The Craft of Upholstery

By Ken Knowles

The Craft of Upholstery is a how-to book for upholstering both automotive and furniture projects written by a second generation upholsteror. Each project is explained step by step along with photo's. Whether you want to do it professionally or just as a hobby,this book show's you how. It includes basics such as tools and supplies needed and yardage estimates for each job. It also includes chapters on 'roll and pleat' and button tufting. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ken Knowles
• Release date: Aug 31, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223228912

Book preview

Contents

Introduction  5

Chapter 1 Tools, Materials, and Supplies  6

Tools   6

Materials  14

Supplies   19

Automotive Upholstery

Chapter 2 Low Back Bucket Seat  21

Chapter 3 High Back Bucket Seat  40

Chapter 4 Bench Seat  65

Chapter 5 Roll & Pleat  91

Chapter 6 Diamond Tufting  94

Furniture Upholstery

Chapter 7 Love Seat  109

Chapter 8 Traditional Wingback Chair  147

Chapter 9 Skirted Furniture with Attached Cushions  190

Chapter 1

Tools, Materials, and Supplies

Tools

With the exception of sewing machines and button presses, both essential in the upholstery trade, most of the tools can be purchased at a local hardware store. If you pursue upholstery as a business there are supply companies that carry a more complete line of fabrics, supplies, and tools and will prove to be an invaluable source of information and resources. Some of the larger fabric stores carry upholstery supplies. The following is a basic list of tools to get started.

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Sewing machine

Button covering machine

Tack hammer

12" round needle ( primarily for button work)

Diagonal Cutting pliers

Scissors

Hog Ring Pliers

Wax pencil markers

Staple remover

36"ruler

60" ruler

Webbing stretcher

Utility knife

Tape measure

Although not a necessity, an air compressor and staple gun greatly increase speed and productivity. An electric or manual stapler is another option.

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Sewing machine

Learning how to operate a sewing machine is fundamental in the upholstery craft. If you have never operated a sewing machine, getting familiar with sewing on scrap material would be a good way to begin. I knew very little about sewing when I first started in upholstery and  spent a lot of time practicing sewing straight lines, changing presser feet, adjusting thread tension...and most important, keeping my fingers away from the needle. A sewing machine is the most essential and probably the most expensive of the tools you will need. Prices can range from a few hundred dollars to over eight thousand dollars.  An alternative is to find a good used one. I purchased a used Singer for $350.00 dollars that served me well for many years. There are many name brands and types out there. Buying a sewing machine is one venture that pays to shop around.  For general purposes I would recommend a single needle heavy duty machine with a walking foot.

Walking foot refers to the synchronized feed of both the dog feed on the bottom and the presser foot on the top, image2. On regular machines only the dog feed on the bottom rotates and feeds the material through. A walking foot allows for a more evenly balanced feed of the material.  That is especially helpful when working with two or three layers of vinyl or fabric.

There are different presser feet sets that can be purchased for sewing machines. I have three different sets for mine, a flat foot for general purposes, a welt foot for sewing welt cord into the fabric, and a zipper foot for getting a closer stitch alongside a zipper. Not shown in image 3 but also available is a double welt foot. Double welt is used primarily to finish an exposed material edge. It can be stapled along the center between the two welt cords. As the staple is driven through the double welt and into the frame it draws the two welt cords together hiding the staples.

The presser feet are easily interchanged and help to give you a more professional looking stitch. Obviously, designs and interchanging varies with different brands of sewing machines. As do thread tension, and the length of stitch desired. Generally speaking, if your stitches are too short they have a tendency to distort and weaken the fabric. When working with vinyl, a stitch that is too short can actually cut the material. If they are too long, they will not hold. For vinyl and heavy fabric 8 to 12 stitches per inch is recommended. For lighter weight fabrics 10 to 15 stitches per inch could be used.  Most machines have a stitch length regulator either as a dial or lever.  The stitch adjustment changes the feed dog and not the needle.

While we are on the subject of sewing machines, it would be a good time to mention thread. Generally speaking, thread diameter should be slightly less than half or approximately 40% of the needle diameter. On my machine I have had very good results using Nymo EE nylon thread. Threads basically have three origins, animal, plant, or synthetic. They are available in a wide variety of colors and thicknesses. Silk threads (animal origin) are fine, strong and stretch. They are well suited for tailoring high quality garments. Cotton threads (plant origin) are traditional in use and give a soft natural look but have a tendency to fade in sunlight and shrink. Another characteristic is that they don’t have as much stretch and can break more easily than threads with some give to them.

Synthetic threads are a good choice for general upholstery sewing. They are strong, economical, and fade resistant. They are well suited for high speed sewing. Some examples are nylon, polyester, monochord and monofilament. Nylon thread has high tensile strength, fade resistance and is ideal for automotive and furniture sewing.  Polyester thread is strong, UV and mildew treated and a good choice for marine or outdoor furniture uses. Monochord threads offer heat resistance and high tensile strength. Usually 10 -15 % higher tensile strength than twisted or plied threads. Monofilament thread is transparent and assumes the color of the background fabric. It eliminates the need for a large inventory of color threads.

Button Machine

This is another important tool if you plan on pursuing the upholstery craft as a business. Buttons enhance the appearance of almost any style of furniture. They can be used for a professional touch on furniture, boats, auto; and RV upholstery.

The button machine I use is manually operated for both cutting and covering buttons, image 4. It is 22 inches high and weighs 13 lbs. Approximately 90 buttons per hour can be made with this button press. It should be bolted securely to the work table for stability and safety. There are three eyelets in the base for the mounting bolts.

The dies for the button machine are bought in sets. Each set includes a two piece die and cutter. They are available in sizes 22 (1/2dia.), 30 (3/4dia.), 36 (7/8dia.), 40 (1dia.), and 45 (1 1/8"dia.).

Image 5 shows the two piece die set with the cutter in the center. At the bottom of the picture are the cut material oval, and the two piece button mold. The molds can be purchased by the gross which equal 100 pieces each of the button eye back and the shell, image 6.

Also shown in image 6 is a prong button mold set with backing washer. The eyelet type button has to be attached with a button twine whereas the prong button is inserted through the fabric, foam and backing washer. The prongs are then bent against the washer locking it in place. The prong type is faster and more secure but you are limited to the thickness of what they can be used on by the length of the prong.

Covering a Button

1. Depending on how many buttons