September seems to be the month of the chair – at least in my workshop. 
I have just completed repairs to this lovely leather and wood safari chair. Over time the leather had become dry and allowed to crack. Tasks that were requested were:
- replace the loop that held one of the arms to the back of the chair
- remake two of the buckle straps underneath the seat that hold it in place
- repair the split loop that holds one corner of the back in place
- clean and condition the leather
The first step of every job is to clean and give an initial treatment with leather conditioner. At this stage I am looking for any issues that I have missed in my initial assessment. After conditioning I check the leather is strong enough to allow for repair work to be successful.
Unfortunately all of the corner loops that held the back in place were too fragile to stand up to use. They all needed to be reinforced or replaced.
It was also obvious that earlier repairs had been made to the chair in a poor fashion. Several of the areas that held the loops had been machine stitched over. This damages and weakens the leather. Restitching by hand using the existing holes is both stronger and should look better.
Replace or Repair
For many jobs it is better to replace than repair. It proved so in this instance. Reinforcing all four loops would have involved unpicking each corner, gluing and stitching in some leather to reinforce each corner before restitching. The end result would have looked more like the original, but it would be difficult to strengthen the loops sufficiently to hold weight. Ultimately it would have been more fiddly and time consuming for a repair that was at heart cosmetic.
As the loops were part of a single strap that ran across the chair, it would be quicker and stronger to replace the whole strap. This process would create new, stronger loops, and increase the working life of the chair. The new leather along the back edges would also give additional strength.
Next
I will be remaking the seats and backs of a pair of veg tan leather and metal safari chairs. The quote has been accepted, deposit paid, the leather ordered, and the work scheduled in.
A Week Off
However before that I will be taking a week off. We have had a great summer, but I worked through it in sweating in out in my non air conditioned studio. I am looking forward to a relaxing week near the sea in the warmth of the south of France. I’ll be trying to ignore thoughts about everything that I have coming up in what is usually my busiest quarter of the year.
Coming up …
The following events are confirmed, and I have more that I am still finalising:
1 October – Muswell Hill Creatives are back in St James’ Square for our Autumn fair.
16 October – Muswell Hill Creatives are running a Make and Mend Festival at Hornsey Parish Church Hall, bottom of Cranley Gardens, N10 3AH
12 – 13 November – N22 Open Studios hosted by Collage Arts is back after a couple of years. I will have a selection of pre made items on hand, and be giving demonstrations of my skills
18 – 20 November – Handmade in Highgate is back at the Highgate Literary & Scientific Institution with its usual lineup of fantastic craft makers
More detailed information will be coming soon, or, you can use the links in blue to go direct to the event information.
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