Upholstery Repair: Tufted Ottoman Top

Here’s an upholstery repair that may come in handy some day, especially if you have someone in your house (I’m not naming names) who inflicts unusual wear and tear on the furniture with his big feet.

The Problem: This ottoman cover was made by stitching strips of fabric together and then pulling covered buttons down through the intersection of the seams and fastening them tightly on the bottom of the ottoman. It’s button tufting, of sorts. The stitching worked its way loose around the buttons and the buttons are pulling down through the torn seams.

The Solution: Grab some upholstery thread, a curved needle and get to work.

1. Start the needle going the opposite direction of the button. Insert the needle right in between the fold of the seam allowance at the tear. Run the needle inside that seam allowance about 3/4″ of an inch beyond the tear. Now pull the needle up as close to the seam allowance as you can.

2. The needle is in position to close up the torn seam. Run the stitching right there inside the fold of one side, cross over, insert needle, run it through about 1/2″ inside the other and repeat. This will pull those edges together snugly and securely.

3. It may be necessary to lift up the button to get access to the seam allowance right underneath the button. It’s very important to get the tear stitched up under the button too. Otherwise, the button will sink farther down below the fabric.

4. When it’s good and snug, wrap the thread around the button a few times, then pull back and make a loop instead of wrapping it again and run the threaded needle through the loop twice to form a knot. Clip off excess.

Just for good measure, you may want to reinforce the other seams near the buttons.

Put that back where it goes and tell ‘someone’ to ease up on the furniture. It’s not a frat house.