Upholstry

Sunset has, or had, a book on upholstering that I found very useful. It's also inexpensive. You could probably find a copy in a second hand store if there isn't a current edition.

I highly recommend "Upholstery Basics" from the Singer Sewing Reference series:

I took a few books about reupholstering out of the library and like this one so much that I ended up buying a copy! It's inexpensive, easy to follow, and seemed to have good feedback from others on Amazon.

While in my 20's we had little money, so I decided to learn upholstery on my own. Made lots of mistakes, like fabric nap running in 2 directions on two pieces of a chair, but nobody but me knew it was there. You will want to make a good friend at an upholstery shop. They can help you in many ways. Ask if you can observe them, you will learn a lot just by watching. If you have the courage, tell them you will work for free or help them so you can learn the trade. This isn't as difficult as it seems, most people are flattered to teach their trade to the right person. They will also usually sell you some supplies that you can't get anywhere else, like webbing and covered buttons. Take a night-school course, you will also be required to complete a project. This is the best way to get started. Over 20 years I have done big and small projects, chairs, sofas, etc. and it gets easier. I even attempted a very difficult down-channel-filled chair. It had a row of filled cylinders on the chair back, but looks very plush. Lots of sewing, but it came out beautiful. I would rather re-upholster than make slipcovers, usually very little sewing is required to uphoster. Remove all the old tacks and use the old fabric as a pattern. Note and mark each piece placement and direction. Press all the folds and seams out before cutting your pattern for better accuracy. And if you are redoing an item with down filling, don't replace it with cotton or poly batting. It is the most comfortable and most expensive filling in the world. Well worth the extra effort. Just be careful when cutting off the old fabric. The down/feathers are always encased in a muslin cover. So if you don't cut thru the cover, you will not have any mess. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

"Sharon & Jack" wrote in message news:SGyzb.3227$ snipped-for-privacy@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net...

One more point! Pros use tacks, amateurs use staples. Get an upholstery tool kit and learn how to tack with an upholstery hammer, the magnetic head holds the tack while you place your first swing, or at least use a tack gun. Never staple! They are harder to remove later and rust. They are also a sure sign of a non-professional job.

The book I use is: The Complete Upholsterer, by Carole Thomerson, published by Frances Lincoln, 1989 - ISBN: 0 7112 0562 0.

I found it at a street market and it's pretty good, but I don't know if better ones are available. It's particularly good on getting the style right for the age of the item, and making it look generous, not skimpy.

:) Trish

Ouch! I just got an air compressor for my birthday so I can staple the chair I'm ready to reupholster. :-( Oh, well, I AM an ameteur because it's my first project. Maybe if I like this and do well I will graduate to tacks!

Rosebud

Here in the UK many upholsterers staple, especially where it can't be seen. Tacks are saved for real antique restoration and Very Expensive stuff that has decorative tacks to finish things off. I use a hand cranked staple gun, same as the professional upholsterer that did my chairs last time round.

I guess I am a luddite, of a sort. I use tacks for upholstery. Does that make me tacky?

liz young

Naahhh... Just pernickety! ;D