How to Repair Artistic Upholstery

Artistic upholstery is often hand sewn or hand embroidered.

Upholstered furniture refers to furniture that has pads covered in either fabric or leather. Furniture with artistic upholstery refers to fabric that was either hand woven, such as tapestry fabric, hand embroidered or hand painted by an artist. This type of fabric is harder to repair because chances are, you won't simply be able to walk into a fabric store and find an adequately matching swatch of fabric to patch it with. Furniture with artistic upholstery is often more expensive because the fabric is so rare. However, if you need to repair a rip in this kind of upholstery, you can still do it without the help of a professional.

Things You'll Need

• Swatch of matching fabric
• Measuring tape
• Iron-on interfacing
• Scissors
• Iron
• Pins
• Heat N' Bond paper or comparable item
• Strong thread of matching color
• Upholstery needle

Instructions

1. Contact the manufacturer of your furniture and ask them to send you a swatch of fabric that matches your upholstery.

2. Measure the approximate length and width of the rip. Cut a piece of iron-on interfacing to these approximate dimensions and place it underneath the rip with the rough side up.

3. Pull together the sides of the rip so that you close the gap. The interfacing will help keep it shut. Iron the interfacing and the fabric together so that the bond is more secure. Pin the sides of the rip together. Cut your patch so that it covers and slightly overlaps the rip, when shut. Check to make sure the patten lines up and matches.

4. Cut a piece of double-sided Heat N' Bond paper, or a comparable product, to the exact dimensions of the patch. Turn the patch over and attach the Heat N' Bond paper to the back of the patch. Peel off the back of the paper and press the patch neatly on top of the rip. Press down hard.

5. Iron the patch on.

6. Thread an upholstery needle with strong thread that matches the color of the upholstery and sew the edges of the patch onto the fabric, making tiny stitches close together. Sew all around the patch, then make a tiny knot and cut away the excess thread.

References

• "Saving Stuff"; Don Williams, Louisa Jaggar; 2005
• "Upholstery Conservation: Principles and Practice"; Kathryn Gill, Dinah Eastop; 2001
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