How to French Tuft

Give an old garage sale or flea market chair an elegant look, by reupholstering it using a French tuft method. French tufting is often done on the inner-back of the chair. It is accomplished by threading a needle through fabric and batting, and securing the ends of the thread with a knot or button. This creates a pull effect, known as tufts. French tufting is used on a variety of chair types, especially cane chairs. It has been a furniture-making technique for centuries.

Old cane chair
Fabric -- 1.5 yards
Spray foam filling
Scissors
Fabric spray adhesive
Measuring tape
Flat-head screwdriver
Crescent pliers
Seam ripper
Embroidery floss
Embroidery needle
Upholstery buttons
Heavy-duty staple gun
Staples for staple gun
Trim for chair back
Hot glue gun
Glue sticks
Iron

Instructions

- 1
  Remove the seat of an old cane chair, using crescent pliers. Then remove the seat cushion cover by detaching the underside staples with a flat-head screwdriver.
- 2
  Use a seam ripper to remove any seams from the seat cover so that it lays flat. Then iron the seat cover flat.
- 3
  Remove the inside-back cushion of the chair by first detaching the trim with crescent pliers. Then remove the buttons with pliers to release the tufting, as well as the front and back cushion covers. Iron the covers flat.
- 4
  Lay the ironed-out, old seat cover and back covers on top of new fabric, and pin in place. You should have three pieces of fabric -- the seat cushion and both the front and back pieces of the back cushion. Follow the pattern of the old fabric, to cut out cushion covers on the new fabric.
- 5
  Spray the foam seat cushion with adhesive, and place the new fabric cover smoothly on the foam. Pull the edges neatly at the corners and tightly to the underside of the seat. Staple around the edges of the underside of the seat. Place the new seat back on the chair.
- 6
  Spray the holes in the back foam cushion with a spray foam filling, which will act as a sealant to fill the holes. Mark dots with a marker in all the places where you sprayed foam, to identify where you will form tufts.
- 7
  Spray the front of the foam cushion with a spray adhesive, and smooth the new fabric covering onto the front.
- 8
  Thread five strands of embroidery floss through an embroidery needle.
- 9
  Push the needle through the back of the foam cushion, then up through the front of the cushion at the first dot. At the front of the cushion, thread a button onto the needle, and then push the needle back into the front of the cushion -- about 1/2 inch to the left. Pull it tightly through, so the needle comes out the back. Knot the thread at the back to form the tuft. Repeat for each dot on the foam.
- 10
  Spray the rear of the back cushion with spray adhesive, and smooth the new fabric onto it.
- 11
  Place the back cushion on the center back of the chair, and staple it along the edges of the cushion.
- 12
  Cover the staples by attaching a decorative trim around the edges of the back cushion, with a hot glue gun.

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