Upholstery

braehouse

braehouse

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Hello

Could any one please advise of a good upholsterer near to Gosport? We have a HR37 and a couple of the buttons on the cushions have come off! Is this an easy thing to fix? Looks a bit fiddly!

Thanks in advance

Chris
 
I put the buttons back on our after washing the covers. Any upholsterer will sell you an upholstery needle. Push it through from the underside using string instead of thread, loop on the button and push it back through and tie off underneath.
 
It is possible with a sailmakers needle. The needle only needs to be as long or slightly longer than the compressed foam.

Donald
 
The bit I find difficult is holding the button pressed in place while I tie off the other end of the string. I usually end up doing it on the floor with a golf ball or something under the button but it still ends up a 2 person job and I'm sure there must be a better way. What do the pro's use? I can imagine that something like a bigger version of a cylinder head valve compressor would be just the job...
 
They use a second button. It's a small round disc with 2 notches on the rim. When the string comes out of the back of the cushion, put one piece into each notch and winch in the proper button and tie off.
 
If you don't have any luck with your DIY try Helen Shaw at Gemini Interiors in Royal Clarence Yard 023 9250 3003. Did some work some for me and found very good.
 
Sorry, I'm not making myself clear. Yes, I have a small device on the other side too, in my case an almost hemispherical plastic button with a plastic ring protruding from the centre of the flat side. The difficulty is positioning the front button sufficiently deeply into the cushion (by either pushing it from below or pulling on the string) to let me make off the end on the back side button. After it is successfully made off and everything released the front button comes part of the way out and the back button goes in a bit.
 
I've used that type too. The trick is to thread both pieces of string through the ring but from opposite sides. Grasp one piece of string in each hand and pull to the required tension then wrap the string around the ring of the button in opposite directions. ( the one goes clockwise and othere anticlockwise.) This will hold the tension correctly until you have tied off.
 
Try Comfort Afloat at Quay lane Boat Yard

www.comfortafloat.co.uk
02392602686

They did some zipper replacements for me and were very reasonable and did a good job infact they even saved me some money by just changing the zipper puller rather than replaceing the complete zip on a couple unprompted
 
There is a spcial way of doing this. I was shown how to do it at evening classes but I dont think I can describe it. If I can find a diagram in a book I'll scan it and get back to you.
 
Thanks, I'd appreciate that. I should really have said that I currently make it even more difficult for myself by using a self-invented method involving permanent loops of string (all same size, to keep the front buttons all the same depth for added neatness, see) attached to the front buttons, which I fish through the upholstery, pass through the ring on the back button then over it's top. Works, but awfully fiddly. I suppose that permanent marks part way along the two single ends would show where to stop pulling and achieve the same result using the method advised above.
 
OK then. I couldn't find a diagram so I have had to draw one (that means I actually had to remember how to do it myself. Easy with a cushion but not so easy with a piece of paper and a pencil)

You will need a long enough needle to get right through the cushion, eg an upholsterers needle, unless you already have a bit of thread through there. that you can pull things through with.

Use some decent waxed synthetic whipping twine (medium I think but i cant read the label now) ordinary sewing thread is no good.

1. Thread one button (the top one I would think in your case) on to a length of twine and pass both ends though the cushion with the needle.

2. Thread one end A through the other button (or what ever you have for the underside)

3 Take end A and tie a half hitch around both itself and the other end B below the button

4 Tighten this up close below the button. Make it good and tight and then pull end B to draw both buttons down into the cushion

5. When you have done this far with all the buttons tighten them all down equally by pulling end B then tie A and B together tightly below the button with a reef knot.

Finally cut off the tails of A and B close to the button and tuck the ends out of sight behind the button. Then have a drink /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

The waxed twine means it grips to itself better than unwaxed would.

If you do need professional help go to Hawke House who are now in Gosport.

I hope you can figure this out with the aid of my not so good drawings.
Buttoning.jpg
 
If your back buttons have a hook, or are designed for the thread to to hook over a slot in the top, a simple way is to make a loop of thread using an overhand knot attached to the top button, the length being the distance between the two buttons. Use a second length of thread through the loop to extend it. Pull it through the cushion using an upholstry needle. It is then easy to hold onto the thread whilst you squash the cushion and hook the back button into the loop. Pull the extra thread out and that's it.
 
That looks good, thanks very much. I particularly like the bit about being able to adjust all the buttons before tying them off. This has the air of a professional technique to it.

If you don't mind me asking, how do you include a drawing in your post? I've often wanted to add a quick sketch to explain something.
 
And there's a method that should work with my current fixed loops. Well now I've got lots of options! Thanks very much to all.

I like this new smiley so I'll add it... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
how do you include a drawing in your post?

[/ QUOTE ] In brief do your sketch, scan it, save it as a jpg and sensibly sized then upload it to a site such as photobucket then paste the image code from there into your post just as you would a photo.

See the photo tutor for full details.

but note that instead of using the resizing program mentioned (or a photoeditor like I do) you can select from a range of size options as you upload to photobucket

BTW the buttoning technique looks professional because I was taught by a professional!
 
Ah, I see. I don't have a scanner - I know they're cheap as chips now, and one would give me copying and fax too, but it's another thing that would need room...

I have previously taken photos and posted them, so I suppose that would work OK if taken at a slight angle to avoid flash reflection.
 
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