Is this style of pleated cushions common?

[islandsewing]

Hi all, I've been busy with lots of jobs lately. Have a customer that wants to replace most of the damaged cushions on the boat. Everything besides the leaning post is left uncovered year round and looks like this. It's the front of the console seat and coming cushions all around a 35ish' Intrepid.
I'm relatively new to this profession and I've never run into this method of making pleated cushions. Customer wants exact replacement to match the leaning post cushions.
I haven't gotten deep into the insides yet (have to give a quote first), but it appears that the pleats have 1/2" sewfoam backing, and a small amount of the face of the vinyl is folded over and sewn together to make the pleat.
Anyone do them this way? Any tips on doing it this way?

[islandsewing]

Not sure what the deal is with the picture, but if you right click and choose view image, it will get much bigger.

[Darren Henry]

They appear to just be individual panels glued to the foam and then sewn together.They just didn't cut the two grey panels apart after they marked them. With those curves, use plenty of reference marks to keep the panels from moving around on you.

[islandsewing]

That's what I thought at first, but all of the joints of same colour vinyl are that way. I'll see if I have a close up picture of the coming cushions, which are done the same way. They're only cut at the back when it changes colour.

[islandsewing]

[islandsewing]

I was thinking of gluing sew foam to a couple large pieces of vinyl then cutting out a couple hundred small rectangles to sew together. Does that make sense or am I making too much work?

[Darren Henry]

but all of the joints of same colour vinyl are that way----They're only cut at the back when it changes colour.

It speeds things up on the assembly line, but I prefer to cut them unless there is a lot of foam behind them so that I can fold my salvage edges both ways rather than having both lumped up to one side. I think it lays a little flatter and gives a cleaner look.

I was thinking of gluing sew foam to a couple large pieces of vinyl then cutting out a couple hundred small rectangles to sew together. Does that make sense

I'd say that whether you opt to cut them or just sew them up you will want to make up some large pieces of vinyl/foam material first. It will save you a whack of time and foam.

[MinUph]

It looks like standard roll and pleating on the wall section and top sewn on the captains chair. The roll and pleating is just folded over at each seam and sewn with a 1/4" seam to the sew foam. Then adding the colored sections separately. The chair not roll and pleat it is either sewn through the top and to sew foam. You can buy this in white allready done with heat sealed seams. It would be all white though.

[Mike]

ive done both ways cut each strip and sewn it also glue the cinyl to 1/2" sewfoam ill mark lince even spaced on the back on the sewfoam then fold and sew each pleat not cutting  one thing good is if in time the seam fails the vinyl is not cut exposing the foam.   one thing either way cut it a little over size and then cut to the finished size after to be safe it easy boy yo have a straight edge if your not careful.

mike

[islandsewing]

but all of the joints of same colour vinyl are that way----They're only cut at the back when it changes colour.

It speeds things up on the assembly line, but I prefer to cut them unless there is a lot of foam behind them so that I can fold my salvage edges both ways rather than having both lumped up to one side. I think it lays a little flatter and gives a cleaner look.

I was thinking of gluing sew foam to a couple large pieces of vinyl then cutting out a couple hundred small rectangles to sew together. Does that make sense

I'd say that whether you opt to cut them or just sew them up you will want to make up some large pieces of vinyl/foam material first. It will save you a whack of time and foam.

Thanks for the tips. I think it looks good, but seems like overkill for exterior boat cushions. This boat spends most of it's life sitting in a storage yard uncovered too. It needs a new t-top cover too.

[islandsewing]

It looks like standard roll and pleating on the wall section and top sewn on the captains chair. The roll and pleating is just folded over at each seam and sewn with a 1/4" seam to the sew foam. Then adding the colored sections separately. The chair not roll and pleat it is either sewn through the top and to sew foam. You can buy this in white allready done with heat sealed seams. It would be all white though.

Owner wants to duplicate the existing cushions so I will do it like it was done before. I have the white pleated (heated seams) vinyl I use for most pleated jobs. I personally like to have the least amount of seams/holes as possible for an exterior boat cushion.

[islandsewing]

ive done both ways cut each strip and sewn it also glue the cinyl to 1/2" sewfoam ill mark lince even spaced on the back on the sewfoam then fold and sew each pleat not cutting  one thing good is if in time the seam fails the vinyl is not cut exposing the foam.   one thing either way cut it a little over size and then cut to the finished size after to be safe it easy boy yo have a straight edge if your not careful.

mike

Once I get the job, I will pull them apart and do it the way it was done before. Actually, I will try a couple test pieces to see which is easier. Thanks

[Corjen1]

ive done both ways cut each strip and sewn it also glue the cinyl to 1/2" sewfoam ill mark lince even spaced on the back on the sewfoam then fold and sew each pleat not cutting  one thing good is if in time the seam fails the vinyl is not cut exposing the foam.  

mike

Thats pretty much how I do mine...

here is a pretty good video also...but I do my layouts on the foam side.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tI7FK9iA3nY&list=PLoSIdv1C9uyRQ_47nwiSG-Zq_qZmkZoKx&index=17

Good luck!!