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Prairie Settle-FAQ and FQA — 7 Comments

  1. Pingback:L & JG Stickley No. 220 Prairie Sofa | ReadWatchDo.com

  2. Almost done with building two prairie settles. Now I need to get some cushions. Any hints? Do I need to take my settle to the upholster? Is there a source that has made them already and I can just get from them?

    Also how were the cushions held up? I see two ledgers in the plans but it does not show anything else.

    • Lot’s of good questions. I wrote about the options in the introduction to “More Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture” and that text is included in the new compilation “Great Book of Shop Drawings for Craftsman Furniture” which will be available in the summer of 2012.

      I’ll be doing a blog post about upholstery options soon, but in the meantime here is the quick answer. I left the details “fuzzy” in the books and on the large format plans because there are several options, and I felt that readers would be making there own choices based on their budgets and need for comfort. I recommend finding a good local professional upholsterer, either to do the work, or to sell you supplies. The cheap and easy way out is to lay wood slats (or build a simple frame) to rest on the ledgers to support a simple cushion. Futon shops can often order cushions in custom sizes. This is the route many antique dealers take. If you want to do it yourself, I would advise taking a class or reading a few books and start with something small.

  3. I have just about completed the joinery on the settle, I just have the grooves for the corbels left to make. One tip…make the panels to fit. Especially on the back of the settle, measure the gaps between the stiles and make 5 of them and then measure the fianl gap before making the 6th panel. n mine it came in at about 1/8″ smaller thant the other 5 which will not be noticeable.

    Thanks for the advice on the arms, that was a question I had been pondering.

    I still have one question about the panels…should they be treated like a frame and panel door in that the panels should be a little smaller than the total opening for them and left unglued? I am concerned about expansion/contraction.

    Thanks

  4. I really liked the illistration used to market Craftsman plan # 220 but can get no help with an upolestry plan for this settle.Every example I see of finished work looks as if a desperate compromise has been struck. Any help?