How to Upholster a Sofa in D'Oro Suede

Measure your sofa and cushions to determine the amount of microsuede you’ll need for the job. D’Oro Suede comes in 50- to 60-yard bolts of fabric that measure 56-inches wide. Double check your math before your sales associate starts cutting so you buy enough cloth -- plus extra for “insurance” -- so the suede comes from the same bolt/dye lot.

Move the couch to a well-lit work area. Assemble your tools and equipment. Carefully remove the old cushion covers and strip off the sofa’s stapled fabric panels so you can use them to match the sections you’re cutting from the D’Oro Suede bolt.

Inspect the sofa’s infrastructure. Make repairs to springs or foam rubber if necessary. Isolate any section of the old sofa cover that was cut on the bias to make certain you follow suit when you cut the new textile.

Cut paper patterns for each sofa section based on your sofa measurements, using the old coverings as guides. Choose brown Kraft paper to make the pattern as it’s cheap, sturdy and it won’t wrinkle like tissue or other pattern papers when you work with it.

Pin the paper pattern to the D’Oro Suede cloth and begin cutting. Check your scissors; suede requires a sharp cutting edge. Add at least 1-inch extra to every cut; it’s better to wind up with extra fabric in the seams so they hold up to future wear and tear.

Sew the cushion slipcovers. Use an upholstery needle and upholstery thread to stitch the D’Oro Suede so the thread doesn’t keep breaking as you work. Keep the fabric taut. Sew zippers into cushion sides first if you want to be able to remove them for cleaning.

Address the remainder of the sofa. Place sections of the D’Oro Suede cloth in their respective sections to make certain you’ve allowed for the fold-down “hems” that hide the suede’s raw edges. Use your staple gun or tack hammer and nails to upholster each section. Work methodically and keep the D’Oro Suede taut so there are no puckers.