Ronnie’s Chair
August rounds out a summer filled with family, travel, and some forced lighter upholstery work as I recover from an injury. Ronnie's Chair was one of the pieces that earned a slot during this light duty summer. This was one of the most meaningful and poignant pieces I've done.
The original owner of this sweet little chair was Linda’s brother, Ronnie, who sadly passed away from a brain tumor at age 6. I can’t think of a greater tragedy to befall a family than the loss of a child. This chair has been lovingly kept by Linda all these years in memory of a precious big brother. Linda, Ronnie’s sister, is an accomplished quilter, furniture refinisher, and caner. Linda had planned on reupholstering Ronnie's Chair herself; however, life got in the way, as sometimes happens. So Linda passed Ronnie’s Chair to me. I was humbled to be entrusted with such a keepsake.
Ronnie’s Chair was handmade. Though the name of the maker is lost to time, we can only assume it was someone who loved this child and this family very much. Linda remembers Ronnie’s Chair as light blue originally with white welt cord. At some point, in the 1960s, this cherished rocker was reupholstered by Ronnie’s dad in a durable white vinyl. It was time to refresh Ronnie’s Chair for the next generation, to carry forward Ronnie’s memory.
One of the unique features of Ronnie’s Chair is the squared off arms. With Linda’s permission, I chose to change the arm from a square with diagonal pleats and nailhead trim to a square sewn in arm to highlight the unique shape of the arm and to soften the overall look. Linda chose a fabric of navy blue brushed twill. I recommended a return to the white cording as an accent. I used a slightly larger than typical cord (9/32) of very soft, flexible cotton, rather than the smaller more structured cord I typically use. The intent was to create a soft version of Ronnie’s Chair to invite snuggling. Ronnie’s Chair is ready to gently rock the next generation as they curl up for a good story.
The assumption is that a child’s chair is faster and easier to upholster than a standard adult sized chair. Though the materials and fabric yardage are a fraction of what’s required for an adult chair, the process is the same. Small chairs such as this present their own challenges as the spaces we use to pass fabric, fills, and tools through are significantly smaller as well. The tucking tool, which looks a bit like a bent putty knife, comes in handy in situations such as this, where my own hands are just too big for the task.
I did not have the privilege of knowing Ronnie, but I have known hundreds of six year olds throughout my teaching career. I loved all of them. It was an honor to work on this little chair, to think about this child as I worked, and to create something special in remembrance of him.
In memory of Ronnie.
