How to sew a seat for a wooden deckchair? We give you a hint

Did you know that... In English, the word deckchair is used in many situations, even in metaphors! "rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic" describes someone who, in moments of crisis, is overly concerned with unimportant minutiae.

When we think about a perfect summer afternoon, an image of a blue lake, sand and deckchairs comes to mind! Well, deckchairs have long been used by people to rest and relax. But what exactly is a lounger?

A wooden lounger is a folding chair, usually with a wooden frame, and may have a single strip of fabric forming the back and seat. It is easy to transport and is intended for rest. Some of them may have an extended seat that serves as a footrest, or it may also have armrests.

The history of deckchairs

The earliest records of deckchairs date back to the Bronze Age. Wooden deckchairs were also used in ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome. The Glastonbury chair was also invented, which was the prototype of our currentwooden deckchairs as we know them. In the 19th century, John Cham patented deck chairs, which were later used on board ocean liners. It is known that the Titanic carried 600 such wooden deckchairs , of which only 6 remain today, and one of them was sold at auction in 2001 for £35,000.

Nowadays, deckchairs are used not only in summer and spring. We can also meet them on ski slopes.

How to sew a seat for a wooden deckchair?

Would you like to renovate your seat but don't know where to start? You've come to the right place! You will need:

• sunbed
• strong canvas or linen fabric
• tape measure
• tailor's chalk
• scissors
• iron
• heels
• sewing machine and thread
• upholstery tacks
• hammer.

How to sew a seat for a wooden deckchair? Step by step.

• 1. To make it simpler, you can use the existing deck chair canvas as a pattern. Start by removing all securing pins, staples and pins, then lay the fabric out on a flat surface and measure the width and length, adding extra hems. Mark these dimensions with tailor's chalk on the selected fabric.
• 2. If you only have the frame of a wooden deck chair , unfold it in the closed position and measure the distance between the two bars holding the canvas and the width between the sides. Add approximately 5 cm to the width and 30 cm to the length, then mark these dimensions on your chosen fabric.
• 3. Cut out the fabric, flip the double edge over to the two long sides, then pin and sew in place, removing the pins as you go.
• 4. Lay the wooden lounger flat and place the fabric on the front surface of the upper seat bar, allowing the rest of the fabric to flow over the chair. Insert pins along the shaft at 5 cm intervals, starting in the center and working outwards, stretching and checking for tension. Remember that an even line of pins will provide greater seating comfort.
• 5. Wrap the fabric once around the top beam to hide the pins, then pull the fabric towards the bottom beam, maintaining tension. Fold the remaining fabric around the bottom beam and use a few sewing pins to hold it in place, while checking that the lounger can still be folded easily - make sure the fabric isn't attached too tightly or it won't unfold.
• 6. Once you are happy with the tension of the seat, you can cut off the excess fabric and then insert pins along the beam at the back, starting again in the center and moving towards the edges.

Want to learn more about deckchairs and their maintenance? click here