Complete Step-by-Step Upholstery

This is the manual for anyone who wants to become a skilled upholsterer!

• 15 skill-building projects for seats, stools, cushions, armchairs, sofas, and more
• Beginner-friendly basics, with instruction on stripping furniture, webbing, tying springs, stuffing, making cutting plans, and more
• Step-by-step instructions with coordinating photographs and clear, thorough, easy-to-follow directions
• Progressive learning starts you off with simple projects like a drop-in seat, slowly building your skills toward more complex pieces

If you want to get started in upholstery or learn how to correctly re-upholster your furniture, this is the perfect place to start!

The techniques in this book are taught through a series of 15 progressive projects for a variety of furniture pieces, accompanied by full-color step-by-step photographs and illustrations. You'll learn basic upholstery techniques including stripping furniture, webbing, tying springs, stuffing, and making cutting plans, in a comprehensive beginner's section. Information on tools, materials, and fabric is also included, as well as where to buy furniture and what to look out for.

Of the 15 step-by-step projects, the first eight are basic skills projects which collectively explain the key skills needed to complete any upholstery task that might arise. These novice projects include a drop-in-bottom chair, a pin-cushion seat, an overstuffed seat, an overstuffed chair with springs, a deep-buttoned stool, caning (replacing a cane seat on an antique chair), a box cushion, and recovering a modern chair. The remaining seven projects involve the application of skills you learned and practiced in the first chapter. The pieces featured are an Art Deco armchair, a classic armchair, a wing chair, a tub chair, a Victorian chaise longue (aka a "chaise lounge"), a drop-arm sofa, and a buttoned leather chesterfield.

The aim of this book is to get straight into the projects, giving you hands-on experience in upholstery! There is information on the tools and materials needed, a quick overview of the key skills, where to look for furniture that you can upholster, and advice on choosing fabric. This informative book takes a concise and progressive approach to teaching upholstery, giving you the confidence to try your hand at fixing your own furniture!

The perfect resource for anyone who would like to venture into upholstery, Complete Step-by-Step Upholstery will have you reupholstering furniture in no time!

David Sowle and Ruth Dye run and internet-based upholstery company, oldsofas.com, specializing in pre-1940s traditionally upholstered furniture. They also make teaching CD-roms and import and sell traditional upholstery supplies.