Upholstery and Fabrics - Re-upholstering couch
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annjannj
01-19-09, 04:29 PM
My husband and I would like to try to re-upholster one of our couches. I have an industrial sewing machine and am a competent sewer.
We have a 3 pc sectional that has very clean lines- square arms, cushions, etc. We also have a love seat that has somewhat curved arms and a perhaps a few more seams than the sectional. Both couches are pretty beat and old and we like their shape and we thought it would fun to try to re-cover and re-use rather than give-away and buy new.
I'd rather not take a class, but are we crazy not to?
Any suggestions as to what piece would be appropriate for beginners to start on?
Any tips as to good upholstery fabrics for beginners (we are considering chenille- someone said acrylic-backed is a must..)?
Other suggestions/comments that might be helpful? we do have two books on how to re-upholster.
We have a 3 pc sectional that has very clean lines- square arms, cushions, etc. We also have a love seat that has somewhat curved arms and a perhaps a few more seams than the sectional. Both couches are pretty beat and old and we like their shape and we thought it would fun to try to re-cover and re-use rather than give-away and buy new.
I'd rather not take a class, but are we crazy not to?
Any suggestions as to what piece would be appropriate for beginners to start on?
Any tips as to good upholstery fabrics for beginners (we are considering chenille- someone said acrylic-backed is a must..)?
Other suggestions/comments that might be helpful? we do have two books on how to re-upholster.
laura_al
01-23-09, 09:55 AM
I learned from just reading books, so I think you will be able to learn too. I took pictures with my digital camera as I removed the old upholstery, and also took lots of notes. It's really a lot of fun to re-upholster. Ebay has some great deals on fabrics. I suggest a solid, so you don't have to match patterns.
Fiber content really depends on your needs. If you don't have little kids and pets you would be okay with a cotton twill. But if you need some more stain resistant get a nylon or acrylic blend. A microfiber would also be a good choice. I redid my 3 piece living room set in a beautiful red boucle, not thinking about my little white dog. I guess I should have gone with something more neutral, but as a consequence, she isn't allowed on the furniture anymore.
As far as the perfect beginners piece, I think your sectional sounds pretty straight forward. It is kind of a large piece to start on, but shouldn't be too difficult as far as the process itself.
Also check out Ebay for the cushion replacements if you need new foam. If you have any welting, I recomment buying a welting foot for your machine (if you don't have one already). Have fun; this will be a great couples project.
Fiber content really depends on your needs. If you don't have little kids and pets you would be okay with a cotton twill. But if you need some more stain resistant get a nylon or acrylic blend. A microfiber would also be a good choice. I redid my 3 piece living room set in a beautiful red boucle, not thinking about my little white dog. I guess I should have gone with something more neutral, but as a consequence, she isn't allowed on the furniture anymore.
As far as the perfect beginners piece, I think your sectional sounds pretty straight forward. It is kind of a large piece to start on, but shouldn't be too difficult as far as the process itself.
Also check out Ebay for the cushion replacements if you need new foam. If you have any welting, I recomment buying a welting foot for your machine (if you don't have one already). Have fun; this will be a great couples project.