Upholstered headboard tutorial- diy (how to diamond tuft)

Hi!!
Long post coming up!!!

I've been dying to finish the headboard for my bedroom, and finally, I managed to buy another electric stapler, so I got the job done in three days time... I would never be able to work without being stopped to serve dinner, or make a meal or just serve water to the kids:)). So it took me three days!

I already did a headboard for the girls bedroom here, but, let me just say, this is harder work!! Diamond tufting is a pain, but sooo rewarding!!

I would have loved to use a black velvet, but I couldn't find any in my town, and over the internet it would have taken too long, so I worked with what I had, a black drapery fabric, with a bit of sheen, but not as much as it shows in the pictures.

Sneak peek:

Here are the steps:

1. Cut the particle board to the size and shape desired. For this I used a piece of cartboard to trace the shape, but only half of the shape, and then flipped it and used it to trace the other half. This ensures you have a symmetrical headboard. Then drill holes where you want the buttons to go. I measured 12 cm squares, and drilled holes  in order to create the diamond tufts. This is what I got at this point:

2. Glue the foam to the board. Then, using a cutter, cut  the foam following the shape of the board. I glued the side I measured on, therefore I had to paint the holes  on the back of the particle board to get the overall view better.

3. Using a long needle, pass the needle through the board and foam, marking the foam where the holes are.

4. Using a plastic pipe I cut holes in the foam, be sure to use a slightly bigger diameter than the buttons. Hard work here, my whole body ached after this step!! I also had to sharpen the pipe with a knife as after 15 holes, it didn't cut through the foam anymore. My headboard had 47 buttons!!

5.Now it's time to lay the padding on the foam. I chose a very thick padding, it worked great!!

6. Be sure to iron your fabric and then lay it on top of the padding. Now, use  an upholstery needle and thread, starting from behind and through the hole; pass the thread through the button, then go back through the hole. This is frustrating and time-consuming, as you're going in blind, but suck it up and continue!! Staple after pulling really hard so the button touches the particle board!! Sooo hard!!:(( Staple in different directions and use a hammer to be sure the staples hold the thread good.

Work horizontally and start from the middle. After you finished doing the hirizontal buttons continue with the ones in between, thus creating the diamond tufts. Use your hands to create the diamonds, the fabric helps you a lot, as it wants to sit in a diamond shape!!

7. Then I stapled the padding.

8. In the end I stapled the fabric.

Done!!

Or:

9. Add those beautiful diamond-like nails. I would have liked to add them to the front of the headboard, but , because I chose a very thick foam (10 cm) they didn't work nicely. So I chose to nail them on the width of the particle board. I love them, they are just like a little hidden surprise!! 

Here is the finished diamond tufted headboard:

Told you I was going to post many pictures!!!:)))

This is it!! Now, I just have to wrap it nicely in plastic and transport it to the house and into my bedroom!! Yeeeyy!!

I worked really hard on this project, and I am happy with how it turned out. Do you like it??

xoxo,

Ozana

All images property of houseatheart.blogspot.ro

Later edit: Here is how the headboard looks in the bedroom:

For more pictures of the bedroom, click here:

Master bedroom reveal!!