Welt tearing

[1960bus]

Hi,

I'm just a hobbyist making some pieces for a car of mine. I have been having problems with my seat welt splitting off on a set of seat covers.  The welt/piping is hollow plastic welt and the stich holes seem to create a perforated edge.  I'm using a toyota walking foot with a 5mm stitch and a welt foot. It's realling annoying the covers look fine when finished but then the round part of the welt splits along the length. Has anyone experience this?  Any recommendations?

Thanks in advance,

Dan

[JuneC]

Maybe lengthen your stitch so the needle holes aren't so close together?  I never use that stuff on marine work for the same reason.  Make your own welting would be the best solution.  For a firm welting, the 5/32 foam core stuff works great.  But it's sold by the gazillion yard spool.  IM me your address and how much you need and I'll send you some (if you're in the US - customs is a PITA and I don't have time to deal with all the paperwork right now).

June

[SHHR]

I don't use that material much, only on occasion if I'm doing an old truck seat or something of that nature that doesn't need to be a premium job. I Like to make my own welt too with the material I'm using on the seat with the foam flex cord. Like June said, check your stitch length. If it's too short it'll perforate too much and make it easy to tear away. Try a few sample pieces using different stitch lengths and see what works best. I use mostly a 6mm length on my Consew. Also, I'm not too familiar with your machine, but is it a compound feed or just a walking foot? Some walking foot machines I've seen will shorten the stitch length from what you have as a setting when going around tight corners or over extra layers and as a result you'll need to watch and help it along my possibly "hand wheeling" it around those areas.
Kyle

[MinUph]

It does sound like perforation is causing this. Try the above recommendations and also sew your welt on the first piece not sewing the welt up separately. It will eliminate one set of holes.

[1960bus]

Thanks for the replys.  I'll try a longer stitch and either stitch the first pass further out and the final pass with the welt foot or try it in one pass.

Thanks,

Dan

[baileyuph]

[I'm using a toyota walking foot with a 5mm stitch and a welt foot/quote]


A 5mm stitch is closely equal to five stitches an inch.  Not inordinate.

Therefore, the question rises;  "Are you using preused welt in new work?

If new welt is being used, then how many passes through the welt is happening?

I have seen some sewers make multiple passes as an effort to get the seam closer to the bead.  That suggest an equipment problem.

As a comment, plastic piping is relatively strong stuff, manufacturers used it quite successfully for many years, I use it today to duplicate original type work with no problem.  Too many passes causing the failure of the welt is not a welt problem. 

Variables to think about are:  Number of passes, size of the needle, size of the thread, proper welt foot size (seam should be very close to the bead), and of course as has been pointed out, stitch length and is new welt being used?  I suppose for a purist, one could add thread tension to the list.  A smaller guage thread under a lot of tension could influence a cutting action.

Much of what has been said can also be applied to any welt, even custom welt fabricated in the shop.

Good luck, I have heard and possibly seen the brand of machine you have, they are widely used in Japan, I understand.

Doyle