[DanTwoLakes]

The easiest way is to make it larger at the top, and either sew in some elastic or put in a pocket around the top for a draw string. Another way is to leave it open on one end and lace it together after it's in place, or sew velcro into the open end, or a jacket end zipper.
Another thing you can do for more detail and a better fit is to sew seams from all 4 corners of the shifter boot ring.

The pictures show a velcro closure .........now you see it, now you don't.

[Wantabe]

I like the Velcro idea. That's using you head. Mine did have what looked like an o-ring at the top. It did help but still was hard to do. Very small hole at the top. This E-brake will be much harder to do. It'll be a V shape boot and it didn't come with one stock. Just had a metal bracket with rubber on each side. Will have to make my on patterns. Guess i'll just take my time and see how it comes out. Been sanding and buffing painted parts. What a PITA. They look killer when done though. Thanks for the help. Tim

[Wantabe]

Hey Dan, i didn't want to start a new thread just for this. But maybe you can help me with a little problem I'm having. When i start a stitch and back tack. I get a big pile of thread underneath "bobbin side" the first 8 or 10 stitches. It didn't do this when i first bought this machine. Seems to be getting worst the more i use it. Not sure if this is the problem. I seen on line some offer a bobbin with a spring so it cant free spin. Was going to just order one and see how it works. They are only a few bucks. If it will fix it should i order a couple ? Do they wear out ? Was thinking maybe its getting broke in and now its spinning more freely then it did when it was new. Or am i just doing something wrong ? Very annoying though... . Thanks for any help. Tim

[DanTwoLakes]

You can chalk this one up to operator error. You need to hold onto the thread when you first start sewing, or put the needle into what you're sewing by hand first , and then start sewing. If you don't it will do exactly what you described. Not necessarily every time , but a lot of the time.

[Wantabe]

Thanks Dan. At Least its easy to fix . I'll give that a shot and see how it works. I'm sure your dead on because i don't hold the thread and never start by hand.

[DanTwoLakes]

A simple way to hold the thread is to keep a flat refrigerator magnet on the bed of your sewing machine. It will hold the thread and leave your hands free. I was surprised how handy the magnet is. Once you have gone a few stitches, just remove the magnet.

[low budget rodder]

Originally Posted by DanTwoLakes

The easiest way is to make it larger at the top, and either sew in some elastic or put in a pocket around the top for a draw string. Another way is to leave it open on one end and lace it together after it's in place, or sew velcro into the open end, or a jacket end zipper.
Another thing you can do for more detail and a better fit is to sew seams from all 4 corners of the shifter boot ring.

The pictures show a velcro closure .........now you see it, now you don't.

Sorry that I am a few posts behind... I am asking this by my own ignorance... and I know nothing about making shift boots, but...

what would happen if you could sew 4 triangular pieces together and then turn it inside out to form a shift boot... would this work without velcro or hand stitching?

[DanTwoLakes]

Yes, you can do it that way, but most times it is really hard to sew at the ends where the pieces are really narrow. It also looks better if you top stitch the seams, and that gets really hard to do at the narrow ends. That's why you see elastic or a draw string at the top to take up the extra fabric.

[Wantabe]

Finished my door panels. Had problems with embroidery work. She made the snake way to big. Waisted a lot of leather. I wanted the snake silver, black and blue. She made in a really light color silver and blue. The word Shelby looks good. Its blue with white outline. Kind of pissed about the deal. I e-mailed her twice with pics and what i wanted and she did what she thought looked good. Now i think it'll cost me another black hide. Here's some pics of doors. I did arm rest in black leather and switch panel. Then map pocket in black Alcantara. Painted speaker grill and added a few billet pieces. Console was going to be done by this weekend. But not now. Embroidery will have to be redone. The snake she did is like 8 inch tall. It looks ridicules. It wont even fit between sew lines of the leather from the seat i gave her. Lower part of console is black leather. Upper part is painted black. It took three times of back and forth to body shop to get it looking like glass. A lot of sanding and buffing. Made both e-brake and shift boots out of leather with blue stitching. The lide was black leather with blue stitching. I'll get a pic of console with her work and see what you think. I hate it. Here's one.....sucks

[buggmann]

hey it all looks real good i will be doing
my 1953 Chevy 210 soon i will have to
read up and get a lot of tips but again
it looks great

[Wantabe]

More to it then just how it looks. You can see from the pics that i have about 8 inches total room for this snake. The snake she made is 8 1/2 inches long. I gave here both pieces of material. The original and the new one i cut. I did tell here that i probably wouldn't put the pleats back in like the original. But still it wont fit. If you look close you can see where the word Shelby touches the blue french stitch on my console lid. So this cost me 250. For wrong color and just all around crappy job. Why she made this snake that big and the wrong color i just don't understand. I couldn't believe it when i first seen it. I didn't pick it up. Wife had a doctors appointment and i sent one of my guys down to pick it up. BAD DAY.... It was like, don't talk to me right now. Just stay away from me for a while. 250 + another hide and i need to make a new console lid cover. I'll never will go back. I sent two e-mails and pics, size and colors of what i wanted and all of the leather to make sure it was right. I don't get it and this took three weeks of my time. Kind of just makes you want to say F.I.

[DanTwoLakes]

I hope you didn't pay her for inferior work. It's her job to do what you want, not what she thinks looks good.

[Wantabe]

Yes i payed her. The bad part is I've known her and her husband for years and they are good people. She will take care of it I'm sure. Just makes me mad. I'll have to wait till i cool off and go in. She is one of the nicest persons that i've ever met. She tried to change my headliner and i found out before she had a chance to do it "her way". She wanted to make it smaller and i had here make it big as she could. Maybe she figure that i wanted this snake as big as possible also. This time i was busy and didn't stop by to check on it. She doesn't do any car stuff. Mostly hat and shirts, stuff like that. I should of stayed on her and make sure she did it the way i wanted. This job has been two steps forward and one back from the beginning. I shouldnt be surprised....

[Wantabe]

I guess at this point i should just make the best of it. Get some opinions on what everyone thinks would look best. I wanted it metallic silver and black like the ones on the side of my car. Except the snake would have a blue belly and i ask her to make the eye red. Ive painted the belly on the ones on my car. So ask her to make them match. This is the same pics i sent her and the same emblems that are on the side of my car. Headrest looks good. It has the word Shelby just like the console, so i'll keep them. Just have her down size it on the console and redo the ones on seats. What colors do y'all think would look good on the snake ? Any opinion welcome. Thanks Tim
http://www.shelbyperformanceparts.co...20Emblems.aspx
http://www.gessford.com/images/TeamS...S-Snake-02.JPG

[Wantabe]

So no one has an opinion on what colors ?? OK silver/ black and blue it is. Thanks guys. Or no one gives a %^$&..