marine upholstery + leg lift feedback

[stitchm]

I'm looking for feedback on a marine interior project I'm about to start.

I need to add a leg lift to the forward portion of a cushion. I know how to do this with a pull that is sewn into the underside of a seam located where the seat builds up into the leg lift, the pull is then commonly stapled off to a plywood base.

My question is: is it possible to do this in a cushion style - without a plywood base? You can see the seat back is broken into two pieces also...I'm kind of leaning towards convincing the client that seat and back need to be upholstered to a plywood base.


You'll see a pic of what I'm seeking to do if you sift through the photo gallery here:

http://uk.yachtworld.com/core/listing/photoGallery.jsp??access=Public&currency=USD&units=Feet&boat_id=1073993&back=boatDetail.jsp&boat_id=1073993

thanks for any thoughts you may have.

[DBR1957]

Very possible and see it all the time.

Two ways;

1) Sew the pull in solid and sew a separate zipper in the bottom for
each foam compartment. This is my preference.

2) If you're putting the zipper in the rear side band, sew a zipper in
the pull. Stuff the leg lift section and close zipper them stuff the
main section.

[stitchm]

thanks...ya that makes sense, come to think of it I guess I have seen it done that way before.

[Mike8560]

I'm kind of leaning towards convincing the client that seat and back need to be upholstered to a plywood base.

I'd  hsrdce more ro do it without a wood base it's more work  involved. May e saving some money would sway him

[stitchm]

Well, I wrapped it up a week ago or so:

http://s1081.photobucket.com/albums/j351/cordmstitch/?action=view&current=P1010001.jpg

What a heady detailed project! Sometimes...I mean most often we are our own worst critics....I lost some sleep over this one. Wanted to get it right and in the end the pickiness and stitch ripping/restitching paid off as the client was very happy with the results.

[stitchm]

p/s - I went with plywood backs on the back rests - in light of the access holes they cover up... and cushion style seats. Big 2" wide strips of velcro stapled down to hold it all in place.

[JuneC]

1) Sew the pull in solid and sew a separate zipper in the bottom for
each foam compartment. This is my preference.

Hmmmm.. How do you do this? If the pull is sewn in solid, how do you turn it over (to the right side)?  Do you sew the unstitched "flap" to the bottom plate through one of the zipper openings after the finished cushion is turned right side out?  I've never been able to make this work right.  So I always put a zip in the interior flap. 

June

[fragged8]

i do it your way June after taking your advise
last year :-)

[stitchm]

sew bands onto top facing, draw a line between the pull points on either side where the leg lift comes down to regular seat height

sew the fwd pull into the top facing on this line, leaving a 1/2" of space on either side

sew bottom facing to bands which are already sewn to top facing, starting at cent front and stopping at the location of the pull on either side, then sew pull to bottom facing, and then continue sewing bands onto bottom facing finishing at centre back.

pre sew zippers and velrco into bottom facing,

[Mike8560]

You lost me on that one stitchm
I just out a zipper in the pull like June.
The first time I tried it. It was like a puzzle to
me   What to do first   I try to avaid them if possible. I'd rather staple to a base  and generally do   

[JuneC]

Hmmmmm.  Wonder how your method would have worked on this?  I did a pair of these 5 x 8 foot sunbeds with the inside pull running around the whole thing - 360 degrees. 

[DBR1957]

Sorry this took so long.

June, you were right in that the solid pull you would sew the top side in
and wait until the bottom is sewn to open the bottom zipper to sew the
bottom of the pull. It helps if the zipper opening is close to the stitch line
of the pull.

Of course putting a zipper in the pull does make life much easier. Especially
if the total perimeter is raised like your last pick.