Jan 31, 2022

The upholsterer's vocabulary

Armrest. An armrest is the part of a piece of furniture or a balcony on which you can rest your elbow or arm, but originally it meant the padded top of the back of a seat designed to rest your elbows on.
Armrest. The armrests are the horizontal arms arranged on either side of the seat and framing it. You can indeed rest your elbows and forearms there when you are seated on the seat in question, which in this case is generally called an armchair.
Chipboard. Generally made of foam, plates or blocks of materials obtained by molding or by compression and gluing. Is used for fronts of armchairs for example.
Staples. Small U-shaped pieces of metal, used in a stapler. Term also used for the metal piece sewn to the curtains to hang it on the rod.
Stapler. Generally pneumatic, used to fix a fabric on its support.
Needle, needle. Small I-shaped piece of metal, used in a needle machine.
Needle. Pneumatic, is mainly used as a wall hanging for fixing rods or english cardboard
Drawsheet, drawsheet, drawsheet. Used to protect bedding.
Alcantara. Registered trademark of a Japanese invention. It is a nonwoven obtained by very fine needling which imitates deer or antelope. Alcantara contains on average 60% polyester fibers and 40% polyurethane.
Alcove. Part of the architecture forming a recess in the wall of a room and often allows a bed to be placed there. The interior can be covered with a wall hanging.
Soul. Term used for a small trim that gives a bulge to the shape of the chair.
Magnitude. Extra fabric to help achieve the appearance of volume. often used in curtains.
English. Armchair model entirely covered in fabric.
English. Operation allowing an invisible finish. Technique used on covered wood armchairs and wall hangings.
Rings. Wooden or metal hoops used on curtains for moving on the rod.
Annlet. Small rings used to maintain the returns of the curtains.
Plumb. Vertical given by the plumb line or the laser on the seam of a wall hanging.
Appoint. Laying seeds or waiting staples to set up a fabric on an armchair or a wall hanging.
Seated. Corresponds to the bottom of an armchair.
Canopy. Wooden frame supported by columns on which are fixed curtains intended to close the layer.
Baguette. Professional term for a long, thin piece of wood, with a rectangular cross-section of 3-5mm thick and 15-50mm wide. Used for wall hanging.
Headband. Straight or cut-out decorative window element, of regular height along its length.

Built. Structure of the seat that is upholstered. Synonym of carcass, barrel, seat wood.
To build. Preparation of a sewing work that is held in place by a straight or back stitch basting thread.
Shepherdess. Spacious armchair is comfortable from the 18th century. The bottom usually includes a cushion.
Buffalo. Natural linen canvas not undergoing any dyeing treatment. It serves as background.
Curtain box. Carpentry trimming the top and sometimes the sides of a window. Allows you to hide rods or decorations.
Bolduc. Small strip of canvas added to the back of a fabric to allow invisible fixing on an armchair and sometimes even on a wall hanging.
Bomb. Light rounded on top of a trim that is more or less accentuated depending on the style.
Bossette. Large seed with a long square point with a slightly rounded head.
Sulky. Seat with central back whose occupants are back to back.
Buttoned. Horsehair or foam upholstery of an armchair or headboard on which buttons are placed to decorate it.
Bead. Edge of the trim following the shape of the belt, formed by stitching the last point of the trim or by a chipboard section.
Bridge. Gaming chair from the first half of the 20th century, often industrially made.
Brocade. Silk fabric with large colorful patterns enhanced with gold or silver threads.
Cable. Decorative trimmings obtained by twisting several strands.
Caliber. Piece of paper or cardboard cut to a precise shape to reproduce the shape of a filling. It makes it possible to reproduce the shape for a fabric or a block of foam.
Valance. All of the slopes and the headband in one piece making up a fixed decor. The slopes can be retained by tiebacks.
padding. Trim embellished with hollows and reliefs now by a distribution of buttons.
Card. Action of disentangling the horsehair.
Square. Upholsterer's needle used for quilting.
English cardboard. Strip of cardboard similar to the wooden rods used for the wall hanging.
Belt. Set of crosspieces connecting the legs and the uprights of the backrest on which the upholstery rests.
Chamfer. Location made with a grater on top of the belt where the head of the seed rests when folding down the trim.
Frame. Mobile wooden frame placed in rebate on the belt.
Sky of bed. Frame arranged above a bed, a throne, etc.; where the decorations come from.
picture rail. Molding at support height.
Partition. Separation provided inside a cushion to prevent displacement of the down.
Decorative nail. Nails whose heads have various shapes, are used to finish seats.
Nailing. Action of driving decorative nails.
Confidant. Two-seater S-shaped seat for conversation, whose origin dates back to the 18th century.
Kiss. Trimmings element raising the curtains to drape them.
Filling. Place where the folds of a drapery converge. It can be a point or a wide segment.
Pocket. Covering fixed or mobile elements of seats or beds with often piped cover pieces
Interlining. Cloth placed on the rear of the outer backrests of the seats.
Thickness. Trim height above waistband. Refers to a quilted trim and differentiates it from a ball trim.
Fabric. Material obtained by weaving fibers, generally noble and intended for the covering of seats, draperies, etc.
False cushion. Special fitting, consisting of two elements allowing the passage of the fingers between them.
False hem. Strip of fabric added to the bottom of a curtain, of fabric of the same type.
Festoon. Draped elements of different shapes making up a decor made from a soft fabric.
Rabbet. Élégi along a molding allowing the fixing of the fabric on a bottom or a file.
Finette. Brushed cotton canvas placed between a filling and the fabric or between fabric fires.
Fringe. Decorative trimmings used to finish the bottom of seats, edges of curtains, etc.
Template. (See Caliber).
Galon. Trimmings in the form of a thick ribbon used to conceal seeds, or applied to seats and curtains to embellish them.
Background. Plain fabric matching the bottom of a patterned fabric, placed in the less visible parts of the seat.
Pull cord. Cord used to drive the conductor trolleys in a curtain rod.
Cornice. Molding placed near the ceiling above which the drop ceiling is located or glued in the angle formed by the wall and the ceiling.
Ticking calls. Very tightly woven plain or finely striped canvas that does not allow feathers or down to pass through for making cushions.
Metis ticking. Cotton and linen blend ticking to increase durability.
Blanket. Fabric placed on all the trimmings forming the seat and giving it its final appearance.
Notch. When cut slightly, releases the fabric from an angle.
Horsehair. Raw material used for the creation of a traditional armchair upholstery. Of animal (horses) or plant (palm, coconut) origin
Basin. Debossed trim. Used for on an armchair to accommodate a cushion.
Damascus. Silk fabric. The design is woven with a satin weave on a plain weave background, the reverse is reverse.
Window decor. All the elements consisting of: curtains, veiling, under-curtains, headband, lambrequin, draperies, tiebacks...
Stripping, removal. Remove the entire upholstery from an armchair or from a wall hanging.
Sawtooth. Rope used to hold the springs at mid-height to keep them upright and prevent them from lying down.
Storefront. Front part of the trim.
Back. Lower crosspiece of the backrests, the upper crosspiece being the pediment.
Bed backs. Extreme part of the bed
Seat back. Part of the chair or armchair receiving the back
Halyard. (See pull cord).
Duchess. 18th century rest seat, with two unequal backrests commonly called chaise longue. It can be made in two or three parts and in this case is called broken duchess.
pick. Tram wire for carpets, which holds the pile. The double pick reinforces the backing of the stair carpets.
Indent. Cut to clear a foot, an angle or an obstacle.
Quilt. A fluffy or quiltable foot cover, filled with down, preferably from wild birds.
Tapered. Kind of bangs whose strands are very fine and the ends cut.
Elastic. Name of the spring when it was created.
Packaging. Laying of a stuffing canvas on the horsehair setting.
Padding. Hessian thread fabric, loosely woven, to form the filling and to stitch it.
Ganse. Very flexible cotton cord used for making piping.
Accompaniement. Set of comfort elements, consisting of padding and covering materials.
Embossing. Pattern in relief on a plain fabric obtained by hot irons or cylinders.
Glans. Decorative passementerie element used separately or in decoration with a cardigan or to finish the tiebacks.
Bucket. A form of drapery with no visible seam, also called a pleat.
Gondola. Shape of arched backrests.
Gourgouran. Silk fabric with stripes of equal width. One is in satin, the other matte with plain or ribbed weave.
Grasse. Very rounded filling or bead.
Guiding. Set of springs held at a height determined by the luffing rope which takes the flag of each spring often at four points, what is called the luffing in four.
Houzeaux. Large head or eye pins 5 to 7cm in length.
Cover. Mobile coverage.
Imberline. Silk fabric with wide stripes in different colors.
Transom. Generally fixed frame surmounting the opening part of a door or window.
Indiscreet. Three-seater seat. The occupants turn their backs.
Crease resistant. Fabric that does not leave traces of folds after use.
Jacobas. Very fine cotton canvas, grey-blue, brown or purple, placed under the seat covering the strapping.
Jersey. Made of cotton or synthetic fibers, this very stretchy mesh fabric is used to cover the foam, to facilitate the sliding of the fabric.
Bed throw. Fabric assembled with or without flounces, placed on a bed, without being lined.
Cheek. Vertical part on style seats between the armrest, the bottom, the armrest consoles and the backrest upright.
Kapok. Short, silky and soft vegetable fibers of Asian or African origin. It is used to fill cushions.
The cage. Placement of the horsehair in the lace by rolling it up, distributing it evenly over the surface of the seat.
Lace. Twine loops on the strong canvas above the winding to accommodate the horsehair setting.
Laise, width, length. Width of the fabric between two selvedges.
Valance. Cut-out headbands with the sides falling lower than the center.
Knife's blade. Edge of a trim made with a chain stitch on the bead.
lamps. Woven silk fabric with multicolored designs on a plain satin background.
Lens. Very slightly curved decorative nail of various sizes.
Lizard. Trimmings, scalloped crest braid.
selvedges. Parallel edges on a roll of fabric.
Edging. Synonym of piping.
Bedding. Set comprising the bedding (box spring, mattress, pillows, bolster, foot cover, eiderdown, bedspread, etc.).
Cuff. Small upholstery placed on the arm of an armchair or a sofa, quilted, with a ball or in foam depending on the style.
Morocco. Goat or goat leather, tome on the grain side after tanning.
Metis. Canvas with cotton warp and linen weft.
Footage. Precise length of fabric for the realization of a work (seats, wall hanging, etc...
Blanking. Intermediate cover using a white canvas before laying the fabric.
Mohair. Goat hair velvet, very soft to the touch (Utrecht velvet).
Moire. Fabric that receives a finish that is crushed on the calender to give it wavy reflections.
Fleece. Soft fluffy cotton and/or synthetic canvas used for wall hanging.
Pattern. Design adorning a repeating fabric. The full height of the pattern gives the fitting
Mousse. Soft material for making a modern seat.
Rib. Synonym of piping.
Ears. Parts added to the top of the backrest of a seat perpendicular to it in order to rest the head there.
Wadding. In cotton or synthetic, placed on the white setting before laying the fabric of a seat.
Hem. Double fold of fabric to prevent fraying.
Sign. The wall hanging by panel is executed by fixing the fabric inside a delimited surface.
Facing. Partial covering intended to cover the edges of a trim (seat, bed base, etc.).
Parry. Thin a leather on the edges to avoid over-thickness.
Trimmings. Decorative and finishing items.
Piping. Narrow strip of fabric in which a braid is imprisoned.
Patina. Finishing process whose purpose is to recall an old production.
Skin. Leather of animal origin.
Pearl. Decorative nails whose head is made of brass or iron and represents a half-sphere.
Pricking. Set of stitches holding the trim.
Sting. Light Layer of animal hair placed on top of the quilted trim to fill the holes caused by the quilting of the latter.
Plateau. Main part of a welt set. Wound-band.
Flower bed. Narrow piece of fabric attached to the main part of the blanket.
Damask tip. Point used to hold fabric at an angle or for certain stitching.
Bottom point. String stitched into the trim to hold the upholstery to the horsehair.
Profile. Element in compressed foam flakes simulating rolls.
Depth. Part between the front and the back of the seat on which one sits.
Desk. Shape of a cushion or a bolster whose section represents a right-angled triangle.
Hemming. Operation which consists of giving the height and final shape to a trim using the hands.
Connection. Full height of a pattern.
Reminder. Rope that holds the springs in place, tied on each obstacle encountered.
Bleeding. Mark caused on fragile fabrics such as satin when a seed or staple is inserted into it which pulls the weft threads.
Webbing. Strip of inextensible or elastic fabric with a dimension of less than 9 cm which is crossed and stretched to form a seat floor.
Satin. Fabric woven from threads of different origins (silk, cotton, etc.) of which only the warp threads are visible on the visible side.
Sateen. Weaving fabric identical to satin but lighter used to line curtains.
Whistle. Upholstery of a file whose thickness decreases from top to bottom to die on the wood.
Doorbell. Usually red thread placed on the edge of a fabric to signal a fault.
Suspension. Flexibility given by the winding, by the elastic straps OR the foam for modern seats.
Painting. Trim whose edge is at 45°.
Taffeta. Silk fabric with very fine ribs, without back or place.
Tapestry. Very heavy fabric executed according to a design by the passage of colored threads.
Cleat. Small piece of wood, glued
Tension. Action of stretching a canvas or fabric along the straight grain.
Hanging. Cloth covering a wall.
Falling. Direction in which the fabric of a drapery or a curtain is placed under its weight. The best appearance is obtained when the warp yarn is vertical.
Velvet. Silk, wool, mohair, cotton, synthetic, hairy fabrics are trapped by a single or double pick.
Velum. Fabric suspended ceiling suspended on iron wires and forming waves.
Flying. Gathered, pleated or draped strip of fabric to hide the legs.
Sail. Fine and light fabric, transparent.
Yousure. Rounded part at the connection of the wall and the ceiling or rounded of a window.

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