diamond tufting

[amkatzberg]

Am getting ready to make my own diamond tufted headboard.  Is there a general rule to add so much more (ex: 10%) to the estimated fabric needed?  I am a DIY.  I have taken some upholstery classes.  Am hoping I can gain a lot of knowledge from this forum.  Thanks in advance.

[Hell Bat]

I've seen a few dif ways,and the amount you add will depend on how much thick the foam is/how deep the diamonds are..
The simplist way I've seen is  just sewing a diamond pattern right through vinyl and sremfoam,then add buttons or not yo your liking.
Others here should have more ideas. 8)

[kodydog]

The best way I know to estimate for fabric is simply measure the piece, making sure to measure down into each hole and then add about 10 inches to each side for wiggle room.

Your starting from scratch so I would go ahead and build the frame. Then glue your foam with predrilled holes to it. Now you can measure for yardage. If the headboard is more than 54" wide its best to get railroaded fabric.

Here's a good site that explains the tufting process on a chair.
http://upholsteryjournalmag.com/articles/0311_ht_tufting_techniques.html

Good luck and have fun.

[Mojo]

Somewhere on here there was a video posted on doing diamond tufting. It was extremely well put together.
I couldn't find the dang thing so went to Youtube and found it there.

If I remember right the guy that did the video is a member here though I rarely see him post anymore.

Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXNJ3aIV5Uk

Hope this helps.

Chris

[MTupguy]

Excellent video... and old-school button making!

[MinUph]

The video was interesting. And useful for new work. Laying out tufting by measurement is great when everything is new. New foam, done on a board. This process doesn't work well for re upholstery as things are never exact and the layout is made as you go.
  Seeing as you will be doing a new headboard this process will work. Here is how I layout for new work.
1. Layout the design on the foam. Punch holes where the buttons will be.
2. Measure up and down to get the vertical lines. Measure from inside a hole to inside the next hole up. They will be offset so divide this by 2 to get a 1 row measurement.
3.  Measure the same way from a hole to the next hole on the left or right for horizontal lines add 1/4" per 1" to this measurement. This will give you the extra fabric for the folds.
4. Transfer these measurements to the back of the cover and go for it. Start at the bottom row and work up. The folds will practically fall in place. After you get the hang of tufting that is.
Good luck.

[kodydog]

All good points Paul. One other thing I would recommend. I wouldn't use vinyl, leather or a tight woven cotton, if this is your first stab at tufting. Chances are it'll take several tries to get it just right, not too tight and not too loose, and these materials will leave holes if you need to reposition your button. An experienced upholsterer can hide these holes in the fold or behind a button, but it can be very frustrating for a rookie.

Take your time, be patient and have fun. Tufted headboards are beautiful.

[needles eye]

This is all certainly most interestin' and extreme craftsmanship
sure dig the tunes on the vid
poetry in motion
:)

[josh]

Am getting ready to make my own diamond tufted headboard.  Is there a general rule to add so much more (ex: 10%) to the estimated fabric needed?  I am a DIY.  I have taken some upholstery classes.  Am hoping I can gain a lot of knowledge from this forum.  Thanks in advance.

[josh]

hey there  my college dont know much but hope that i can help what id normally do for diamond tufting is first do a basic layout eg. your diamond for a bed would probably be about 5inches across and 6inches vertically .Now after establishing your work space check the depth of foam that u  are using for eg. 2inch . you then draw the same diamond on your material only now u add the 2inch on ether side so now your single diamond diagram in measurement is 9inches across and 10inches vertically .having your diagram drawn on the material and on your foam you then stick a needle through n tuck ,note you might want to start from the centre going outward...hop that i have been helpful in your endevour ;D

[alge]

4. Transfer these measurements to the back of the cover and go for it. Start at the bottom row and work up. The folds will practically fall in place. After you get the hang of tufting that is.
Good luck.

hi min,

most of the guys who learnt in the east of London post war that i have met tend to do this too, i think they all worked for a company called Barrett and Bolton at some point. I've tried it but i find it too easy to get pulls across the diamond centre so i generally fan out from the centre and only draw the buttons in half way and the tighten to optimum depth once they are all in to allow for adjustment when buttoning onto natural fillings, i do it diagonally if pleating onto foam on a board so i can run a long pleat and then tweak each junction in and like you suggest if the pleats are pre machined so a fixed tension.

kody,

the web link was a good article thanks i have never seen that mag before. I thought steve T was a bit harsh and unimpressed. if you read the comments the principal of the central vandyke join was spot on regardless of the finish.

alge

[kodydog]

kody,

the web link was a good article thanks i have never seen that mag before. I thought steve T was a bit harsh and unimpressed. if you read the comments the principal of the central vandyke join was spot on regardless of the finish.

alge

This is the first time I have read Steve T's comments. He makes some valid points about stapling the button twine to the frame. I generally tie it off with a piece of cotton before I staple it to the frame. As far as using the old foam, Mumm's methods seam sound to me. Most costumers will not spring for the extra charge of new foam and the labor it takes to get it ready for tufting.

All in all its a good article for a first time do it yourselfer.

[JuneC]

These guys do beautiful work.  I'm inspired!  I might just have to try this sometime.  BTW, leather people, what are they doing at the end to bring up the red in the leather?  Or are they adding a color?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG6LUAP_GEg&feature=fvwrel

Another one with just the tufting operation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_Y5ywdMLNc

June

[kodydog]

These guys do beautiful work.  I'm inspired!  I might just have to try this sometime.  BTW, leather people, what are they doing at the end to bring up the red in the leather?  Or are they adding a color?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hG6LUAP_GEg&feature=fvwrel

Another one with just the tufting operation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_Y5ywdMLNc

June

Thanks June I enjoyed that. I've said it before, not much waist in production work. I love the way the tufter works mostly by feel. Interesting how the whole thing is tufted before the springs are put in. You can see how each person has their own job. Even the guy stuffing cushions. Those guys are fast. I'll bet an 8 person crew can build 10 or 15 of those a day.

I've often wondered why we don't get any factory production people on this forum? I find the process interesting.

[MinUph]

Yea that tufter is very good at his work. Nice to see. I often wondered how the red was put in place also. I couldn't imagine it being died like that first and perfectly tufted afterwards. Now I know.
  Beautiful tufting work.