How To's:

Upholster's knot:

(for attaching buttons on both sides of a pillow or cushion)

1. Mark pillow on front and back for button placement.
2. Cut tufting twine about 20" long. (use more twine for neckrolls or bolsters)
3. Thread one strand through shank of button.
4. Thread both strands through the eye of a long needle.
5. Insert needle through the mark on the front of the pillow and out through the second mark on the back of pillow.
6. Take strands out of needle and thread one strand through the other button shank.
7. Make the upholster's knot. (see diagram)
    
   
8. Pull strand "B" not thread "A". As you pull strand "B", you tighten the strands, bringing the buttons closer together.
9. At this point you can loosen or tighten the buttons. When strands have the correct amount of tension, tie a square knot. Clip off strands so that they hide under the button.

   TIP: When making a neckroll pillow with buttons on each end use a 12" - 14" upholstery needle with a bayonet point (a cutter). (purchase needles & tufting twine from an upholstery supplier - see Sources)

Rope cord w/lip (joining):

1. Stop stitching approx. 1" from where the cording will meet.
2. Separate the lip from the rope cord at the stitch line. (see diagram 1)
    
   
    
3. Top stitch across both flanges to hold them.
4. Untwist a small amount of the rope cord on the left side and flatten out the strands. (see diagram 2). Do not over handle the cording after it has been untwisted, it gets in a mess fast. Each strand can be wrapped with tape.
    
   
    
5. Bring the strands on the right side over the strands on the left side to make a continuous roping look. Stitch across strands to secure them. (see diagram 3)
    
   
    
6. Trim off excess. Experiment on a test piece the first time. Practice makes perfect.

Welting (continuous strips):

1. When a large amount of welting is needed this is an easy & fast way to make bias welting.
2. Making bias welting by this method yields approx. 25 yds. of welting for 1 yd. of fabric.
3. Fold 1 yd. fabric with the cut edge to the selvage to form a true bias. Cut off excess fabric.
4. Cut the folded bias edge as shown in diagram. (see diagram 1)
    
   
    
5. To avoid confusion, mark each side of the triangle on the wrong side of fabric. (see diagram 1)
6. Stitch the two selvage edges together using a small seam & short stitches. (see diagram 2)
    
   
    
7. Line off the entire parallelogram with a pencil. The width of the lines vary depending on size of cording. (see diagram 3)
    
   
    
8. With right sides together, sew the two cut edges together with small seams, offsetting by one strip as you start. Stitch so that the two lines meet & crossover. (The piece will look very twisted as you sew the seam.) After seaming, turn & you will have a tube. (see diagram 4)
    
   
    
9. Cut along pencil lines for one continuous strip. (see diagram 5)
    
   
    
10. OPTION: Bias welting can also be cut by folding cut edge of fabric to selvage.
11. Press the folded edge of the bias & cut along the bias press line. (see diagram 6)
     
    
     
12. Strips can then be cut on a mat with a rotary cutter. (see diagram 7)
     
    
     

Welting (covering):

1. If using welting cut on the straight of grain, each strip will need to have diagonal cuts, where strips are joined. (see diagram 1)
    
   
    
2. Lay welting strips like diagram above. Sew from top left corner to right corner backstitching at the beginning & end. Cut off excess fabric leaving a ½" seam allowance & press seam open.
3. Using a zipper foot, cover the cord at the same time you are attaching the welting to the pillow, sham or treatment. This eliminates extra steps: 1. covering the cord, 2. sewing again to attach the welting to pillow, sham, etc.
4. The secret to perfect welting is not to pull the cord or the fabric as you sew. Hold all layers together firmly & sew.
5. Sewing welting around corners:
   1. When attaching welting, do not sew close to the cording, back off just a little, except at corners. Sew close to cord at the corners only. Draw a horizontal line ½" from the bottom edge of pillow, sham or treatment & another horizontal line at the bottom edge. Draw a diagonal line to connect the horizontal lines. Cut the diagonal line in the seam allowance of the welting. Cut only the seam allowance of the welting. As you make the diagonal snip, leave just enough room to stitch, push a little as you go around the corner making it as sharp as possible.
   2. Seam allowances of welting & pillow or treatment should line up perfectly as you turn corners. (see diagrams 2 & 3)
       
      
       
      
       
   3. Tip: Keep the needle down in fabric as you pivot.
   4. Once you have mastered this technique, drawing the horizontal lines will not be necessary, this can be done by eye, make a diagonal cut ½" up from bottom edge of corner.
6. To connect the welting at the bottom, angle cut the cording & join the seams with another diagonal seam. This can be a little tricky. Practice makes perfect. (see How To's - Joining welting)

Welting (encased):

1. Sew strips together with diagonal seams. (see How To's - Welting (covering)
2. This method works directly from the spool of cording. Pull welting straight off spool, do not let cording get twisted. (Cording can be placed in a holder to be pulled off straight.)
3. Measure from the beginning of the roll down the amount of cording needed. Mark this measurement with a pencil.
4. Fold casing with right sides together facing the cord.
5. Stitch across end of casing & cord at the pencil mark. (see diagram) Stitch across the end to hold cord secure while turning.
    
   
    
6. Casing will be stitched going toward the spool and away from the cut end of cord.
7. Begin sewing casing leaving the casing very loose for the first 1½".
8. Continue to sew the casing, pushing casing toward stitch line. Cord casing should be slightly loose. Starting at stitched end, pull the casing back over the cord, to form the covered welting.

Welting (joining strips w/diagonal seam):

1. Stop sewing 3" before the beginning stitch line.
2. Pull fabric away from machine & draw a line parallel to the other strip. (see diagram 1)
    
   
    
3. Cut the diagonal line with ½" seam allowance added. (see diagram. 2)
    
   
    
4. Sew the two diagonal lines together with a slightly larger than ½" seam. Do not backstitch. (see diagram 3)
    
   
    
5. Open & flatten out the seam.
6. Test the seam, making sure it lays flat. Rejoin if strips do not meet properly. (see diagram 4)
    
   
    
7. Cut the cording so the cords meet each other. (see diagram 5)
    
   
    
8. Pull all layers tight and stitch. (see diagram 6)
    
   
    

Welting (joining strips w/straight fold):

1. Cut cords to meet. Fold down one welting strip over cord. (see diagrams 1 & 2)
    
   
    
   
    

Fold in 1" on the other welting strip & fold welting down over cord & stitch. (see diagrams 2 & 3)

 
 


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