gilleland_mend_upholstery_image1.jpg

How-To: Mend Torn Upholstery
By Diane Gilleland

If you take a sofa or chair with a rip in the absorber, don't despair! Torn upholstery tin can exist simple to prepare with the right tools and a little care.
gilleland_mend_upholstery_image2.jpg
Materials:
Apply a very strong nylon thread for this project, and a curved needle. This kind of needle is usually packaged every bit a "mattress needle" or "upholstery needle." The curved shape allows you to sew together hands on a flat surface, similar a sofa cushion.
Y'all can likewise make your ain curved needle by bending a crewel embroidery needle with needlenose pliers. It won't exist perfect, but it will exercise the job.


gilleland_mend_upholstery_image3.jpg
1. Assess the rip.
Beginning, take a moment to study the rip. This rip, for example, happened along a seam in the cushion. The fabric on the left side of the opening is intact, but the right side is fraying. This tells me that I'll demand to watch that correct side carefully when I'm sewing.
gilleland_mend_upholstery_image4.jpg
2. Stop the fraying.
If you have frayed edges, apply some Fray Check. This articulate liquid will harden the edge of the textile slightly and foreclose farther fraying.
gilleland_mend_upholstery_image5.jpg
three. Plough under the edges.
Fold the edges of the rip nether, pressing the folds with your fingers. In this rip, I'm folding the frayed side nether a bit more than than the intact side. I don't want that frayed edge too shut to my stitching, because it can get a weak point in the repair and lead to more damage later.
I don't recommend trying to pin the edges of the rip together for sewing — this can crease the material too much, which can result in a crooked repair seam.
gilleland_mend_upholstery_image6.jpg
4. Sew together.
Instead of pinning, try gently pinching the ii folded edges together as you run up. Begin the seam past taking a stitch only through the correct-hand edge. This allows you to hide the knotted terminate of the thread.
From there, each stitch involves passing the needle through a tiny bit of each folded edge, as shown. Keep your stitches small and close together. A textured textile, like the one I'm working with here, will help hide your stitches. A smooth fabric volition require very small and regular stitches.
Since, in this rip, we're almost concerned almost that frayed right side, keep checking as you run up to brand sure this side is folded under consistently.
gilleland_mend_upholstery_image7.jpg
When you reach the end of the seam, y'all'll see a pucker like this. Not to worry — it formed considering nosotros turned under the edges of the rip, which changed the seam line.
gilleland_mend_upholstery_image8.jpg
To blend this new seam with the original seam, gently pinch the edges of the cloth together and proceed stitching, gradually pinching less and less fabric until the new seam joins with the erstwhile and you have a shine edge. (You lot might demand to repeat this procedure at the offset of your seam, too.)
gilleland_mend_upholstery_image9.jpg
v: Knot.
When you lot knot your thread at the end of the seam, make certain it'southward very secure — the knot is some other potential weak spot in the repair. Try this method: on your last stitch, pull the thread through until in that location'south a loop, equally shown. So, pass the needle through this loop twice, forming the footing of a surgeon'southward knot.
Pull this knot tight, and then take a few tiny stitches dorsum along the seam line, stitching away from the knot. This helps anchor the thread. Cut the end of the thread close to the fabric.
gilleland_mend_upholstery_image10.jpg
See? Good as new!

About the Author:
author_dianegilleland.jpg
Diane Gilleland produces CraftyPod, a blog and bi-weekly podcast well-nigh making stuff. Her first volume, Kanzashi In Bloom, will exist out in July.

Tagged diane gilleland mending upholstery

By Goli Mohammadi

I'm a word nerd who loves to geek out on how emerging technology affects the dictionary. I was an editor on the start forty volumes of MAKE, and I love shining calorie-free on the incredible makers in our community. In particular, roofing fine art is my passion — subsequently all, art is the start thing about of united states e'er made. When not fawning over perfect word choices, I tin be institute on the nearest mountain, looking for untouched powder fields and ideal alpine lakes.

Contact me at snowgoli@gmail.com or via @snowgoli.

View more articles past Goli Mohammadi