How to French Tuft a Cane Chair

Lay craft paper against the chair back to be upholstered and trace the outlines. If the chair back is perfectly square or rectangular you can measure it and draw the same dimensions on the paper, but often chairs have a curve or angling to the back that can't be seen until you trace the panel.

Slit one of the short seams of the pillow and slide the pillow down over the chair back, with all the stuffing in front of the chair and just the fabric coming down behind the back. Pull the pillow down until the top seam touches the top of the chair back, even if this causes the bottom to bunch up against the seat.

Fold up the fabric at the bottom of the pillow until the fabric comes only as far as the bottom of the chair back. Shove any stuffing that protrudes back up into the pillow. It may help to use a ruler to stuff the polyfill evenly.

Tuck and fold the bottom fabric of the pillow around until the front side lies taut and smooth against the wood frame of the chair back. Bring the excess around the sides and staple the fabric down against the back of the frame.

Tug, fold, pleat and staple the fabric around the back frame to hold it tightly in place. This creates a smooth, very full front cushion and a messy, bunched back but keeps all the stuffing at the front of the chair. If desired, you can pull some of the stuffing back over the top edge of the chair to create a bolster effect. Make a small V-shaped slit in the top fabric of the cushion to redistribute the stuffing evenly, if needed.

Cut a piece of upholstery fabric that is 5 inches larger in all dimensions than the chair back pattern you traced in Step 1. Cut another piece of upholstery fabric that is 2 inches larger in all directions than the chair back pattern. Cut a piece of cardboard that is 1/2 inch smaller in all dimensions than the chair back pattern.

Lay the larger piece of upholstery fabric centered over the front of the chair back and pull it around to the back, stapling it in place at the back of the frame. If possible, compress the stuffing further with this layer of fabric. If you need to add pleats to bring the fabric around curves or corners, make them as smooth and even as possible.

Mark equally-spaced dots on the front cushion where the tufting will go. An elongated diamond pattern is traditional for French tufting, but feel free to experiment.

Thread the upholstery needle with a doubled piece of upholstery thread roughly 2 yards long. Press the needle in from the front of the chair back through one of the dots and out the back of the chair. You may need to use your other hand to compress the polyfill enough to get the needle through. Bring the needle through again from the back to the front, about 1/4 to 1/8 of an inch from where it entered.

Pull the thread through until only about 6 inches of the tail is visible. Tie the two front sections of thread into a single knot and pull the knot as tight as possible to create a deep dimple in the chair back.When the dimple is as deep as it will go, tie a second knot to lock the thread in place. If desired, you can reinforce this with one or two more stitches, crossing back over the first stitch and knotting tightly each time.

Repeat Steps 9 and 10 for each marked tufting point.

Lay out the smaller piece of fabric you cut in Step 6 with the wrong side up. Center the cardboard piece you cut at the same time on top of it and wrap the fabric up around the cardboard. Secure all the edges of the fabric to the cardboard with duct tape or packing tape.

Set the covered cardboard piece over the back of the chair and center it so that it conceals any staples or folds of fabric. Attach the back piece to the wooden frame using upholstery nails.