A Complete Guide to Modern Upholstery

Part 16 - Side sections

with MICAELA SHARP — Sustainable designer and modern upholstery expert. TV presenter and interior design judge.

Lesson 22 of 68

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Part 16 - Side sections - Video thumbnail

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After the top of the headboard is fully secured, you can move to work on the side sections.

From the Lesson Workbook

Part 16- Side Sections

After the top of the headboard is fully secured, you can move to work on the side sections.

  1. Place the headboard back onto a tabletop, fabric face down.
  1. Pull the fabric tight around the first side section and insert temporary staples at the back to secure. If you have a seam where you pattern matched, make sure this is lying open and flat.
  1. Move to the opposite side, pull the fabric taut against the temporary staples on the other side and smooth it across, maintaining the same tension you've created between the top and the bottom. If it's a straight edge, you can secure with permanent staples on the back. For a more curved design, insert the permanent staples on the top of the wood board, around 1 cm from the edge.
  1. To neatly finish a bottom edge corner, pull the fabric around the bottom of your headboard and then slightly diagonally up. Secure in place with permanent staples, and then trim the excess fabric along the side, keeping the excess along the bottom edge.
  1. Next, fold the bottom edge excess up to create a neat pleat along the edge of the corner. Use a couple of permanent staples to secure in place, and you can now trim away the excess along the bottom edge too.
  1. Use this technique to neatly finish any other corners on this side of your headboard.
  1. To finish off this side, trim away any remaining excess fabric.
  1. Move to the other side of your headboard and remove the temporary staples. Repeat this entire process to secure the final side section and finish off the remaining corners. You can also trim away any excess.

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Micaela Sharp

Your Instructor

Micaela Sharp

Sustainable designer and modern upholstery expert. TV presenter and interior design judge.

Micaela Sharp is a professional upholsterer, interior designer and broadcaster who champions the art of reupholstery and its ability to breathe new life into pre-loved furniture. Growing up, Micaela learnt both carpentry and sewing skills from her grandparents. It was this knowledge, alongside a passion for sustainability and longevity, that inspired her to take up upholstery and set up her own practice. Whether it’s designing furniture from scratch, reimagining a tired armchair into an heirloom to be cherished for years to come, or creating a room scheme layered with fabric and colour, Micaela brings her unique creativity and inventive flair to every project.

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