Upholstery Tips for Beginners

A little while ago (before my little blogging break) I took on another little upholstery project - a large foot stall. It has become a much loved piece of furniture in our lounge & gets used all the time! Visitors often comment on how lovely it is & say how clever I am for being able to do it all by myself. But you know what? It's so simple, literally anyone could do it. I promise. So I thought I would share some little tips with you all, to hopefully inspire others to give it a try...

It's not as scary as it looks - honest! 

• Start Simple - admittedly my first upholstery project was an arm chair. However I was doing it with my Gran, who knew her stuff! Pick something simple, like a small foot stall, that will be easy to complete so you don't lose interest. 
• It doesn't have to be expensive - once I got the upholstery bug, I was always on Gum Tree searching for bargains. My large foot stall cost me £20 (on Gum Tree) & I picked up my small foot stall for £4 at a car boot. Material can be costly, but I managed to find some at a local Flea Market for only £1.50 a meter! Don't forget to take a look at Free Cycle or your local Buy, Sell, Swap Facebook Pages too!
• Be careful when unpicking - if you're removing the old material, do it carefully. You can use the old material as a rough pattern for your new material. You can also see how it has been shaped around any corners. 
• Take your time - there really is no rush. Really take your time so you can understand the best way to complete your upholstery project. If you can feel yourself getting impatient or rushing it, step away for 5 minutes. You really don't want to rush it & ruin it if it is something you'll have to look at every day. Trust me. It's very annoying...! 

My most recent project! 

Hopefully these tips will encourage you to give upholstery a go. It's not that scary once you get into the swing of it. I'm still only a beginner myself, so plenty for me to learn too, but I can safely say I am addicted to it! If you want anymore advice, you can comment below or email me. And if you do give it ago, be sure to share your photos with me on Twitter or Facebook. 

♥ 

ZoFlo