DIY: How to Reupholster a Couch: From Start to Finish

Remember over a year ago when I started reupholstering my couch? Yeah, this has been a long time coming. I apologize that this hasn't been posted earlier. I wanted to re-sew two cushions, but let's face it there are more important things I need to get done. Regardless, I love the couch! One of these days I just might re-do the cushions and I may even finally snip off the last threads I never got too, but it's suited me just fine for the last several months. Actually, it still is making me squeal with delight every time I walk by. So, without further ado here is our couch in all it's glory:

And in case you're wondering just how much it all cost here's a break down.

Here's all the supplies that I bought:

• Four samples of fabric: at 1.75 per sample plus shipping I'll be liberal and estimate that it cost a total of $15.00
• 18 yards of fabric: (I ended up with several yards to spare) for $166.33
• 10 yards of gimp: I had a discount of $8.07 from buying the fabric which led to a total of $7.78
• 3 more yards of gimp: Unfortunately, I underestimated the amount I needed and had to buy more (most of this price was shipping) $9.62
• 4-5 spools of Upholstery thread I used Coats and Clark Extra Strong Upholstery Thread 150 yards: under $3 per spool (use your 50% coupon at Joann's and get it cheaper). We'll say I spent $15 to be liberal.
• 3 spools of thread (this is a generous estimation). You can also get this under $3 per spool and can use coupons or spools on hand. I used normal thread to sew a pillow and see if it had been done correctly before using the more expensive thread. You may also use it to finish edges etc. Again, to be liberal we'll estimate that I spent $10.
• Staples for your staple gun: $20

And the supplies I borrowed or had on hand:

• zippers from the old cushions
• Scissors
• Sewing machine
• Needles
• Old yogurt or other containers to put all the staples in as you pull them out
• Amazing friends who helped pull out staples! You know who you are...THANK YOU!
• Plenty of wire cutters or other tools to pull out staples. They are seriously stubborn.
• A camera 
• Ziplock bags
• Piping (I reused mine from last upholstery and cushions)
• Sharpie markers
• Duct tape
• A serious staple gun:

  

  Don't even think of trying this with on of those old school staple guns. Seriously!

   
• Air Compressor for your staple gun
  

  

  My friend let me borrow this air compressor and the staple gun

  
  

  
  

Making The Grand Total:  $228.73

Not too shabby right? Totally worth every penny in my opinion! So, if you're thinking about doing your own re-upholstery project here's the links to all the steps from start to finish.

Step 1: Choose your fabric and take LOTS of pictures and notes

Step 2: Get out those staples and strip your couch bare

Step 3: Making sewing patterns and tips 

Step 4: Sewing Cushion Covers

Step 5: Making Bias Tape

Step 6:  Staple everything back on the couch the opposite of how you took it apart. Remember that it will be a tight fit all around, and use an air compressor staple gun!

Step 7: Adding Gimp/Trim

Step 8: Send a picture of your results!

 Seriously! I hope you love your results as much as I do!

DIY Reupholstering Adding Gimp (or Trim)

 

It's been a long time in between posts and even longer since I've posted about the couch. I have to apologize for that. Things just got crazy, and then busy. First, a couple of kids were going through a transition period. You know, where they're pushing buttons you never knew you had and testing limits. Oh boy, it was rough for a bit. So, I did what I thought was best. I put off a lot of things to focus on my family.

When things were running more smoothly in our home, my husband left for several weeks of training while two of my grandparents became very ill. My grandma passed away while Daniel was gone and I was unable to attend the funeral. It was very difficult, but I had so many people who did so much for me (read here).

Grandma and my Grandpa (who passed away a couple of years prior) holding our first-born

When Daniel returned from training I lost my Grandad:

It was difficult being so far away when both my grandad and grandma were sick. I am very grateful that I was able to spend a lot of time when we lived closer getting to know them both. While I didn't live as close to my Grandad, I went on several trips to see him, and he came by our place as well. One of my most memorable experiences was spent interviewing him about his life and looking at and scanning pictures. A couple of years later we celebrated his 90th birthday! I'm so grateful to have had those experiences with him. It was rough losing him, but I'm glad to know I'll see him again.

Anyhow, as you can imagine, I've had a lot going on and frankly, finishing the couch and blogging weren't high on my lists of priorities. If you're one of the few who's been following I apologize for the long delays. I hope you'll understand.

So, I finally "finished" the couch on Friday! I had put off adding the gimp until a week ago and then I was three yards short. So, I ordered more and added it this week. I'm hoping to fix at least one of the cushions before the big reveal (hence the quotations around the couch being finished). In case, you're curious about adding gimp here's what you'll need to do:

Adding gimp is pretty simple. You just need:

• a glue gun 
• gimp, or trim 
• a couple of outlets (because your glue gun cord likely won't be able to maneuver around the whole couch without switching to another outlet). 
• an assistant or a place to set the glue gun down that you can also easily move.
• scissors

 Be careful. It's easy to get tangled in the glue gun cord and the gimp.

When you're ready to go, plug in your glue gun. As it's heating up trim any long loose strings, or material that the gimp won't cover. You can see all the material that is fraying in the next few pictures that needs to be trimmed:

The reason you'll be adding gimp is not only to make it more beautiful, but to keep the material from fraying completely. That's why you'll likely need to add it to the back of your couch. It also covers up all the staples and parts where two pieces of material meet (i.e. the back of my couch and arm):

Don't trim your material too much though. You'll want the material to be far enough away from the staples that it won't be able to fray underneath any staple. Keep in mind you don't have to trim it perfectly either since you'll be gluing gimp over it.

When your glue gun is hot get your gimp ready. Check to make sure your gimp will cover the material. Start by putting a little glue at the end of the gimp to keep it from fraying.

 Then add a little more glue and fold it under to protect it even more from coming undone:

 

Then start to glue. I'd only put an inch or two of glue on your gimp at a time. That way you'll be able to slowly add the trim to your couch and place it where it needs to go.

Going slow will also help you avoid getting glue on the couch, especially when things start to get tangled (including your body).

And you'll likely have to trim a couple of strings or pieces you missed earlier:

When you get to the part between where the back of the couch meets the arm pull the cushion towards you. Then measure and cut the needed amount of gimp before adding glue. When your gimp is ready to be placed, in between the back of the couch and cushion, it would help to have assistance keeping the cushion pulled back tight while you carefully add the gimp (I had my daughter hold the cushion for me). If you don't have a helper you still should be able to do it yourself, but be careful to avoid getting glue where you don't want it.

As you slowly add your gimp you'll see your project slowly come together looking complete and beautiful.

DIY: Making Bias Tape

Here's a quick overview on how to make your own bias tape. Usually, the selvages of fabric run along the top and sides of your fabric. The bias, is where your fabric will have the most stretch and give. Try giving it a tug. Nice and springy right?

Many patterns that ask you to use bias do so when it's for a product that has a lot of curves...cushions, neck ties etc. When you use fabric cut on the bias, it will sit nicely, and not get as twisted as fabric cut on the selvage.

Part of the reason I didn't like the cushion I'd finished was because the piping didn't curve as easily since the pattern didn't use bias tape. The piping was bumpy because it was just shoved in the main fabric (that had been cut on the selvage). It wasn't quite as noticeable before because the fabric was a lot more dense:

See how the piping goes up and down and how it's not as straight along the edges?...

Since my fabric wasn't quite as heavy as the floral fabric, you could really see some lumps and bumps going on:

That's not quite the look I wanted. So I decided to experiment with the extra fabric I had on hand and see if it would look better using fabric cut on the bias. And yep, it looked a lot better. So if you want to make your cushion, or project look more professional here's how you can make your own bias tape:

First lay out your fabric...

Then fold up one corner so it make a 90 degree angle. It is possible to make a bias tape without seams, but it will use up a lot of fabric. If you don't want any seams then make sure you have the correct length. I really don't mind a couple of seams. You can't even really see them when making piping, and it saves tons of fabric.

Once you figure out how much you need start cutting along the edge...

Then, go on ahead and cut the fabric in strips with the width you'll need. I had some piping that was used in the back of the couch that I used as a pattern. If you're not sure just make it the width you'd like and add 5/8's of an inch on either side for your seam allowance.

Once you have strips cut out and ready to go, piece them together by making right angles with the strips and lining up the edges. Pin it first where you seam will be, and pull it up to see if both strips line up evenly. If not, move it over until they do and then sew them together.

You can see here my strips didn't line up perfectly, but they lined up enough that I'd still have enough fabric for my piping and seam allowance to be 5/8's an inch.

Once you have the length you need, put the piping inside and pin it. You can also snip of the extra triangular fabric poking out at the top...

Then it's time to sew. Most people suggest using a zipper foot. If you have one, use it. If not, you can still continue. I lost mine long ago and just make do without. Whatever you are using, just sew along the edge of the piping right along it's side.

Here's what it looks like after the piping tube is nice and snugly sewn inside:

Then you'll place it (with the 5/8's seam closest to you and the piping furthest from you). You'll have the right sides (the side of the fabric you want to be showing...it's the blue side of my fabric) of your fabric together.

Then pin it right under the piping again and sew along again.

When you're all done, you'll be glad you used bias strips for piping. Your finished product will look a lot neater and professional (Here's a sneak peek of how it's starting to really come together).

 If you want to see the other tutorials for my latest project of reupholstering a couch look here, here, and here. I'll get the tutorial on stapling up soon...And hopefully, I'll finally get to that gimp that I've had sitting on my table and will finally be done! I got a little side tracked by starting up another project...Easter dresses! Spring is in the air and I couldn't be more excited!

DIY: How to Reupholster...7 Tips on Sewing Cushion Covers

If you're new here and are wanting to start reupholstering see here for additional tips. Also see part one, and part two on how to get started if you haven't already.

Sewing cushions is a lot easier then you think it is. Or maybe I was just so terrified about it that I was surprised. What you'll need to do is continue to 1. use duct tape to write notes so you'll remember how it all goes back together again

2. Take pictures. When I started seam ripping, I was surprised to find that there wasn't any real piping. What I mean by that is, they hadn't used piping that had been made with fabric cut on the bias. Instead they just stuck the plastic piping tube in one piece of fabric

Then they sewed the fabric holding the piping with side pieces while pulling an 1/8 of an inch down to make the piping snug. These pictures helped me see how to repeat what they'd done.

3. My third tip is to do one cushion at a time. I discussed all these and other tips in further detail here. The reason I'd hold off on ripping all the seams at once, is because it gives you a finished product to refer to.

4. When you are taking the zipper out be careful when you open or close the zipper, or the tab will come straight off. This happened once or twice to me and it takes a long time to wriggle it back on so your zipper will work. I'd try to reuse the zippers if you can

5. Try everything on as you go along...

In the end, I decided I didn't like the piping. I knew it would look much more polished if I used piping tubes in bias tape. So, I went for it. I put the bias tape (tutorial on how to make your own coming soon) in between the top and side pieces of the cushion. I had enough fabric to get a pattern figured out. My second cushion was a little larger and needs to be adjusted a bit, but by the third cushion I'd figured out how to get it just right. I now only have to adjust the second cushion a little, and possibly redo my first cushion with the tucked in tubing.

6. If you wait to start the cushions until after all your other pieces are cut out and sewn, then you'll know whether or not you'll have enough fabric to experiment. You may even want to staple everything on before you start in case something else doesn't fit. I didn't because I had so much fabric left over. 

7. Also be prepared to use a lot of thread. I went through four spools of upholstery thread. If you don't use upholstery thread, be sure to at least use the next strongest. The strength of the thread is extremely important since people will be sitting on and putting their weight on the couch repeatedly. Use it on every part of the couch that needs to be sewn

DIY: How to Reupholster a Couch Part III... Six Tips When Preparing the Fabric for Stapling and Making Patterns for Sewing

So it's been a while. I'm actually almost done with reupholstering. It's been so long since I've posted about the couch I'll bet some of  you were thinking my couch was destroyed and I'd given up. Nope. I'm almost done! I only have to glue on the trim which is on it's way. So, it's a good time to catch up on all the steps in between. If you missed them, here's the last two tutorials on taking the "before" pictures and then taking off the old fabric.

This post will focus on how to prepare your old fabric to make patterns for stapling and sewing. It's pretty basic. There's a whole lot of seam picking/ripping. Then, you hold your breath when you first cut into that fabric hoping you won't make a mistake, and crossing your fingers you have enough fabric. Before you get out your seam ripper, here's some pointers that will save you from making mistakes (hopefully):

First: As you're taking apart your couch, keep the fabric close to or on top of the part of furniture it belongs to. For example:

Here (above) you can see that I had the fabric that went with the arm draped over where it went.

Here's the seat back...

This is the arm/side of the couch

The back...

The front that was under the cushions and exposed at the bottom

The cushion after ripping the top off...
 

Second: Take pictures of the layout. Try to use a good camera, because once you rip those seams, you may forget how it all goes back together. Taking more pictures gives you a reference to look at when you get confused.

Third: Take more pictures with details...like on cushions (I'll likely do another post on cushions, but for now these pictures helped me see how everything went together).

Fourth: Audrey suggested I use Duct tape to label the peices of faribc since my sharpie blended in too well on the dark fabric. Genius! Who doesn't love duct tape? So, as I was taking things apart I went a bit further and wrote down details to use as my instructions to remind me what went where. This was a life saver and saved me a lot of time!

Fifth,  after you cut and sew finished pieces lay them out again. When you start to rip the seams, I suggest doing one part at a time and one cushion at a time. Keep your other pieces laid out where they are. After you take them apart set the old pieces and place them back where they were until you're done sewing. Then replace the old fabric with the new piece. It will help you remember where it all goes again.

Here you can see examples of how I slowly laid out finished pieces next to older pieces.

Last but not least...tip number six: Ziplock bags! Place pieces like piping in ziplock baggies and label them with a sharpie describing where it goes. I don't have a picture of this, but again it helped when looking for piping that went to the arm, or the side, etc.

There you have it. Once you're done cutting and sewing you're ready to staple it all back on...that is if you've got your cushions done!