After some time, your sofa cushions will become old and worn, so to change them, it is a must to know how to reupholster a couch pillow.
Reupholstering a Couch Pillow
The essence of reupholstering couch pillows is stripping the old cover and changing it out for a new one so that you don’t have to buy a new cushion entirely if there are damages. It also lengthens the lifespan of the home décor and gives it a fresher look.
Step 1: Separate the pillow form and cover
If the cushion cover is removable, detaching it wouldn’t be as demanding as when it is not. You would simply need to unzip or open it and carefully remove the pillow form. You can either reuse or get rid of the old fabric.
However, if there is no way to separate the case from the inserts, then you would have to forcefully create your opening on the fabric. You would need a seam ripper to remove the stitches on the cover and expose the stuffing inside.
Step 2: Examine the inserts for damages
If the pillow form is made of foam padding or has a certain shape, examine the surfaces, edges, and corners for deformations and tears. If there are any, take measurements to stitch or fill up the areas that need repairing.
On the other hand, if your pillow stuffing is free-form and malleable, decide for yourself whether you need to increase the volume or not. That depends if you feel weird depressions on the cushion’s surface and if it refuses to fluff.
Step 3: Get the dimensions and shape of the padding
In order to determine how much fabric you would need, you have to get the dimensions of your subject for reupholstery. If it has a standard shape, measure the length and width, but if it is irregular, trace it on paper first.
Step 4: Start sewing the front and back sides together
Cut the fabric for the front and back sides of the new cover according to the measurements or pattern in the previous step, but make sure to leave a couple of extra inches for the seam allowance.
Align the two sides, pin them together, and start sewing. Determine the fillings that you are going to use. If you have foam padding, sew only three edges to leave an opening for the insert. However, if you use moldable stuffing, leave only a few inches open.
Step 5: Close the covers
After inserting the stuffing, all that is left to do is to cover up the opening. This time, you would only need to stitch by hand the case to close the remaining side or open edge. After that, you have successfully reupholstered your couch pillow.
Tips for How to Reupholster a Couch Pillow
For better results, here are some steps that you are not required but are highly encouraged to follow. These are general and can be applied to many projects, not only to reupholstering.
Pre-wash and iron the fabrics before starting
It will take extra work if you notice dirt spots in your cushion late, so it would be better to wash it beforehand. Additionally, if you would not iron the fabric, the wrinkled surfaces would look unkempt and cause errors in measurements.
Taper the corners of the pillow
On the pillow corners, especially for the sharp edges, the extra fabric for your seam allowance would cause unwanted protrusions. Such is more likely if you use upholstery fabric. The solution to this problem is tapering the corners.
A Guide on How to Choose the Perfect Couch Pillow
If your pillows are too worn to reupholster, it’s time to buy a new one. Here are some of the principles you should keep in mind when choosing the perfect couch pillow:
Tip 1: Go for a symmetrical arrangement when placing pillows on your couch
When you’re working with different fabrics, it may look cluttered and disorganized. A symmetrical arrangement can help your couch look clean and polished.
Tip 2: Choose one color palette
Your pillow arrangement will look most beautiful if you choose a cohesive color palette. Make sure to choose pillows of the same shades or several complementary shades.
Tip 3: Use one simple print, one plain print, and one busy print
This is the basic principle when decorating using throw pillows. If you’re looking to use couch pillows with different sizes, larger or busy prints look best on larger pillows or pillows places in the front and center. These pillows usually set the tone for the room. Smaller ones are for simple or plain prints.
Tip 4: Don’t go overboard
Couch pillows are more than just aesthetics; they’re also meant to complement your upholstered pillows. The number of couch pillows should depend on the size of your couch. Be sure to strike the right balance and don’t go overboard.
Final Thoughts on How to Reupholster a Couch Pillow
Having knowledge on how to reupholster a couch pillow can save you on expenses and even effort. If you hire a professional service, you will have to spend money when you could have just done it yourself and save extra bucks.