Burlap, Edge Rolls, and Stuffing

Burlap over the springs

Lay burlap over the tied springs, pull it just tight enough to be smooth, and tack it with 8-ounce tacks just inside the edge of the rails all around ¹. Sew it to the top coils of the springs with a curved needle and mattress twine so it can’t shift ¹. Keep the springs’ crown; don’t flatten them with the burlap.

The edge

A seat needs a firm, crisp edge, or the stuffing rolls off and the front wears through.

Edge roll (the simple method in the Montana bulletin): lay a small, even layer of hair or moss over the tacks holding the burlap, roll the burlap edge back over it into a tight roll, and tack it close inside the roll. Miter the burlap at the corners so the roll is the same size all around ¹. Ready-made edge roll (fiber in paper or burlap) is also sold.

Stitched edge (fine traditional work): the first stuffing is covered in scrim (a fine open weave), then rows of blind stitches and top stitches with a long double-pointed needle pull hair forward and compress it into a hard, square edge that holds its shape for decades ². It’s the hallmark of high-quality traditional upholstery and takes practice.

Stuffing

The stuffing shapes the seat and cushions the springs ¹:

• Curled horsehair is best: springy, durable, and reusable. Old hair can be cleaned by beating out the dust and baking it, or washing it loosely bagged in mild soap and air-drying ¹.
• Upholstery moss and coir are cheaper alternatives; tow is the least desirable acceptable material.
• Excelsior should never be used - it mats quickly ¹.

Applying the first layer:

1. Sew bridle ties into the burlap: loose loops of twine about a hand’s width long, in rows across the seat ².
2. Tease the hair apart, removing lumps, and work handfuls under the bridle ties until the layer is even ¹.
3. Use enough that you can’t feel the springs through it, and bring it just over the edge rolls ¹.
4. Sew it down to the burlap so it can’t slip or settle ¹.

In fine work, a scrim cover and stuffing ties stitched through the hair hold it in a three-dimensional lattice, and a thinner second stuffing goes on with more bridle ties ².

Cotton

Finish with a layer of upholsterer’s cotton (or polyester wadding) over the hair: it smooths the surface and keeps hair ends from working through the cover ¹. Tear rather than cut the edges so they feather out without a ridge.

What to take from this

Tack burlap over the springs inside the rail and sew it to the coils. Build a firm edge - a burlap-wrapped edge roll, or in fine work a stitched edge in scrim. Stuff with teased curled hair (or moss or coir, never excelsior) held under bridle ties, thick enough to hide the springs and sewn down, then cover it with cotton.