Instructions for Ottoman Cover

  • measure the width and length of the top of the ottoman
  • piece together enough remnant fabric to match that measurement plus 2″ added to both width and length for seam allowance — remember, in fact, to account for at least an inch seam for the fabric you’re piecing together as well
  • sew your pieced-together fabric with the right sides of materials together
  • measure the end your ottoman, then the side — height and width
  • for the ends and sides I over-shot the length by a good deal so I had some leeway when it came to staple-gunning the fabric in place on the underside — at least leave 5″ plus that 2″ seam allowance for where you will sew it to the “ottoman top” piece
  • once you have your ends and sides ready to go, pin, right side fabric together, to the coordinating sides of the “ottoman top” piece and sew
  • the finished result will look like that “collapsed box top”
  • cover the ottoman with it to test for accuracy of coverage
  • if all is well with the fit, sew the flaps together, edges of right-side fabric facing, to create the ottoman corners
  • slip the fabric “box” over the ottoman
  • if you do not want tufted buttons, turn your ottoman over, pull the fabric taut over the underside of the ottoman frame, and staple the fabric in place all around
  • I trimmed the excess fabric off of my ottoman after stapling fabric

Instructions for Tufted Buttons

  • you will need waxed upholstery thread, a covered button kit, and upholstery needles ( I purchased mine on Amazon, but they have these supplies at most craft and/or fabric stores)
  • determine how many buttons you want on the ottoman top
  • I went with 6 because I’d added decorative stitching intersecting the fabric strips, and I thought it’d look best to stick with the number of intersections created
  • you may want to mark the spot for button placement with chalk because you’ll be flipping your ottoman while working with each button
  • follow directions on your button covering kit (super easy!) to prep the buttons — tip: a thinner fabric works best
  • thread upholstery needle with a generous stretch of thread and insert needle into first button location
  • VERY IMPORTANT — hold one of the threads so you only pull the other thread through
  • poking the upholstery needle through faux leather, I had to use something to push the need through — I pressed it down with a hammer head
  • thread through the button
  • rethread the needle
  • send the needle through the same spot to secure the button
  • use a strip of cotton batting, muslin, or a 4″ X 2″ rectangle of remnant fabric to place underneath the first knot you tie in the wax thread on the underside of the ottoman — be sure to pull as hard as you can to sink the button on the surface
  • NOTE: if you want to deeply sink the button and produce that lovely puckered fabric effect, you’ll have to cut holes in the original top/foam the size of the button — some go all the way through the foam with those holes — on other projects, I’ve just created a dent about half of the depth of the foam
  • some upholsterers staple gun the threads on the underside to the wood frame on the underside — I’ve used both methods and, so far, haven’t seen a visible difference on the surface
  • tie the upholstery thread multiple times to secure
  • repeat for all buttons