The Importance of Mastering the Slip Stitch Technique in Upholstery

It is possible to do furniture upholstery without doing any hand stitching at all. As I have learned from experience it is almost mandatory to master a proper slip stitch technique in upholstery if you are going to be a great upholsterer.

I had once worked on a three cushion sofa and the customer had called me, this was several years ago, she had unzipped all of the cushions and moved the dacron stuffing inside and modified the cotton batting. These were spring and cotton filled cushions. She called me because she could not get the zippers back into place. I vowed from that day that I would never put zippers in a loose upholstered cushion ever. Zippers on a loose cushion not only prevents you from doing hand sewing but also allows the customer to remove the cushion cover easily.

The key to making a successful slip stitch is making a heavy knot on the end of your thread or locking the end of the stitch with three or four staples locking the end on your frame.

The technique is difficult to learn and you must use special thread meant for hand sewing. You stitches are not supposed to show. This technique can be used instead of using tack strips and Ply-Grip which can be very painful if you step on them, and I have stepped on plenty. I have also gashed my knee open on the ply-grip and still have the scar. If you work solely on the slip stitch and do it right there is no need for costly tack strips or ply grip or zippers in most cases.

If you are going to add the slip stitch on the fronts of pieces or on pieces with a welt cord or decorative braid-rope, you will need to use two cardboard strips to make the edge past the band or welt very rigid that will stand up to the pressure of the hand stitch. You may not be able to use this technique in vinyl because it will rip out, With leathers if is questionable. With standard woven fabrics the slip stich should be mastered.

Not only will mastering the slip stitch help in you work, It will give you the possibility to do upholstery repairs on most pieces as well.

Do not use regular sewing machine thread or monofillament thread for this work because it is too thin. There is a product called hand stitching thread and this should alwys be used. It does not matter what clor you use because your stitches will not show. You will also need at least three loop eye upholstery pins to help as you make each stitch as you make a stitch move the pin don to hopd the fabric and the the previous stitch.

The technique is to go up, catching the seam of the upper fabric, go diagonal then go back down catching the underside of the seam on each stich making sure everything is even as you go. It takes a great deal of patience and took me five long years to master with ease.

If your stitches show at first, cut the tread from you needle and start over again making sure you add a knot in your thread to keep it from raveling. The distance of each stitch will depend on the curve you are working on and on streight lines you will need to be precise and not vary up or down. On a straight run you could have stitches that are just under 1/2" in width while working on curved pieces your stitch can sometimes be under 1/4"