Simply Upholstery: Step-By-Step, Renewing Your Favorite Furniture

An avid do-it-yourselfer that loves to work on decorating projects around the house writes this review. I purchased this book after I finished my first upholstery project. About 3 years ago I got a bug to try my hand at upholstery and prompted stripped a loveseat down to its frame. I used only a few short guides from the Internet as my directions. Surprisingly it worked, but it was not the easiest way to learn to reupholster something. I purchased this book when I decided to reupholster a wing chair. This book has been invaluable. The book is subdivided as follows: PART ONE: Be Creative Thinking Creatively Upholstery Design Choosing Fabric Choosing Trim Into the Workroom PART TWO: Techniques Analyzing Your Furniture Tools and Terms The Parts of the Cover The Fabric Treatment Measuring and Estimating Stripping the Old Fabric Repairing the Innards Cutting the New Cover Basic Construction Techniques Putting on the Cover PART THREE: The Process Watching the Process Unfold The book covers all the tools that you will need to get started. They also tell you how to replace the webbing and reattach the springs. They do a nice job of showing you how to determine yardage for the piece you are going to recover. The book spends a lot of time on the recovering of a wing chair. Since I started with a loveseat and moved to a wingchair. In my experience the wing chair is much more difficult because it has more pieces and those pieces are curved. I feel that once you can recover a wingchair everything else is a piece of cake. My next project is an antique loveseat that needs to have its underlying structure reinforced. After reading this book twice, I feel comfortable that I can handle the task. For those of you that are new to upholstery I will warn you about a couple of things: 1. It takes much longer than you anticipate. 2. The people that originally construct furniture seem to get paid by the staple, I know I pulled at least 1000 out of the first piece I reupholstered 3. Make certain the frame is sturdy before you consider recovering a piece of furniture 4. Consider a solid fabric for your first project so that you don't have to match any patterns 5. Save and tag the pieces as you remove them to use as a pattern 6. Pick up a few basic tools before you start: a tack puller, a web stretcher and a pneumatic nail gun. If you have patience and time, you will enjoy the process.

Even though I have not begun my upholstery project, this book will be of great help to me. I recommend it to anyone who is a bginner. Sandra R.

Written in easy to understand terms with lots of illustrations. This is a great book that explains how to reupholster several types of furniture pieces while teaching you the pro's tricks, so you get up to speed quickly!

This book is not, and does not claim to be, the last word on all aspects of upholstery. But it is loaded with most of the basic information and step-by-step instructions that a home do-it-yourselfer would need. It is lavishly illustrated with numerous clear full-color illustrations and photos. I found it extremely helpful; excellent for the do-it-yourselfer as well as for the more serious student of upholstery who's looking for a place to start. (Its only shortcoming was not listing any sources for buying supplies.)

This book won't leave you wondering if you have all of the information. This book is an excellent book for beginners. It explains everything from what tools you will need to tips from the pros. You dont need another book when you buy this one. Great Find for my first upholstery book.