Seat Pads

[CitizenKate]

Here are some chair pads I'm making for a local unfinished furniture store. They were inspired by ones that I happened to see in a catalog from Van Dyke's Restorers.

Mine aren't going to be quite as cheap as the machine pressed ones, but I did make a couple that are simpler and cheaper to make, and a few with more complex designs for a "higher end" market.

Kate

[ClayB]

Hi Kate,

You've been busy. Those look really nice, but then everything you do always looks really nice. I especially like the one with the grapes and the celtic style one. There's something about the simple coloring on them that really makes them POP!

[pete]

I like your A LOT better! Nice work, as usual>

what is the tool around the first one? Does Tandy, Barr, Ellis make it? I like it better than a basketweave.

Beautiful...

pete

[hidepounder]

Kate, I really like the one with the grapes and the celtic pattern also. You really got great color on the tooling on the leaf. Is that just antiqued or did you enhance the shading with dye, or maybe both? Really pretty!

Bob

[CitizenKate]

...what is the tool around the first one? Does Tandy, Barr, Ellis make it? I like it better than a basketweave.

That is a X688 that I got from the Hidecrafter Pro Crafters Tool Collection. I believe they still carry that line of leather stamps.

Kate, I really like the one with the grapes and the celtic pattern also. You really got great color on the tooling on the leaf. Is that just antiqued or did you enhance the shading with dye, or maybe both?

The coloring of the leaf is all done with antique. I think I actually left a little too much there, but didn't notice until it was already setting up. There is some dye sprayed around the edges to darken them a bit.

Kate

[PANTHER]

Really, Really like those seats! Great job as always.

Panther

[mendedbowl]

Yikes! those are way too nice to sit on...

beautiful work.

ken

[hidepounder]

The coloring of the leaf is all done with antique. I think I actually left a little too much there, but didn't notice until it was already setting up. There is some dye sprayed around the edges to darken them a bit.

Kate

I really like the effect! It reminds me of when you get a really good burnish from shading when your leather is cased just right. I've been doing some experimenting with dry brushing in browntones to enhance the depth of the tooling and I thought maybe you did that there. It really came out nice, Kate!!!!!

Bob

[CitizenKate]

Thanks for the kind remarks, folks.

Yikes! those are way too nice to sit on...

No more so than a motorcycle seat or a saddle... still, I appreciate the sentiment.

It reminds me of when you get a really good burnish from shading when your leather is cased just right. I've been doing some experimenting with dry brushing in browntones to enhance the depth of the tooling and I thought maybe you did that there.

That's a thought... I'll have to try that, as well.

That particular one did burnish very nicely. The antique does really enhance the tooling, but I'm considering other ways to do it. I decided to try my smooth shader on that design instead of the checkered one I usually use, and really liked the appearance of the smoother shading. Don't know why I didn't try that sooner.

I'm just wondering how well the antique will hold up on something that will be subject to a little more stress than other items I make. I know my wrist cuffs and checkbook covers have held up pretty well, but a chair seat might be a different matter. This may be the time for me to start experimenting with oil finishes...

Kate