Hand-tied springs

In eight-way hand-tied springing, coil springs are sewn at the base to stretched jute webbing, and each spring is then tied at eight points — front to back, side to side, and on the diagonals — to its neighbors and to the frame, with heavy upholstery twine. The tying sets the final height and firmness before the upper layers go on: burlap, a fiber or cotton filling, and the cover. This is the old method of upholstery, as distinct from modern webbing or foam, and it is what you find in Victorian seating and other antique upholstered chairs. Repairing old upholstery usually means stripping back to the springs and checking the jute before the springs are tied again.