106 - Restitch a Seam

Dear Michael: The corner of my ottoman is at the point where I can see the white stuff inside. I'm not sure if I want to use that fabric glue on it, but I also don't want to see the inside. How do I fix this? Shelley

Dear Shelley: I don't recommend using any type of fabric glue on upholstery fabric. This is a very easy task to blind sew the seam. There is one tool that will help you sew this seam that you may not have and that is a curved needle. While you can try using a straight needle, a curved needle makes this a snap. These needles allow you to poke into the fabric and take a stitch while the curved shape points the needle back out of the fabric. The fabric store near you has these types of needles and they are relatively inexpensive. If there are multiple sizes of the needles for sale, purchase the size appropriate for the thickness of your fabric. The thinner the fabric, the thinner the needle should be for sewing.

You will also need heavy duty thread. Upholstery thread is much thicker than the threads you would use on clothing. At the fabric store, look for thread that is labeled extra heavy duty in a color to match your ottoman. While the intention is to hide the threads as we sew, matching the colors will help if any of the stitches are not hidden.

Once you thread the curved needle, knot and attach the thread at the top of the open seam. Slide the curved needle under the seam allowance of the top fabric taking a 3/8" stitch. Pull the needle through the fabric and draw thread taut. With thread perpendicular to the seam, insert the needle just behind the thread and take another 3/8" stitch. Pull needle through bottom fabric panel and draw thread taut. Continue to move thread perpendicular to the seam and sew entire length of the seam. At the end of the seam, tie a knot in the thread. Take another stitch and pull the knot into the fabric, then clip the thread.

One thing you may find as you sew the seam is a hole in the fabric or the edge is unraveling. In this case, you may also want to apply Fray Check. This is a liquid that will seal the ends of the fibers and stop the hole from enlarging and the edges from fraying. Place a piece of cardboard behind the fabric before the application of a few drops. Let this dry before you sew the seam. You may need to fold back this area into the seam so the stitches are sewn into an area of solid woven fabric.

Mike Rocheford can be contacted via the Web site,

http://www.upholsterystudio.com – click on Ask the Upholsterer