First Project

[passelofkids]

Hi Everyone,
My name is Vicki and Im from SWFL (Like I see several others from FL) anyway Im not new to sewing but new to upholstery. My question is what would make a good first project to learn the basics on?
Thank you
Vicki

[sofadoc]

Hi Vicki..........have you met Jane from NYC?

She's starting with some dining room seats. That's a good place to hone a few stapling skills.

What kind of sewing have you done? Upholstery sewing can be difficult on a domestic home sewing machine.

For stapling, start with some simple tack-on seats. For sewing, start with some plain throw pillows. Then work up to a job that has both stapling and sewing. Maybe a plain wing chair with a loose seat cushion.

Check out some upholstery basics videos on youtube that show the basic tools/supplies of the trade, and techniques.

[Mike]

hello Vicky   I agree a simole seat to start im  in port charlotte  welcome to the forum

[passelofkids]

I have not met anyone yet, I have been wondering Pinterest and Youtube just trying to figure out what I need and were to start.
I have a BabyLock sewing machine and do quilting and some clothes making, nothing fancy by any stretch and my husband does all my machine embroidery.
Vicki
Venice, FL

[kodydog]

A good first project is something you already own that needs to be reupholstered. Dinning seats like Sofa Doc said.
The reason he asked if you have met Jane from NYC is she's just joined the group and is upholstering hers. Some good advice on that thread.
Besides dinning chairs what else ya got? Cushions can be tricky but we could talk you through it. We have a Baby Lock serger. Works good on cottons and lightweight upholstery fabric. But tapestries or woven fabrics not so much.

[JaneNYC]

Hi, Vicki!  I'm a home-sewer, too, (I mean SEW-er): I make my own clothes and things like curtains, totebags, crafts.  I work on a 1916 Singer 15-30: almost 100 years old and still kicking it!

I just joined this forum to get help replacing the foam and fabric on 8 formal mahogany Queen Anne dining room chairs.  Never did anything like this before.  The advice here is great, and you'll see personal progress right away.

For example, I already I have A LOT OF EXPERIENCE removing staples...

j.

[Darren Henry]

I work on a 1916 Singer 15-30: almost 100 years old and still kicking it!

Mine is a 1929 with  a rolling foot. Cat's a$$ for making shoes (better if it had a post bed , but  hey), but not the best for upholstery. When I got starved out of making shoes and took up my apprenticeship in upholstery I took on a "side job" for a friend in my leathercraft shop at home after hours on it. Berth cushions for a 27' sail boat in a stripped cotton. I finally got er dun---but then I had to coax the old lady, her son's , and the dog out from under the waterbed. It caused me some attitude, apparently.[oops]

A walking foot machine is the way to go, if you are going to do more of this. My 1956 singer 111W155 was like going from a skate board to Buick.

[JaneNYC]

Hey, Darren.  I'm in Jackson Heights, Queens: very multinational.  And there's an Asian guy who sits right on Broadway in Elmhurst with some kind of little rolling shoe sewing machine.  It's no bigger than a suitcase.  And he fixes  your shoes right there on the street.  And this is the niftiest looking sewing machine.  It looks very very old, all black cast iron, and it must be pedal driven.  Ever see anything like that?

j.

[Darren Henry]

I would imagine it's a patcher.That is the standard machine for shoe repair. The most popular black patcher is the 29K?? Singer. I'll try to get a better pic of mine today.

[Darren Henry]

Here are a couple of better shots of my 29K58. I  believe it is circa 1958-'65. My first one was a 29K5 from 1938 and when I was still working in trade the "old guys" were using K71's and K72's. That would also put in the time when my master (who I bought it off) came to Canada and set up shop.





Cool thing about a patcher is that the presser foot is your feed dog, and turns 360 * . Where ever you aim it ---that's where you are going.






Before I earned my apprenticeship as an orthopaedic shoe maker I managed shoe repair kiosks. One of my training exercises was to have the staff follow stitch line drawn on a scrap piece of leather without turning the leather. By the time they could write their names , they were usually assistant manager material. LOL.