[DanTwoLakes]

Originally Posted by crsweet91

So I got one just about done. Waiting for some clips to finish the back panel off on it. For the back I screwed wood strips around the inside of the seat frame to tack my cover down and welded tabs for the back panel clips. I did the string technique on the back cushion listings to pull them tight and the bottom cushion listings are hog ringed down like the stock way.

My center inserts werent following the dip of my seat foam though . So what could be the reason for causing that? Im thinking my center inserts were sized slightly too wide causing them to poof up in the center. So what I ended up doing was running a tiny strip of adhesive right down the center to keep it from poofing up. Worked perfect, but I just dont like the fact of having to use adhesive even though I only used a tiny amount. Is this something that can happen when doing seats that dip down and is the adhesive acceptable? Ive heard of seats coming from factory with glued down listings so Im not too worried about doing it.

For a first seat project Im pretty happy, I learned a lot doing these.




Started with the console first before the seats since all I really needed to do was copy the stock cover. I ended up wrapping the entire thing and doing some work to the cup holders.

What can cause what you describe is the fact you used a different vinyl than what was on the originals. Or the sew foam is different, or one of a bunch of different reasons. This happens all the time. When I make patterns from the originals, I make the pieces slightly larger. I can always add padding, but if the seat cover is too small the fix is a lot harder to do.

BTW, you are way too critical of your own work. There is nothing wrong with your finished product. You have to stop thinking of upholstery work as precision work like metal work, or wood work, there are way too many variables in upholstery work. You are doing almost perfect work, and you need to be happy with almost, because it's not possible to do perfect upholstery work. I've been doing this for almost 40 years, and I haven't done a perfect piece of work yet.

[crsweet91]

Thanks Dan for that advice on not being too critical. After doing all of this Ive kind of figured out thats its pretty much impossible to get %100 perfect work when doing upholstery. Because of all the variables like you mentioned. But Im a wacko so I dont think Ill ever not be critical of my work, I guess thats good in one way because I want to get better, but sometimes it drives me nuts. At least the areas Im not too happy with I know how to fix on any next projects. Doing my own interior really helped me with getting used to working with the materials and getting good practice on a sewing machine.

So this is almost finished. Just some bolt on stuff, main one being a steering wheel, and fixing a few little problem areas and its done. Id say not too bad for never doing any upholstery until earlier this year. Ive learned upholstery isnt easy to do, and it requires a lot of skill especially if you want to do nice work. I wish people who want top notch work for almost free would understand that.

[noobbiker]

Well....

This gives me confidence that even a beginner can turn out work that's acceptable to an experienced trimmer. Excellent work dude!

I was wondering though, and maybe I shouldn't hijack your thread, but how do you go about making patterns for you seats, and more importantly, the dashboards.

[crsweet91]

Thanks. For patterns I just use scrap or cheap vinyl. I draw out where I want my seams on the dash or seat to give me an idea and then I make my templates.


Dan might have some more info on making patterns.

[DanTwoLakes]

I make my patterns from chipboard, which is the very thin cardboard they put on the back of a tablet of paper. This is much easier, and more accurate, to draw around. Look at this thread if you want to see how I do my patterning: Truck Seat Upholstery Tutorial The picture shows some of the patterns that I have made over the years. I just threw away a lot of my old patterns, and the load weighed over 500 lbs.

[noobbiker]

Originally Posted by crsweet91

Thanks. For patterns I just use scrap or cheap vinyl. I draw out where I want my seams on the dash or seat to give me an idea and then I make my templates.


Dan might have some more info on making patterns.

OK, do you tack the cheap fabric onto the dash or your just lay it out and mark up the seams. I'm asking because I saw some guy's work on another website, Fiberglass Forums - Powered by vBulletin, which is downright amazing... completely self taught. Looks like he had pics showing how he did the templates, and then took them down before I caught on!

I'm into older BMW's, not necessarily domestic cars, so the dashboards have more complex corners and shapes, so I'm not sure how it's possible to make accurate patterns without cutting individual mockups and tacking them down somehow. Am I off base here?

I joined this forum many months ago, and thought I would be much farther into upholstering than I am. I got as far as settling on which machine to buy, thanks to Dan and everybody else on this wonderful forum, but I've been living out of a hotel for almost a year. Thankfully, I'll have an apartment in Februrary so I'll have somewhere to put the machine!

[DanTwoLakes]

Really complex corners are very hard to do with fabric of any kind, no matter how much it will stretch. Dash pads are extremely difficult unless they are as straight forward as the ones in this thread.

[noobbiker]

Originally Posted by DanTwoLakes

Really complex corners are very hard to do with fabric of any kind, no matter how much it will stretch. Dash pads are extremely difficult unless they are as straight forward as the ones in this thread.

So it seems. Looks like placing seams in strategic locations helps with the complexity of the shapes. I'll have lots of time to practice, though.

Can't wait to get situated. Good luck with the build.

[crsweet91]

Originally Posted by noobbiker

So it seems. Looks like placing seams in strategic locations helps with the complexity of the shapes. I'll have lots of time to practice, though.

Can't wait to get situated. Good luck with the build.

The seams will help you tailor the cover to the dash. All the ones Ive done so far arent very difficult for making templates, the hardest thing I found with making a cover was just sewing a nice consistent french seam. Practice, practice, practice.

The 86 chevy truck pad I did I thought was actually pretty difficult when it came to the wrapping part. That was the most complex pad Ive done so far, but just getting used to working the material and getting a nice finish is the most difficult out of doing a pad. Especially around weird shapes.

The most important Thing Ive learned with a pad is to prep it right. Especially if its out of an older car. I was recently asked about redoing the same pad like the 86 chevy truck one I did. I couldnt believe the guy who did it actually owned a custom upholstery shop. And it was pretty bad, Nothing was repaired before foaming, he didnt block sand the foam before wrapping and his seams were terrible. Everything was lifting under the foam.

[DanTwoLakes]

You wouldn't believe what passes for "professional" or "custom" upholstery work now days.

[noobbiker]

Originally Posted by DanTwoLakes

You wouldn't believe what passes for "professional" or "custom" upholstery work now days.

Yep. I saw a buddy of mine pay 50.00 to cover the center console/arm rest/cubby cover of his car. It's two pieces, probably 2.5"x9" each. I'm pretty sure I could have done a better job if I did it myself. Obviously, he was in a rush to get onto a real job.

[crsweet91]

So I finally did some work in leather, almost finished with all of it. And after using leather I really dont ever want to touch vinyl again, so much nicer to work with.

Im trying to figure out how much leather I would need for a set of buckets or something like a bench seat. Whats the usual amount required for that? I have an idea of how much in vinyl, but Im kind of unsure on converting that amount to sqft of leather.

[DanTwoLakes]

The average leather hide is 48 to 55 square feet. Fabric, or vinyl, or anything else (other than leather) is measured by the running yard, which is 54" tall and 36" wide. That makes a leather hide about equal to three yards of vinyl, including the waste factor.

A bench seat and rear seat, done in leather, will take about 2 1/2 to 3 hides.

[John long]

Originally Posted by DanTwoLakes

Sorry, but everybody thinks upholstery work is easy. None of you has a clue what is good work and what is bad, and you never will. You think if the colors coordinate it's a good job.

Don't you think you are being a little hard on guys who have been around this hobby and loved it for much of their lives?

John L

[DanTwoLakes]

Yes, you are right John. My comment were much too harsh and I apologize.