She's Done, A Couch Reupholstered Finish

 So, um it has been awhile! I do have some recent finishes but they are gifts so I can't reveal them yet to the entire world wide web.  I did finish something today though that I CAN share!! And unfortunately blogger uploaded them backwards in order so you get to see it all in reverse.  Haha!

Here it is, our reupholstered couch by none other than ME! I have loved this couch since my brother's girlfriend (now wife) and her mom brought it to his house back in 2004.  After they were married I told them often that when they were ready to get a new one...I would take it off their hands

 She looks pretty good in denim!

I had to have my husband use the air nailer to put a metal strip with teeth on the back so I could get the back on.  That is the reason I delayed in finishing.  I started back in February with the project.  I've never done upholstery but I found this set of videos on YouTube and this guy made it look simple enough to try.

I didn't get a perfect do on the metal stripping on the back but it will do for us.  If it falls off the back, forget it I'm putting in a lovely row of visible staples!

The outside of the arms have looked like this since I started and I was getting tired of our little guy pulling stuffing out and tripping on the dangling piece of denim in the front.

I had a cute little dangling strip across the front and my mom told me I should just fringe it under the edge...haha.  I now have the fancy under fabric on so goodbye fringe idea!

And the back although it's sitting against a wall is great to have complete.

Mostly buttoned! I did go ahead and order some denim covered buttons off of Etsy rather than try to recover the old ones.  There are some limits, specially when you are talking about 63 buttons!

Putting the buttons on wasn't too bad although I should have bought a tufting needle first off.  I waited until I only had a few left and it went so much easier.  I had a 3 inch long needle I kept taping to a knitting needle for the first 55 or so buttons.  The right tools for the job really do help!

I hadn't really thought about the fact that there might be seams in such a long couch with a curve. It was simply a matter of folding at the tucks and putting it at a button to hold it down.

I had a good helper, although I did a lot during naptime! ;) He sure has grown even just since February when I took this!

I think I perfected my slip knot! Each button is held on by a slip knot and then you staple the tail to a wooden rail to hold them tight.  I put all the buttons on with just the knot first but as I finished little man had come behind me and pulled out 5 or 6!  Ahhh, I quickly got them all stapled also!

Kinda scary placing that first button...and exciting!

I took the back off in sections so the batting didn't get plucked off too bad.  Whoever reupholstered it last had just gone over the old.  It made it a little harder to get the buttons in since I had to find the same hole to get the needle through.

First step was the bed of the couch, under the cushions.  It was pretty simple since it wasn't curved much.

Eeek, the naked back!

Aww, she was a pretty old girl still, just getting worn looking and there was a big tear in the back.  It did have a skirt and I intended to put one back on but...I'm just glad to be done!  Maybe later...maybe not!

So, my brother and his family had the couch.  It lived in Reno, NV; Buffalo, NY; Salt Lake City, UT; and then in South Carolina.  We went to visit back in 2016 with an old pickup of his on this trailer...and guess who got to ride back on the trailer!!! My couch!

Fun times, fun projects!

Alissa