Sofa Fabric Repair Tips

Tools

• Repairing the fabric on your sofa requires the use of the right tools. Many times the fabric comes apart at the seams. This is an easy fix with the right tools. Using a curved upholstery needle instead of a straight sewing needle will complete that task in minutes. Use heavy-duty thread instead of regular cotton sewing thread to keep your stitching in place much longer. Cotton threads cannot take the stress that a sofa receives. Pliers are another helpful tool. Pliers give you leverage when pulling the needle through layers of thick fabrics.

A Stitch in Time

• Remember the old saying "A stitch in time saves nine" when it comes to repairing the fabric of your sofa. As soon as you see a rip or a tear in the seams of your sofa, fix it. Otherwise, you will find yourself doing a more repair work or possibly being unable to make the repairs because they are too large.

Iron-on Patches

• Iron-on patches can save your sofa if there is a rip that is not at a seam. Occasionally, keys are caught on the fabric, leaving a small hole. Purchase an iron-on patch that matches your fabric as closely as possible. Follow the directions for applying the patch to decorator fabrics. This may not be the best looking fix, but if the tear is on a cushion, flip it over to hide the repair.

Matching Thread

• Use thread that matches the sofa to minimize the look of a repair in ripped sofa fabric. Use a long embroidery needle to make stitches in the tear. Even if there is a gap in the tear, the thread will fill the gap. This repair might be noticeable, depending on your sewing ability; however, it will be a much less noticeable repair than an iron-on patch. When sewing to repair the rip, make sure to catch four or five good threads on either side of the rip. Pull the stitches as tight as possible, without making a new tear in the fabric.