A guide to upholstery: where to start
Once upon a time, the thought of upholstering something alone and without previous experience sounded like a mission impossible - until building up the courage to just try it out. Starting with something small and then graduating to larger projects. Even if you have never upholstered in your life and no matter how doubtful you are - we encourage you to give it a try!
This week we will be looking in depth at the world of upholstery and fabric face-lifts; lots of tips, interior design ideas and practical advice, a look into different fabrics used to get the job done, a special post on warm winter textiles and more than enough projects to get you started.
DIY Upholstering
Today's post is somewhat of an introduction, with some easy to follow advice; you are about to discover the joys of DIY upholstering - its quick, easy peasy and beats paying for a pro any day. To begin with, you will want to choose something with a simple shape to upholster and your choice of fabric will help too; you will find it a lot easier to accomplish by using a fabric that has a sturdy weave and good texture to hide any minor mishaps.
First time projects
Other skills that will be useful are not beyond beginner level - cutting out patterns with good precision, being able to sew a seam in a straight line and being confident enough with a staple gun! Projects that you can seriously consider for a first time actually have amazing results and can change the look and feel of any room - an upholstered wall with tufts, a headboard and even a sitting chair with simple form. You might like the addition of an upholstered wall in a bedroom where it can add extra warmth, comfort and helps to keep outside noise levels to a minimum.
Headboard upholstery
Something that is known as quilt batting (more on that later) is placed to the wall and stapled secure, following that you simply stretch over panels of fabric, stapling them in place at the edges until all the wall is covered. A headboard can even be made from scratch by using plywood cut into a simple shape; you will need some foam to pad it out a little before stretching over a self-made slip cover and securing with staples at the base of the headboard frame.
This is often finished with some piping around the outer edges which not only adds style and emphasises the shape - but it also helps to strengthen the seams. A chair is perhaps the most difficult from the three, but you really can't go wrong if you follow good instruction, prep well and be patient whilst carrying out the project.
With many upholstery projects, you can use fabric that is sold as curtain material online - a wide range of different curtain fabric, colours and textures can be found to meet all decorating styles and tastes.
