How much fabric do I need?

When you are looking at reupholstering a piece of furniture, how much fabric it will take?

Well if you are using a professional upholster, they will take care of that for you. They will be able to recommend the right fabric for the piece and how much fabric is required. The upholsterer will also provide you with options for what fabric to use. Remember, not all fabric is created equal. If you purchase the fabric yourself, you need to be aware that there maybe flaws in the fabric you choose. This is especially true if you purchase the fabric at a discounted rate. You may not notice it when you unroll the bolt of fabric about 1/2 a metre or so,So go for gold and unroll  4 or 5 metres and lay it out and inspect it.  You may find that there a pulls, stains, holes even. If that is the case, you need to decide if it's worth the lower price, or how you can work around it. If your upholstered piece is going to be your  pride and joy then you do need to to inspect your fabric, and discard anything that is not perfect.

How can I remove mould from my upholstery?

You may have just discovered that you have some mould on your upholstery. Better get rid off it now, before the problem gets worse. Not only does it look unsightly, but these organisms destroy the material that they grow on - by digesting it! Mould also can cause health problems, especially those who are allergic.

If you have mouldy curtains, or your couch has some mould on it, don't go shaking it or beating it. This will release more spores into the air, which will settle around the room and potentially make a bigger problem.

So what do you do?

Lighting is Important

Motivating space at Pinkeye Design Studio

We usually talk about upholstery and the different types of fabric and how to care for them. I wanted to change tack slightly and talk about lighting.

You may have gorgeous upholstery in your office space, but if it is poorly lit, then not only will you not get to appreciate it (and the money you spent on it), but your productivity is not likely to be at it's peak.

Upholstery Thread

Can you use regular sewing thread for upholstery projects?

Upholstery thread is a heavy-duty thread that is much stronger than standard thread and is designed to hold up against fairly rough treatment. There are different types of thread for different uses and fabrics, as you would expect. 

Here's a quick look:

A common thread is nylon that is similar looking to fishing line. It is very strong and is ideal when you are trying to make the seams disappear.

Cotton is another commonly used upholstery thread. It is important to keep in mind however, that cotton does not stretch so you need to ensure that the thread is pre-shrunk, so that the stitching will remain flat. (If the fabric gets wet then the thread will shrink and the seam will take on a 'puckered' look.) A great advantage to cotton is that it is easy to dye and match to fabric.

Polyester thread seems to be the great middle ground, strong, will not shrink and will not fade in direct sunlight. You will often see polyester thread used in jeans too.

When you have a delicate project you may use silk as the thread. The thread has a tendency to stretch, but is resilient. It is often used when the thread becomes part of the design of the piece - similar to embroidery.

So the answer to the question can you use regular thread? Well you can, but it depends on what you are using it for and what sort of results you want, as it will make an impact on the end result of the piece.

A few Upholstery Terms

If  you are not an upholsterer, there is a whole new language for you to learn. I thought I would choose 10 terms and educate you a little: