Period Upholstery Projects

Upholstery Fabric for a Model A Ford Car

Using a swatch of original upholstery fabric, upholstery fabric was custom designed. Coopworth wool from Norfolk County, Ontario was selected for its strong characteristics. The wool was blended with mohair to increase strength and luster to the yarn. The yarn was custom dyed by Iron Cauldron to match the original swatch. The original fabric was analyzed to achieve the correct weave structure.

Upholstery Fabric for a Regency Period Sofa

This sofa which dates to c. 1830 is in the collection of Black Creek Pioneer Village. The frame is a mahogany veneer over a pine groundwood.

The upholstery seen on the sofa is not original or period appropriate.

The fabric for the restoration will be woven using a blend of custom spun Coopworth wool and Mohair. The yarn is glossy and strong to produce a durable upholstery fabric.

The design for the fabric is Pattern 207 taken from the Norwich Worsted Pattern Book, 1785-1831 and is seen below in a digital mock-up.

The yarn will be small batch dyed by Liam Blackburn, woven by Upper Canada Weaving and upholstered by Johnathan O’Neill.

Upholstery Fabric for a Gothic Revival Settee

This Gothic Revival Settee will be on display in Flynn House, Black Creek Pioneer Village, Toronto in the spring of 2020.

The fabric for this settee is based on a herringbone and satin striped fabric on a sofa in the collection of Black Creek Pioneer Village. The sofa has provenance to the Merritt family of St. Catharines.

The yarn was custom spun at Wellington Fibres in Elora using Coopworth wool for luster and strength and mohair for softness and luxury. The Coopworth wool is sourced to Woolley’s Lambs in Simcoe and the Mohair, from Wellington Fibres in Elora.

The yarn was small batch dyed in two shades of indigo by Liam Blackburn of Made by Liam; the fabric was woven by Deborah at Upper Canada Weaving and the settee was upholstered by Johnathan O’Neill.