Designer Matt Brown gives professional tips for upholstering a headboard. You can make your own headboard from scratch using plywood as a base or cover an existing headboard using the same techniques. To make a soft rounded edge at the top of a headboard, use a staple gun to attach a double roll of batting (figure A). Cover the batting with a strip of fabric, gathered and stapled in place along the front edge of the roll, making plenty of gathers at the corners (figure B). After the fabric is attached to the front of the rolled edge, even out the pleats with your hands, and staple the fabric to the back of the board. Always begin stapling in the middle of the piece, and staple alternate sides to keep the fabric even. Use a staple gun to attach three layers of batting to the front of the headboard, leaving about 1" uncovered along the edge of the roll (figure C). Center a large piece of fabric on the headboard, and staple the bottom end to the back of the headboard. Smooth the fabric over the padded front of the headboard, and begin stapling it in place at the top center of the headboard underneath the rolled edge (figure D). Continue stapling the fabric in place along the rolled edge, alternating sides as you're stapling to keep the fabric symmetrical. Trim off the excess fabric at the stapled edge. Fabric-covered cording will cover the stapled edge between the main body of the headboard and the rolled top. Use a zipper foot to cover jumbo cord with fabric, and hot-glue the cording in place (figure E). Begin in the middle of the headboard, and alternate sides when gluing the cording in place.
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