Finally got the hang of that tricky seam on a spiral staircase in a Tacoma remodel last month

After three tries and a lot of wasted cushion, I realized the key was cutting the backing at a 45-degree angle before the turn, which made the whole thing lay flat without a single bubble... what's your go-to method for those awkward curved seams?

3 comments

3 Comments

lisa6712mo ago

Try a relief cut on the back of the cushion itself right before the curve, it gives the material a little extra room to stretch.

dylanh812mo ago

Wouldn't that just weaken the seam, @lisa671? I've always had better luck easing the fabric in with a few extra pins first.

kevin_adams1mo ago

Relief cuts are a band-aid fix for bad prep. You shouldn't need to cut into the cushion backing if you measure the curve right the first time. Extra pins just bunch up the fabric and create a lumpy seam that shows on the finished curve. A 45 degree backing cut gives you control without guessing where to stretch. Straight seams with no cuts or extra pins always look cleaner in the long run.