Cushion Tufting Instructions for Reupholstering
When reupholstering a cushion, tufting adds both style and function. Tufting consists of pulling twine through the foam or stuffing from the back to the front of the cushion to create indented areas. The tufts create visual interest, but they also help add stability to the cushion, particularly if it is filled with loose fiberfill rather than a sheet of solid foam. Tufting also takes up the slack of loose fabric and prevents it from wrinkling when someone sits on the cushion.
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Gather Your Supplies
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Use an upholstery needle that is long enough to go through the width of your cushion. You can get by with using a needle that is slightly shorter than the cushion's width because you can compress the cushion somewhat and grasp the tip of the needle as you push it through. However, you will find the job of tufting to be easier if you purchase a needle that matches or exceeds the width of the cushion.
The twine that you use must be durable. As you are tufting the cushion, you will be pulling tightly to compress it, and the tuft remains under pressure when your project is completed. If the twine breaks down the road, the indentation will pop out, creating an unsightly lump. Tufting twine or button twine are good choices.
Decide if you want buttons at each indentation. Attaching shank buttons that have been covered in fabric to match the upholstered cushion creates a professional, polished look. You also could go with decorative accent buttons or choose not to use buttons at all. If you do not use buttons, be aware that a small segment of the twine might show through on the surface of the cushion. Depending on how tightly you pull in the tuft, the twine could completely disappear into the folds, or you could see a fraction of an inch of twine on the front of the cushion. Regardless of whether you use buttons on the front, you will need small, flat buttons on the back for each indentation. These buttons are functional rather than decorative. They will keep the knot at the back of the cushion from pulling through the fabric.
Create the Tufts
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Mark the location where you want each indentation to appear. If the cushion you are reupholstering previously was tufted, decide if you want to follow the same pattern or create a new one. If you want to create indentations in different areas, stuff the old holes with bits of polyester fiberfill and then put a thin sheet of upholstery foam over the entire cushion surface.
Working from the back of the cushion, poke your threaded needle through one hole of the flat button and then through the stuffing to come out at the marked location on the front. Leave about 8 inches of twine hanging loose at the back of the cushion. If you are using a button on front, thread it through the shank. Insert the needle back through the front of the cushion 1/2 inch away and tilted upward diagonally from the entry point. Work the needle through the stuffing to come out the back and through the second hole of the flat button. Pull the two ends of the twine to compress the cushion and create an indentation of desired depth. Securely knot the twine and trim off the excess.
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