It was sort of project I came across somewhat accidentally. I had been looking for a sleeper sofa on craigslist, and found one for $60 that was about the right size.
When I went to check it out it was super comfortable and seemed like the sort of couch that would last forever, so even though I wasn't in love with the upholstery (or even the slip cover) I decided to buy it. It didn't take long to realize that it had a sort of musty smell and the slip cover wasn't really all that nice. I'm not sure how soon after buying the couch I came up with the idea to reupholster it (I think it was on the car ride home), but once I had the idea in my head, it was basically the only thing I could think about. At first I thought about paying someone to do it. Then I remembered this roll of brown velvet that had been kicking around my parents attic for years, and I knew what I had to do.
I started off with just covering one cushion, just to get a sense of what I was up against. I carefully took off the covering, and took it apart, piece by piece, labeling each part so that I would be able to put it back together. I salvaged the zippers and the piping, and used the pieces off the old cover as templates to cut my own fabric. It took a while, but once it was done I was pretty happy. It was by no means flawless, but not bad considering this was my first attempt. This was right before christmas, and I had about a million other projects to work on, so I put my one velvet cushion back on the couch and lived like this through the holidays.
After new years passed I got serious. I am someone who is very influenced by my surroundings, and living in an apartment with an ugly, dirty couch was driving me nuts. It was like a potential project that was starting me in the face, but unlike others I couldn't stick in a drawer and avoid it. So I did what I had to do.
I found a block of days that I could devote entirely to upholstering. Then I started the demo. If you've never pulled apart a couch, then you probably don't realize that it can be a painful experience. Armed with a screwdriver and a pair of needle nose pliers, I started on the outside and worked my way in, pulling out the staples, and clearly labeling every piece that I pulled off.
Initially I had thought I would do the reupholstery piece by piece over time, but you really need to strip it down to bare bones, because each piece covers up the piece beneath it, until you get to the end so no staples or stitching show through. I spent one whole day just pulling it apart.
Putting it back together was sort of easier than I had anticipated, and so rewarding.
I definitely ran into problems along the way, but managed to side step them all. Of course on the day when I though I was going to finish, my sewing machine crapped out on me. Of course I couldn't wait the week to get it back so I brought in the backup...my mom's antique singer sewing machine--the machine I first learned to sew on! While it is an antique, it worked perfectly and did the job. Finally, after about a week of labor and a messy apartment, I finished.
My advice to anyone looking to take on a project like this: It is messy, and time consuming, but can be done in a few days if you can devote your full time and attention. Take lots of pictures along the way and carefully label each piece that you take off. You'll most like screw up along the way, so make sure you have enough fabric. If you are a beginner I recommend a solid fabric where you don't have to worry about a pattern lining up or being straight.
Up next: I think I found a Morris Chair at a shop in Providence that needs some attention.
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