinforced with rows of blind and top stitches. Stretcher tool: Spiked instrument that lets you pull strips of webbing taut before tacking them to seat rails. Stuffover: The name given to a chair or settee frame which is almost entirely covered with upholstery. Saddle seat: A concave wooden seat, esp. of a Windsor chair, often with a central ridge running from the front toward the back Salt box: A box for salt, with a sloping lid Saratoga trunk: A large trunk, formerly used mainly by women when traveling Sedan chair: An enclosed chair for one person, with glass windows, carried on poles by two men, in use in Europe in the 17th and 18th cent. Secretary: A writing desk, esp. one topped with a small bookcase Shadow box: Asmall, shallow case, usually having a glass front and hung on a wall, as for displaying small objects Show case: A glass-enclosed case for protecting things on display, as in a store or exhibition Side chair: A chair without arms, usually one of a set used at a dining table Side board: A piece of dining-room furniture for holding linen, silver, china, etc Sofa: A platform covered with rugs & cushions]] an upholstered couch, usually of spring construction, with fixed back and arms Sofa bed: A sofa that can be opened into a bed Spindle: A short turned piece or decorative rod, as in a baluster, the back of some chairs, etc. Spindle-legged: Having thin legs: also spin dle-shanked Spinning wheel: A simple spinning machine fitted with a single spindle driven by the rotation of a large wheel spun by a foot treadle or by hand Stool: A single seat having three or four legs and no back or arms Straight chair: A chair with a back that is straight, or almost vertical, and not upholstered Studio couch: A kind of couch that can be made into a full-sized bed, as by sliding out the spring frame fitted beneath it Swing: A device, as a seat hanging from ropes or chains, on which one can sit and swing backward and forward as a form of amusement Swivel chair: A chair whose seat turns horizontally on a pivot in the base
T Tacking strip: Cardboard strip, ½ inch wide, that gives a straight edge to a blind-tacked fold. Tapestry: The original term applies to a wool fabric woven by hand, and later to power woven imitations, figured upholstery fabrice, and to fabric where designs are partly or wholly formed by the warp. Tea cart: A small table on wheels for holding a tea service, extra dishes at a dinner, etc.; serving cart Tea table: A table, usually small, at which or from which tea is served Tester: A canopy built or suspended above a bed as a frame or rails to support curtains. Tight seat or back: Fully upholstered seat or back designed not to have a cushion. Tilt-top: A table, stand, etc. designed so that the top, hinged to a pedestal, can be tipped to a vertical position Top stitch: To strengthen a seam by pressing seam allowances to one of the joined fabric sections, then sewing the allowances to that section with another seam, ¼ inch from the first. Trimming: The applying or forming of decorative effects using fabric. Trundle bed: A low bed on small wheels or casters, that can be rolled under another bed when not in use Trunk: A large, reinforced box or chest, used in traveling or for storage, as to hold clothing and personal effects Tub chair: A low-backed easy chair with arms even with the back or sloping up to it in a continuous curve. Tufting: The technique of bridling and compressing stuffed areaqs in chairs, cushions, and mattresses to hold fillings in place and set a depth and firmness of feel. Turkey work: Hand knotting of wool into canvas to produce fabrics and carpets. Twin bed: Either of a pair of single bed U Upholsterer’s horses: Padded sawhorses that hold furniture off the floor so you can work without back strain. Upholstery: Fabric furnishings, upholstery as we know it, began as a craft in chair making and bed making at the end of the sixteenth century. Upright piano: A piano with strings set vertically in a rectangular body V Valet: A rack for hanging coats, hats, a change of clothing, etc Vandyke: The term used in upholstery to describe a type of sewn joint in deep butting work. Traditionally, a hand stitched joint used in fine leatherwork and carefully hidden in the pleating between buttons. Vanity: A small table or ledge with a mirror for use while putting on cosmetics, combing one's hair, etc.; dressing table Velour: Fine cotton velvet originating in France. Velveteen: A very fine, lightweight cotton pile fabric with a weft pile; not of upholstery weight. Vertically run: Describes fabric that runs vertically, bottom to top, over furniture’s front, back, and arms W Warp: A yarn that runs in the length direction of a cloth. Webbing: Interwoven 3-1/2 inch wide jute strips that provide a foundation for many upholstered arms, backs, seats, and wings. Weft: A yarn that forms the cross threads in a cloth, selvage to selvage. Welt: Cord wrapped in fabric. Used to trim upholstery seams and places where fabric meets exposed wood. Single welt consists of one cord; double welt consists of two parallel cords. It is used to conceal or decorate a fabric or leather joint. It also increases strength. Windsor chair: a style of wooden chair, esp. popular in 18th century England and America, with spreading legs, a back of spindles, and usually a saddle seat Wing chair: an upholstered armchair with a high back from each side of which extend high sides, or wings, orig. to protect from drafts Worsted: Made from long wool yarn fibers, combed and twisted hard. X ______
Back stool: An early single chair or side chair that developed from the stool and the chest. Later examples were upholstered. Backing: Latex like substance spread on upholstery fabric’s wrong side to help keep the weave intact. Usually, the thicker the backing, the less expensive the fabric. Backstitch: Stitching or a stitch in which the thread is doubled back on the preceding stitch(es). Eliminates the need to tie off a thread’s end, and strengthens the seam end. Ball fringe: A decorative trimming in which small balls, overwound with fine cord, hang at intervals among the long threads of the fringe. Balloon back chair: A name give to Victorian chairs with round or oval backs, mostly mahogany or rosewood, and upholstered seats. Barrel back: Chair or sofa with arms forming in a continuous curve with its back. Batting, quilted polyester: A kind of padding used to wrap springs or foam slabs before stuffing them into cushions. Bedford cord: A strong, finely corded fabric with a plain weave in which the cords run lengthwise. Often used as a platform cloth. Bergere: Louis XIV and XV style armchairs with upholstered backs and sides and squab cushion seats. Later designs often have cane backs and sides. Bias: A diagonal that intersects the crosswise and lengthwise threads of a piece of fabric. Binding: A narrow fabric used to support and finish an edge, such as a tape or a bias cut strip. Blind-stitch: To stitch together two fabric sections, their right sides facing each other, in such a way that the finished stitches are concealed. Blind-tack: To tack or staple fabric on its wrong side and fold the fabric back over the tacks so they don’t show. Bolster arm: Large upholstered arm in a bolster shape – typical late nineteenth century. Boucle: French name for a cloth with a rough textured surface, produced by using a fancy yarn. Border: A long strip or wall of fabric used to form the sides or boxing on a cushion or mattress, for example. Box ottoman: A divan or couch with a hinged upholstered lid forming the seat and storage space under. Boxing: Fabric strip that links two larger pieces of fabric. For instance, cushion boxing links a cushion’s top and bottom faces. Braid: A flat, narrow woven fabric, used to decorate and finish upholstery, cushions and curtains. Bridling: A stitch used to hold down and stabilize scrim coverings, usually over first stuffings. A bridle stitch is a large running stitch, which penetrates and sets the depth of stuffing. Buckram: A material stiffened by the use of 45 per cent weight of some agent such size or glue. Base cloths are usually jute or cotton. Bun foot: A turned, bun-shaped foot fitted to chairs and sofas – early twentieth century. Calico: A white or unbleached cotton fabric with no printed design. Cambric: A fine, plain-weave cotton fabric, often glazed on one side, and used as a down-proof casing. Canape’: The French name for a divan or sofa of Louis XV period or design. Cane edge: A sprung edge built on to a chair or bed using hour glass springs and flexible cane. Canvas: A strong, heavyweight, plain-weave fabric, traditionally made from flax or cotton. Also a term often used by upholsterers to describe the first covering over webbings and springs. Casement: A plain weave, even textured, lightweight all cotton fabric. Traditionally used for sun curtains on south facing windows. Claw tool: Its bent shank and beveled, forked blade are designed to rid furniture of old tacks and staples. Crowning: Building the center of a mound of stuffing higher than its perimeter. Deck: Most of the platform that supports a loose seat cushion. Fabric covering the deck is called “decking.” Chair bed: A low chair made from wood or metal which is dual function. The seat and back frames are completely adjustable for use as a single bed, with a minimum of three loose cushions. Chaise lounge: A French term for a couch or day bed with an upholstered back. Chenille: A pile fabric in which the weft thread is specially prepared and twisted by machinery, or woven and cut, before being woven into the yarn to form the pile. Cotton chenille is used in upholstery. Chill: The cast iron jointing black mounted on the head and foot ends of a metal bedstead. A chill, which may be single or double, has a tapered slot and supports the angle iron bed frame. Chintz: A fine calico 90 or 120 centimeters wide, usually roller or screen printed and glazed or semi-glazed. Quilter chintz: Indian word meaning brightly colored. Circ: A commonly used abbreviation for the small circular needles used for hand sewing and slip stitching of upholstery and soft furnishings. Collar: A strip of cover sewn into an inside back to provide a pull-in around an arm. Cozy corner: A seat with a high upholstered back which could be fitted into a corner and enable two or more people to sit together. Counterpane: A bed cover concealing bedding. Couch: A long upholstered seat with a back and one or two ends. Originally a double arm-chair. Cretonne: Originating from the French village of Creton and traditionally a copper roller printed cotton fabric. A term now more generally used to describe almost any type of lighter weight floral printed cotton. Damask: Figured Jacquard fabric, the weft forming the design and the warp composed of a comparatively fine yarn making the background. Denier: The weight in grams of 9000 meters of filament yarn, such as silk. Divan chair: Fully upholstered arm chair with long seat, often with scroll arms; late nineteenth century. Dogs: Large iron staples with sharpened ends. Used to brace and strengthen timber chair frames. Drop: A curtain measurement, taken from the fixing or hook level down to the hem. Headings and turnings are added to the drop Duck: A strong closely woven cloth of cotton or flax, similar to canvas. An average weight would be 10 oz per square yard. Dug roll: Sometimes called a tack roll or thumb roll, it is formed around frame edges using small amounts of stuffing rolled up in hessian. Preformed dugging is produced from compressed paper or reconstituted chip foam. Dyeing: Application of a permanent color to textile fiber, yarn, or cloth. Dust catcher: Lightweight fabric
tacked to the underside of an upholstered frame to prevent bits
of upholstery material from dripping onto the floor. Edge roll: Thick jute cord wrapped in burlap. Used to soften frame and spring edges. Edge wire: Spring-based decks and backs are sometimes surrounded by this stiff, thick wire, to which outer springs are tied. Embossing: A technique used on thick cloths and leathers to create relief patterns. Farthingale chair: An armless chair of the Stuart period, then used to accommodate ladies’ hoped skirts. Feather down: The fine downy fibers cut and stripped from the quills of large feathers and used as a filling mixture. Feather edge: A fine top stitch applied to a stitched edge to create a sharp edge line. Fiber identification: Yarns taken from the warp and weft of a cloth and tested by burning, staining or microscopy to identify composition. Field bed: A canopy type of bed easily dismantled Filament: A very fine, long and usually continuous textile fiber. Several filaments of silk of example are spun together to produce one strong yarn. Flax: Strong, lustrous bast fiber taken from the stalk of the flax plant and woven into linen cloth. Fly piece: A narrow strip of fabric sewn to the edge of inside backs, inside arms, or seats to economise on cover. Foam, polyurethane: Less expensive
and easier to handle than springs, polyurethane foam often fills
cushions and replaces old hair or moss stuffing in seats and
backs. Frame: Basic structure of a sofa, chair, or stool. Usually made of wood or metal. French overlay: A soft, unspring, unbordered mattress filled with layers of hair sandwiched between new wool. French work: The upholstery of chairs in the French style, using techniques such as diagonal stitching, feather edging, rope work, and deep squab seats. Frise: An American term used to describe a moquette with cut or uncut pile woven from mohair. Front arm panels: Padded, upholstered wood panels used to cover arm fronts of some chairs and sofas. Futon: A simple Japanese floor bed or mattress made from strong cotton fabric and filled with cotton waste, tufted and unbordered. A futon is easily adapted and folded for sitting. Galloon: An old name for various kinds of braid used in upholstery. Garnett machine: Produces felted fillings, such as cotton and wool, in layered and cross lapped form. Genoa velvet: A heavy velvet with a smooth ground weave and a pile figure in various colors. Gimp: Ornamental braid used to cover tack heads that hold fabric’s edge against exposed wood. Edgings as used in bedding and upholstery to decorate seams, etc. Made from cotton, silk, rayon, or mixtures. Hair cloth: An upholstery covering material woven from the tail and name hairs of horses, with cotton and rayon added. Plain and damask weaves are typical. Hessian (burlap): A plain woven cloth of flat yarns, usually jute, and made in 7 to 12 oz weights. Hog ring: Heavy wire loop used to secure spring coils to webbing. Also small steel open ended rings which are clenched to fix materials and pads to spring edges and units. Illusory pleat: Backdrop of fabric that creates illusion of a skirt pleat when situated behind two skirt panels. India tape: Twill woven 100 per cent cotton tape similar to webbing and used to bind or reinforce edges. Kanaf: A natural textile fiber used as a substitute for jute and claimed to be rot proof and very strong. Grown in the USA, Cubs, and Russia. Knitting chair: An armless upholstered chair with a wooden drawer fitted under the seat. Knock down furniture (KD): Pieces of furniture which may be easily folded, broken down, or flat packed for distribution. Knock up: A mass production system producing upholstered components for assembly and fitting before dispatch. Laid cord: A very strong lashing cord in which the plies are laid together and not twisted. Line: The long, lustrous fibers stripped from the bast or stalk of the flax plant. Linters: Very fine cotton fibers taken from the seed after staple cotton has been removed. Lip: Front section of platform that supports a loose seat cushion. Has both a vertical and a horizontal face. Lit: The French name for a bed or mattress. Loose cover: A slip cover used over unholstered furniture. Traditionally employed in the summer season and made from cool linen union fabrics. Loose seat: Also called a slip seat, drop in seat or pallet. An upholstered frame forming the seat of a dining chair supported on rebated rails. Love seat: The name given to a small seat on which two people can sit close together. Lug chair: Early English term for the wing type of easy chair. Mohair: The long fine hair of the Angora goat. Also describes an upholstery velvet made with a cotton base and short mohair pile. Moire: A fine ribbed fabric with a watered surface produced by heated pressure rollers, creating a reflective surface. Monk’s cloth: For upholstery, a rough basket weave fabric of cotton or jute. Monofilament: A fine continuous thread, usually synthetic. Transparent types are used as sewing threads. Moquette: Hard wearing pile fabric, traditionally with a wool pile and cotton ground. Moquettes may be plain, figured, cut, uncut, or fries. Morocco hide: Soft goat skin leather, distinguished by its fine grain and texture. Much used by eighteenth century upholsterers and cabinet makers. Morris chair: Early twentieth century Arts and Crafts style chair with adjustable back, padded wooden arms and loose seat and back cushions. Motifs: The decorative figures in a pattern applied to or woven in a cloth. Nap: The surface of a fabric raised by combing or with abrasive rollers. Nursing chair: A nineteenth century term for a single chair with a low seat – 13 inches to 15 inches high. Orris: Crimp used in upholstering laces of various designs in gold and silver. Ottoman: A long low seat without a back which originates from Turkey. Palliasse: A mattress stuffed with natural filling such as chaff or straw. Piece: An accepted unit length of fabric, ranging from 30 to 100 meters. Pile: Tiny, stand-up threads that
form the surface of certain fabrics such as velvets and corduroys. Pinstuffed: Shallow padded seat or back set into a rebated show wood frame. Piping: Narrow strip of fabric folded and sewn into a seam. Used with or without a cord. Plain weave: A simple weave in which each warp thread interlaces over and under each weft thread. Also known as Tabby weave. Plush: A general term for pile fabrics, which have a longer pile that velvet and are less closely woven. Pouffe: A stuffed footstool which stands high enough to be used as a seat. Presspahn: A strong, narrow strip of compressed cardboard used for back tacking and reinforcing edges. Prie-dieu chair: A low seated praying chair with a tall back and a narrow shelf. Pull-in upholstery (taped): A fly or tape sewn into a covered surface and pulled in to create a waisted effect. May also be hand stitched through the cover surface. Railroaded: Describes fabric that runs horizontally along the width of a piece of furniture, and from front to back along its arms. Ramie: China grass, providing a strong lustrous fiber resembling silk. Repp: A heavy and firmly woven wool fabric with transverse ribs; used for upholstery. Repeat: Distance between centers of identical motifs, measured along the length of a bolt of fabric. Rollover arm: A style of easy chair arm upholstery with a strong rollover scroll shape. Runching: Narrow knitted decorative trimming with a heading and a cut or looped surface. Used generally in place of piping around cushions and edges. Scrim: Plain open weave cloth with hard twisted yarns, woven from jute, cotton or flax. Scrollover arm: An arm which curves inwards from the seat of a chair in the form of a double scroll, breading into a convex sweep before curing back to form an arm rest. Seating: Upholsterers’ term for hand wearing cloths, for example haircloth. Selvage: Lengthwise border running along both edges of fabric, finished so as not to ravel. Settee: A name derived from the seventeenth century settle. It is usually made from wood with a high back, large enough for several people. Shadow fabric: A cloth in which the warp yarn is printed prior to the cloth being woven.
Skirt: Fabric panel that sometimes surrounds the base of a piece of furniture and reached to the floor, hiding the furniture’s legs. Skiving: A technique used to trim leather with a knife to a fine feather edge and produce a scarf joint. Thin skivers of leather are used to trim surfaces in cabinet work. Slip cover: Alternative name given to a loose or detachable cover. Slip-tack: To hammer a tack or shoot a staple only partially into a frame member so the tack or staple can be easily removed. Smokers’ chair: A club easy chair, covered in leather, with a D or tub shape. Sofa: This term appeared in the late seventeenth century and described a couch for reclining. Spinneret: The stainless steel nozzle drilled with fine holes through which synthetic fiber filaments are formed by extrusion, such as rayon, nylon, terylene. Spoon back: The shape of a chair back, Queen Anne style, curved to fit the shape of the body. Spring-edge lip: Extended sofa or chair lip that is not attached to the furniture’s arms. Squab: A loose cushion. Stitch up: A stuffed and shaped
edge, reinforced with rows of blind and top stitches. Stretcher tool: Spiked instrument that lets you pull strips of webbing taut before tacking them to seat rails. Stuffover: The name given to a chair or settee frame which is almost entirely covered with upholstery. Tacking strip: Cardboard strip, ½ inch wide, that gives a straight edge to a blind-tacked fold. Tapestry: The original term applies to a wool fabric woven by hand, and later to power woven imitations, figured upholstery fabrice, and to fabric where designs are partly or wholly formed by the warp. Tester: A canopy built or suspended above a bed as a frame or rails to support curtains. Tight seat or back: Fully upholstered seat or back designed not to have a cushion. Top stitch: To strengthen a seam by pressing seam allowances to one of the joined fabric sections, then sewing the allowances to that section with another seam, ¼ inch from the first. Trimming: The applying or forming of decorative effects using fabric. Tub chair: A large easy chair with a concave back. Tufting: The technique of bridling and compressing stuffed areaqs in chairs, cushions, and mattresses to hold fillings in place and set a depth and firmness of feel. Turkey work: Hand knotting of wool into canvas to produce fabrics and carpets. Undercover: Fabric casing, usually muslin or burlap, that covers interior stuffing. Found mostly on older furniture, undercover is directly beneath outer cover. Upholsterer’s horses: Padded sawhorses that hold furniture off the floor so you can work without back strain. Upholstery: Fabric furnishings, upholstery as we know it, began as a craft in chair making and bed making at the end of the sixteenth century. Valance: A length of fabric that may be pleated or gathered and used to conceal a rail or frame. Generally associated with bedding. Vandyke: The term used in upholstery to describe a type of sewn joint in deep butting work. Traditionally, a hand stitched joint used in fine leatherwork and carefully hidden in the pleating between buttons. Velour: Is fine cotton velvet originating in France. Velveteen: A very fine, lightweight cotton pile fabric with a weft pile; not of upholstery weight. Vertically run: Describes fabric that runs vertically, bottom to top, over furniture’s front, back, and arms Warp: A yarn that runs in the length direction of a cloth. Webbing: Interwoven 3-1/2 inch wide jute strips that provide a foundation for many upholstered arms, backs, seats, and wings. Weft: A yarn that forms the cross threads in a cloth, selvage to selvage. Welt: Cord wrapped in fabric. Used to trim upholstery seams and places where fabric meets exposed wood. Single welt consists of one cord; double welt consists of two parallel cords. It is used to conceal or decorate a fabric or leather joint. It also increases strength. Worsted: Made from long wool yarn fibers, combed and twisted hard. X frame chair: Early seventeenth century chair upholstered and decorated with nails and fringe. Became popular during the reign of James I _________________ Binder – Cane that is wider and heavier and used to cover the holes around the edge of the seat. Cane -- A natural fiber, the bark of the rattan vine that grows in the jungles of the Far East. It is stripped from the vines, dried, and cut into various widths for weaving. Caning – A mesh of interwoven strands of cane makes a seat or back of a chair, amazingly strong for all its delicacy. Caning Pegs – Cone shaped wooden pegs especially made to hold the cane ends in the holes around the edge of the chair. Cane Loop – The cane that lies between the holes on the underside of the chair. Doubling – The term used when two diagonals strands go into the same hole. Fish Head – Same as doubling. Horizontal – Weave which goes from side to side. Skipping – In diagonal weaving it is sometimes better to skip a hole, in order to keep the diagonal lines as straight as possible. Vertical – The weave that goes between the back and front rails. Fiber Cord and Rush Weaving Chair rails – Four pieces of wood are cut and fitted together to form the seat of a chair. Butt End – The base of the cattail leaf. Cattail – A kind of rush, about six feet tall, that is identified by its long cylindrical brown cat tail. De-airing Rush – This process takes the air out of the cells of the rush prior to weaving. Four Post Weaving – Fiber cord and rush are woven around the four posts of the chair to make the chair seat. Figure 8 – Weave which fills the center of an irregular chair seat by looping the cord over the front and back rails alternately. Fiber Cord – A craft paper tightly twisted into a strong cord, used as a substitute for natural rush. Mellowing Rush – Before the cured rush can be used for weaving, it must be dampened and softened for twenty-four hours. Rush – The general term used for rush bottom seats.
Added Warps – The pattern weaving starts at the back of the chair. As it moves to the front of the chair, new warp strands have to be added because the side rails of the chair flare out to meet the wider front rail and there is space on the sides and on the front rail to be filled with warp strands. End of Warping – The warping can end either on the front or back rail. If it endsw on the front rail, it is bought to the underside and woven into the weft at the back post. Latch – The joining of two lengths of splint in the warping. Pattern Weave – The weave that makes the pattern and goes from side to side of the chair seat. Reed – The inner core of the rattan vine. Splint – The growth rings of a tree that is stripped from the long and split into widths suitable for weaving. Tabby – A pattern weave that goes over and under the warps, one at a time. Tape – The name for the webbing used to weave a Shaker tape seat. Twill – A pattern weave in a unit of over and under two warps. Warping – The first step in weaving of a continuous strand of material around the front and back rails. Weaver – The term used to describe the splint or tape being used to weave the pattern weave. Weft – The pattern weave is the weft. ______ Types of Windsor Chairs Despite the subtle differences that evolved in various regions of the country, specific styles of Windsor chairs were widespread over the course of the first century of production. By 1830—and since that time—the majority of Windsor chairs can be classified under one of the following categories: Comb-back—The earliest Philadelphia Windsor chairs are called comb-backs, because their tall, straight spindles resemble the teeth of a comb. Comb-back Windsor chairs are nearly always armchairs with a continuous arm rail through which the tallest spindles pass. The steam-bent crest rail often ended in a pair of spiral-carved “ears.” Low-back (later called captain’s chairs)—As their name implies, this category of Windsor armchairs feature short spindles, all of the same height. The arm rail is crowned with a decorative piece of molding called the arm crest, which also serves to strengthen the back. The low-back Windsor evolved after the comb-back version and—with the obvious exception of the comb-back’s tall spindles—is similar to it in both style and construction. Fan-back—These Windsor chairs are distinguished by the angle at which their back spindles flare from the seat. Fan-back chairs also feature turned, decorative back posts. If arms are present, each is attached to a rear post rather than, as in the case of the comb-back chairs, being one continuous arm rail. Without an arm rail for support, fan-back chairs often employ two extra spindles in a V formation that extend from a tailpiece behind the seat to the top of the crest rail. This variation is also called a brace-back Windsor. Brace-back chairs are both rarer and more valuable than standard fan-back Windsor chairs. Sack-back— This particular Windsor armchair can be identified by the bowed crest rail that is attached at either end to the continuous arm rail. Introduced around 1760, it soon surpassed the flat-topped comb-back chair in popularity and was produced, by 18th-century standards at least, in large quantities. Furniture folklorists explain that the sack-back chair derived its name from the practice of sliding a sack over its curved back to counter the cool breezes that might otherwise pass between the spindles. Continuous-arm –New York craftsmen are credited with the design of this Windsor chair, which features a steam-bent continuous crest rail that takes a dramatic turn to form the arms of the chairs. The short front post is positioned at an angle to bear the weight transferred to it when the sitter leans back against the continuous crest rail. While the design is visually successful, the stress on the thin crest rail, especially at the point where it turns to form the arm, has broken many chairs. Being nearly impossible to repair, many continuous-arm chairs have been discarded over the years, making early versions rare today. Bow-back— This popular Windsor chair can be identified by the graceful carved crest rail that is attached at either end directly to the seat. Bow-back chairs do not have a continuous arm rail. Instead, short arms are mortised into the bowed crest rail. Of all the 18th-century Windsor side chairs, bow-backs are the most common. Writing-arm –Windsor-chair
makers were occasionally asked to compromise harmony for practicality
by adding a writing surface along one side (left-handed Windsor
writing-arm chairs are extremely rare). Only the finest cabinetmakers
were able to successfully integrate a flat writing paddle into
their design. Some writing-arm Windsors can be found with a
small drawer tucked beneath the seat or writing arm. Though
their form is often clumsy in comparison to other Windsor chairs,
writing-arm chairs of any style and age are popular with collectors
today both because of their rarity and their continued practicality. _ webfurniture ANTIQUE. United States customs law
defines an antique as an object that is more than 100 years
old. It is understood, however, that an object must be more
than just old in order to be called an antique. Properly, an
antique must also be distinguished by some degree of aesthetic
or historic merit. An antique is usually both beautiful and
decorative. It may also have additional interest and value because
of its relationship to a historical period or to some well-known
person. George Washington's teapot and dining room chairs, for
example, are more valuable as antiques than are those that belonged
to most other 18th-century Americans. arm rest (-rest ) n. a support on which to rest one's arm, as on the inside of an automobile door armoire (ar mwar ) n. [[Fr < OFr armarie , AMBRY]] a large, usually ornate cupboard or clothespress art deco (dek o, da ko) [also A- D-] a decorative style of the late 1920's and the 1930's derived from cubism, based generally on geometric forms, and applied to furnishings, textiles, graphic arts, etc.: revived in the mid-1960's barrel (bar l, ber -) n. [[ME barel < OFr baril < ML barillus < ?]] 1 a large, wooden, cylindrical container with flat, circular ends and sides that bulge outward, made usually of staves bound together with hoops barrel chair a kind of upholstered chair with an upright, rounded back basket weave a weave of fabrics resembling the weave used in basket making basket work (bas kit wurk ) n. work that is interlaced or woven like a basket; wickerwork bed (bed) n. [[ME & OE < IE base *bhedh- , to dig > Ger bett , L fossa , ditch, W bedd , Bret bez, a grave; orig. sense "a sleeping hollow in the ground"]] 1 a thing for sleeping or resting on; specif., a piece of furniture consisting usually of a bedstead, bedspring, mattress, and bedding bench (ben ) n. [[ME < OE benc : see BANK2]] 1 a long, hard seat for several persons, with or without a back bentwood (bent w d ) adj. designating furniture made of wood permanently bent into various forms by heat, moisture, and pressure book case (-kas ) n. a set of shelves or a cabinet for holding books book rack (-rak ) n. 1 a rack or shelf for books book shelf (- elf ) n. , pl. -shelves a shelf on which books are kept book stand (-stand ) n. 1 a stand for holding a book open before a reader Boston rocker a type of 19th-cent. American rocking chair, having a curved wooden seat and a high back formed of spindles held in place by a broad headpiece break front (brak frunt ) adj. having a front with a central section that projects outward from top to bottom beyond the sections on either side n. a breakfront cabinet or bookcase bucket seat a single contoured seat, often with a back that can be tipped forward, as in some sports cars cabriole (kab re ol ) n. [[Fr: see fol.]] 1 a leg of a table, chair, etc. that curves outward and then tapers inward down to the foot, often clawlike and grasping a ball card table a table at which card games are played, esp. a small, square table with folding legs cask (kask, kask) n. [[ME caske < Fr casque < Sp casco , potsherd, cask, helmet < cascar , to break < VL *quassicare , to break, freq. of L quassare : see QUASH2]] 1 a barrel of any size made of staves, esp. one for liquids chair ( er) n. [[ME & OFr chaire < L cathedra : see CATHEDRA]] 1 a piece of furniture for one person to sit on, having a back and, usually, four legs cedar chest a chest made of cedar, in which woolens, furs, etc. are stored for protection against moths chest of drawers an article of furniture, as for a bedroom, consisting of a frame containing a set of drawers, as for keeping clothing chest-on-chest ( est an est ) n. a chest of drawers fitted onto another, somewhat larger one chifforobe or chifferobe ( if rob ) n. [[CHIFFO(NIER) + (WARD)ROBE]] a wardrobe with drawers or shelves on one side chimney corner 1 a large recess with seats at the sides of an old-fashioned fireplace chinoiserie ( enwaz re , -wa z re ) n. [[Fr < Chinois , CHINESE + -erie , -ERY]] 1 an ornate style of decoration of furniture, textiles, ceramics, etc., esp. in 18th-cent. Europe, based on Chinese motifs chi noi se rie ( enwaz re , -wa z re ) n. [[Fr < Chinois , CHINESE + -erie , -ERY]] 1 an ornate style of decoration of furniture, textiles, ceramics, etc., esp. in 18th-cent. Europe, based on Chinese motifs Chippendale ( ip n dal ) adj. [[after Thomas Chippendale (c. 1718-79), Eng cabinetmaker]] designating or of an 18th-cent. Eng. style of furniture characterized by graceful lines and, often, rococo ornamentation clothes tree an upright pole with branching hooks or pegs near the top to hold coats and hats v coffee table a low table, usually in front of a sofa v collectible or collectable (k lek t b l) adj. 1 that can be collected 2 suitable or desirable for collecting, as by a hobbyist n. any of a class of old things, but not antiques, that people collect as a hobby, specif. a thing of no great intrinsic value conference table a large table, often rectangular, around which a number of people may be seated, as when holding a conference console table 1 a table supported by ornamental consoles 2 a small table with legs curved or carved to resemble consoles, placed against a wall cook stove (k k stov ) n. a stove for cooking cook stove (k k stov ) n. a stove for cooking couch (k ) n. [[ME & OFr couche, a bed, lair: see the vt. ]] 1 an article of furniture on which one may sit or lie down; sofa; divan v cupboard (kub rd) n. [[ME cuppebord : see CUP & BOARD]] a closet or cabinet with shelves for holding cups, plates, food, and the like curio (ky r e o ) n. , pl. -os [[contr. of CURIOSITY]] any unusual or rare article day bed (da bed ) n. a couch that can also be used as a bed day bed (da bed ) n. a couch that can also be used as a bed desk (desk) n. [[ME deske < ML desca , a table, ult. < L discus : see DISCUS]] 1 a kind of table equipped with drawers, compartments, etc., and a flat or sloping top for writing, drawing, or reading vv desk top (-tap ) n. the top, or working surface, of a desk divan (for 2 & 3 , di van or di van ; for 1 & 4 , di van or di van ) n. [[Turk diwan < Pers, orig., bundle of written sheets, hence accounts, customhouse, council room, appropriate furniture]] 1 in the Ottoman Empire, a) a council of state or the room in which it was held b) the audience chamber of a government office 2 a large, low couch or sofa, usually without armrests or back 3 a coffee room, cafe, or smoking room dressing table a low table with a mirror, for use while putting on cosmetics, grooming the hair, etc drop leaf a hinged board attached to the side or end of a table as an extension of the surface: it hangs down when not in use drop -leaf adj. dryer (dri r) n. 1 a person or thing that dries; specif., a) a frame or rack for drying clothes, etc Duncan Phyfe designating or of furniture in a modified Empire and Directoire style designed by Duncan Phyfe Early American [also e- A-] of or characteristic of the early, especially the Colonial, period of U.S. history; specif., of a plain or sturdy style in furniture, arts, and crafts of this period easy chair a stuffed or padded armchair foot stool (f t st l ) n. a low stool for supporting the feet of a seated person French Provincial [also F- p-] a style of furniture, architecture, etc. of or based on that of the French provinces, esp. in the mid-18th century, based in turn on Parisian style furniture (fur ni r) n. [[Fr fourniture < fournir , FURNISH]] 1 orig., the act of furnishing 2 the things, usually movable, in a room, apartment, etc. which equip it for living, as chairs, sofas, tables, beds, etc gateleg table (gat leg ) a table with drop leaves supported by gatelike legs swung back against the frame to permit the leaves to drop Also gate legged table Georgian (jor j n) adj. 1 a) of the reigns of George I, II, III, and IV of England (1714-1830) b) designating or of the artistic style of this period 2 of or characteristic of the period of the reign of George V of England hall tree a clothes tree, esp. one in an entrance hall hamper2 (ham p r) n. [[var. of HANAPER]] a large basket, usually with a cover hat tree a stand with arms or hooks to hold hats, coats, etc. Hepplewhite (hep l hwit ) adj. [[after G. Hepplewhite (?-1786), Eng cabinetmaker]] designating or of a style of furniture characterized by the use of graceful curves high table [often H- T-] [Brit.] the table, usually elevated, in the dining hall of a college or school where the head and important teachers and guests are seated high boy (hi b ) n. [[HIGH + BOY]] a high chest of drawers mounted on legs high chair (hi er ) n. a baby's chair, with long legs and, usually, a tray for food Hoosier (h r) n. [[prob. < dial. (Cumberland) hoozer , something big]] ice box (is baks ) n. a cabinet with ice in it for keeping foods, etc., cold; also, any refrigerator Italian provincial designating or of a style of rural, Italian furniture of the 18th and 19th cent., with straight lines and simple decoration, usually of fruitwood or mahogany kitchen cabinet 1 a cabinet or cupboard in a kitchen ladder-back chair (lad r bak ) a chair with a back of two upright posts connected by horizontal slats low boy (-b ) n. [[LOW1 + BOY]] a chest of drawers mounted on short legs to about the height of a table testtermword |
