Krrb Presents A How-to on Adding Buttons to Upholstery with Tufting

Adding matching (or not!) buttons to a piece of furniture is a great way to add character without a lot of hassle, and tufting is the way to do it. Tufting is an upholstery technique achieved by threading through layers of fabric and securing the ends of the thread with a knot or button. It isn’t hard, but we’ve got the step by step instructions on how to get the job done.

While there are several tufts (varying in difficulty), Colleen Ford White of Timber and Cloth gives us a lesson on the basic tuft. You’ll need a tufting needle, nylon tufting thread and shank buttons that have an eyeloop on the back. Colleen suggests pairing vintage buttons with your fabric if you don’t have a button maker.

A blue velvet burnout ottoman tufted by Colleen of Timber and Cloth.

You can find both introductory and intermediate upholstery classes taught by Colleen at 3rd Ward in Brooklyn. Be sure to check out her Krrb corner Timber and Cloth to pick up furniture upholstered by Colleen. If you’re still not up for a tufting session of your own, you can purchase this tufted ottoman on Krrb now.