Has anyone managed to re-cover a sofa themself or do I need a professional?

[looseleaf]

We've just had a quote for our very old sofa and 2 armchair to be re-upholstered and the sofa alone was going to cost £1400 once we'd included the material, delivery etc. .

Has anyone got any tips for doing it yourself?
All I know is how much material we'd need and I was sort of hoping I could improvise using common sense and a borrowed sewing machine but this could be mad!! The sofa's in good shape structurally, it's just that it's really grubby and I'm bored of hiding it with a throw.
I like sewing but not an expert!

I have covered 3 or 4

It's not tremendously easy

Are you planning on fixing the material to the frame or making fitted or loose covers?

I'm hoping to fix the material to the frame. Would this be too difficult in your experience?
Thanks

Also did you have any training or just go for it like me?

No training

It all depends on how your settee/chair goes together

It looks fairly simple except for the curved sides where I think I'll have to do lots of tucks and I hope I don't mess it up. And has a skirt but we don't necessarily need to keep as the sofa has good legs! It's quite a stiff, formal sort of sofa. I guess my attempt will still look more cheerful than its current state as it depresses me !

Can you post a pictre of a similar suite? or describe it?

I'll do my best

Do you have a staple gun?

This link www.cinoa.org/art-and-antiques/detail/48592 is vaguely the right idea except that ours has a higher back and the armrests aren't at a right angle, they curve from the back if that makes sense.

I can get hold of a staple gun hopefully

OK - looking at it briefly the difficult bits are the front of the arm

Is there a panel that comes off?

If so you gather it all behind and recover the panel & then fix it on from behind

If it doesn't I think your best bet is to sew that bit and fix it at the bottom of the sofa with the staple gun or even nails

my sofa is manky - all the covers are removable - would i wreck it if i dyed it?

sorry for hijack

The curved arms/back might be tricky - do you have gathers on the inside curve?

NoblesseOblige it depends upon what the covers are made of - if it is cotton you may need to remove a 'finish' from it but it should dye ok - choose your colour carefully

Thanks KatyMac, that's so kind and I'll look for the panel when I cut it up which will be a bit scarey but satisfying! I haven't bought the material yet and we're moving flats soon so lots to do but hopefully i'll post eventually with my progress! and thanks .
NoblesseO I assume you've already tried different cleaning things on your covers? And are they quite pale? or maybe you could try dying something similar first just to see how it turned out/ check colour looked ok?

If you turn it upside down and cut the bottom panel you should be able to see if the settee is made of parts or if it is all one piece

There's one seam at the centre of both curves, I think it will be ok to keep the material smooth without too many tucks. I'm sure I'll have loads of questions once I get started though, beware

Don't take your existing cover off unless absolutly necessary - you will find it difficlt to get your covers that tight & it may look puffy

can you find an upholstery course nearby? I'm starting one this month

My mum re-upholstered two wing back chairs about 15 years ago. I've had them for the last 5 years and they're quite grubby now! Mum and I are going to re-cover them (hopefully sometime soon!). I've bought the material from Ikea for about £45 and there'll hopefully be a bit of material left for a cushion cover or two!!

Mum's had no training but is quite handy when it comes to soft furnishings!! I def have no training and will probably end up watching my mum do it all!! She won't even let me look at her upholstery book incase I start without her and mess it up!!!

The quote is for £1400 because it's a fiddly tricky job best done by experts!

I agree - but with enough time (& material) it can be done by an amateur...just

I understand it can take 20 - 30 hours to re-upholster a CHAIR let alone a sofa

Definitely - it is time comsuming

thank you everybody - reading all the posts am inspired to actually sew new covers! we will see...

Twiglett that sounds much more sensible; though I wouldn't really manage a course as our daughter 19 months and still quite high needs! Maybe i should at least see if I can find a good book on upholstery techniques and I realise this won't be a light undertaking. Our sofa otherwise looks like it should be thrown out which I'd hate

I've done several. I would recommend a curved needle for the front bit.

I actually find arm scrolls OK, I usually find the corner between the back and arms trickier to get just right.

I had a good book which I found very useful, but can't find it on amazon now (not very helpful, am I?).