apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I hope this is helpful but that looks like a candidate for darning. I know no one darns socks anymore but, growing up, I rememeber other ppls' grandpersons doing this (darn it they were all grandmothers so can't I just say that? - pun intended).

Anyway, if you can get a match on the wool you could maybe (if you or anyone else you know - including men - don't darn) place an ad on Craigslist for help.

BTW, I hope darn is an American English term as well as an English English term.

Hey I found just that kind of ad:
http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/trd/185245415.html

I also have three cats. My husband bought them one of those carpeted cat tree things that they LOVE to scratch. They also have one of those cardboard scratchy things. We also trained them to stay off or to not scratch stuff with our "cat training device" otherwise know as a spray bottle of water. They have never once scratched our sofa.

First off -- do you have anymore of the fabric? Otherwise, you will have a very hard time finding a good match to blend in. Beyone that, the best you can do is a patch -- not a look I would desire. Another option is to have a sleeve made (like the ones that used to/sometimes still -- come with new couches -- in which case go with a contrasting yet complimentary color. 3 cats with claws and good furniture as not a successful mix!

Darning IS a word that at least used to be used in American English, and I think that it might be the answer here.

Another possibility might be to find some fabric that is either VERY similar or which seems to refer to something else on the chair, and imitate some kind of contour of line on the chair with a patch. In which case, you MIGHT not even want it to be the same color as the fabric, but the same color as whatever other thing is.

BUT... I would want to make 2 mirror-image identical patches and put the other one on the exact same opposite corner, so that the chair regains symmetry and just looks like a slightly different kind of chair than it was, but one that is wholly intact.

You want to look for someone who does upholstery "reweaving" -- that's the term you need. Darning is a cruder repair; afterall, it would have been hidden inside shoes. Reweavers can also repair small burns, etc. on clothing.

If you do the sleeve approach, be sure to have it big enough to cover the entire arm and tuck into the crevice at the back. I've got sleeves on all my living room furniture. The chairs have sleeves that just kind of rest on top, and the darn (!) things are always falling off. The ones on the couch are big and tucked in, and they stay put. (Two different reupholsterers.)

Totally depends on how the piece is originally upholstered, but chances are good *any* reupholsterer will be able to replace the "panel" of fabric where the damage is... you should be able to see on the sofa where a seam exists, or where the arm fabric "disappears" into the frame... those "breaks" mean that arm is upholstered separately from the rest of the piece... the arm is upholstered separately from the back, for example.

But Frank is right: you need original fabric, and keep in mind it may have faded from sun exposure so may no longer be a dead-on match.

A quick solution I've used is to tuck and pin dinner napkins in a contrasting fabric on the ends of the arms, with the corners of the napkins centered on the top of the arms. You can cover the same area that arm sleeves usually cover.

It covered up the cat damage and was easy and cheap, and I actually got compliments on how it looked.

I too have a cat and I found that putting throws on each arm of the sofa has deterred her -

I also have a throw over each slipper chair (by the way, all the same color) and that has kept her from stretching up and scratching the backs of those chairs.

OK, I have many suggestions, as a vet tech for 4 years, I have found many wonderful solutions to make kitties and their people happier without declawing...
First, get scratching posts of various materials (sisal, cardboard, carpet, etc) and see what the kitty cats like best. Place the posts nearby areas that they scratch (next to the couch). Cats go back to the same place because of the smell they imprint there and the visual mark they create. Treat your scratching post with catnip, to entice the cats to scrach there- thereby marking a new spot. Catnip is safe and fun for cats, they can never get too much!
Second, you can place posts in frequent traffic areas, (the kitchen or something). This way the cats are passing them by often and more likely to use them.
Third, use contact paper (the stuff you covered your school books with in 3rd grade) sticky side out to temporarily cover the corner of your couch to discourage inapporopriate scratching. Cats HATE sticky things! And, with your scratching posts next to the couch, kitty will use the alternative right next to the couch. You can also use tape or any other sticky material- it's ugly, but temporary for training purposes. You'll likely need to bring it back out to reinforce kitty every so often.
Finally, get a coffee tin can and fill it with a few pennies. Shake it briefly whenever the cats scratch the 'wrong' place. Don't use your voice, just shake the can and walk away. This will startle them, and if they don't associate it with you they'll be less likely to scratch the couch when your not home. You can also use a squirt gun. You should also give them positive reinforcement for using the 'good' scratching post- such as playing with them or giving a kitty treat.

Sorry it was such a long post! I know this works, we have 3 cats too, and leather couches in good condition. Good luck!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/illmethinks/185710416/in/set-373420/

Deidre

Thanks for all the suggestions. Although I do actually know how to darn, I think we'll go for the sleeve solution (either bought or homemade like the dinner napkin idea). Even reupholstering one section isn't worth it to me for a loveseat I bought used for $150.

Also, thanks for the suggestions to get the cats to stop scratching. Deidre, don't worry, I would never declaw my kitties. I regularly trim their nails and apply soft paws claw caps, but they're just to quick to take the caps off and I can't keep up. I have tried posts in the past (both horizontal and vertical) but they didn't ever use them. I have been thinking about trying the sisal post that was mentioned in last week's good question about keeping cats from scratching. I haven't tried contact paper, but I did try aluminum foil once at the advice of a vet, because they don't like crinkly things. All that happened was my cat got suspicious and peeled it back to see what I was hiding.

Thanks again everyone!

I hav a 2 inches tear on the sofa cushion could you suggest how to fix it.

I had tears in the same spot of both arms of a chair I have, which I hand sewed some collaged lace over - my style is eclectic & the chair has a vintage look, so it worked. (I could send you a picture) Sometimes it helps to think outside of the box - in this case, instead of trying so hard to get the chair to look like the manufacturer intended it to look, get a little creative & create something one of a kind.