New to Upholstery

[TheJoe]

Hello, My name is Joe.  Picked up an old Consew 226R a couple weeks ago and have been playing around.
Never really used a machine before.  I want to start a business selling very specialized canvas type pieces, but I would also like to do marine vinyl as hobby income.

Anyway, here are some pics of my machine and what I've done so far, don't be too hard on me. :)

Joe

[TheJoe]

The pics should be 800 wide, I noticed pics show up small in everyone's postings, why is this?

Maybe these are clickable.




^ 3 images above this sentence hidden for some reason ^

Here are links:
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/qpzTu1x24aDrBKW8WCHw0tMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/iQvsWO1v3AGdEusvB0GSo9MTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/X7uVfrlhoMSds95YdhfvDdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=directlink

I just spent nearly 3 hours working on a cushion for my sailboat only to realize I traced the foam upside down and created a mirror of what I needed.  Partly because the boat is new to me and I'm unfamiliar with it and party because my head is up my arse.  I need to learn when to call it quits for the night.
Thanks
Joe

[bobbin]

Hi Joe, welcome to the forum.  The key to good cushion and upholstery work is practice and attention to detail, and a willingness to fuss and "not settle" for mediocrity.  Looks like you're off to a good start. 

One of the things I find toughest about working with vinyls is getting the right amount of snugness in corners, esp. when recovering old foam esp. when making cushions (as opposed to stapling over a solid base).  That wrap around bucket doesn't look as though it will be any fat lady's dream.  June and Mike crank out the most beautiful vinyl stuff I've seen in a long time. 

As for cutting the mirror image of what you needed... lol, we've all done that, I'd wager!  The real trick is to not do it too many times.  I have learned to carefully label all pattern pcs. carefully because it's really easy to make that mistake when you're interrupted and come back to the project.  And it can be expensive when you're working on a cockpit, V berth, or salon where the backs of the cushions require bevelling. 

[Mojo]

Welcome Joe to one of the greatest forums on the internet. :)

Your going to find this site loaded with experts and masters of their craft and the awesome thing about it is that they are all willing to help and share their expertise.

My first boat cushion experience was not a pleasant one. I screwed around with them for a long time and about went out of my mind. I am a perfectionist of sorts so in reality I drove myself around the bend sewing them. But like Bobbin stated, you really have to demand a lot from yourself in order to produce quality cushions.

Your first attempt is good. I can see a lot of good sewing in some areas and of course, like all beginners I can see a few mistakes. That comes with the territory. Upholstery work is one big huge learning process and your going to ruin fabric and drive yourself nuts while your learning the trade.

Just hang in there and keep demanding the best of your sewing and assembly. One other tidbit, sew and keep sewing, its the way we all learned.

Best of luck and be sure to jump on here with all your questions. Some of the resident experts here will always help out.

Happy Turkey day BTW. :)

Chris

[Mike8560]

ThatT bucket seat is hard to learn on getting the top boxing curvEd correctly and not wrikled is tricky  at first. And the inside  curve of thbackside is even harder if you didn't have the tuck n roll to make it look good.   To make a edjucational complaint to avoid one from a customer   Thwre is a l
but of wrinkle punkering on the seat cushion on the right corner   And the stripes apear to be a bit wider with the back and seat ne t to each other   That may be the camera angle

I'd be happy just starting out  as you keep at it !

[sofadoc]

Your first attempts show tremendous promise. You stated that you want to do specialized canvas pieces for your business, and marine vinyl as hobby income.
There was a time way back when that I wanted to do auto/marine as hobby income. It turned out to be a LOT MORE hobby than income. People like June and Mike certainly know how to make a living at it. But I think that unless you dive into it "whole hog", it will be a hobby, and not an income.
Welcome. Keep the posts coming.

[TheJoe]

Thanks for the compliments.  The seat bottom was a learning experience, that's for sure.
I spent about 6 hours on that piece correcting most mistakes as I went.
The stripes are wider than those on the back and those on the original seat bottom, by accident.
I only recovered the seat cushion, haven't got to the back yet. 
They are my seats btw, they were free and I'm using them on a 13' checkmate I'm restoring.
I sewed the welt myself, and it's sewn to the cord in most places tighter than the material sewn to it resulting in a lot of visible thread.
I'll use white thread and possibly pre-made welting to reduce the problem, if only for a handicap as I get more experienced. 
It's joann vinyl, couldn't even find a uv rating for it, just bought 3 yards to play/learn with.

Out of curiosity what do you guys think I paid for the machine?  It was a lot more than I planned to spend, but I wanted something solid that would last me a while.  It has a new clutch motor and came from a very old/reputable sewing sales shop. No extras, just what you see.  I really don't think I got ripped off, but I don't think it was a great deal either.
Joe

[jojo]

6 hours isn't really so bad... I've spent that much time on some seats and I'm experienced!
Actually Joann's vinyl is fine, as long as it's their marine vinyl.
Good luck!

[TheJoe]

I probably wouldn't mind using it on my own boat knowing I can re-do them in a few years for very cheap.
The brand is Spradling, and it's the proquinal.  No info found anywhere on spradling proquinal.  Not sure how great it can be at $8.00 a yard, then again how much can any vinyl vary subjected to such elements.
Headed out of town, more pics to come over the next couple weeks.
Thanks
Joe

[Mojo]

Just as important as the vinyl is the thread. be sure your using a good bonded Poly thread or your work will be for naught. :)

Chris

[Mike8560]

Thoose seats sure did look familiar   Here is a checkmate i did a couple years ago probly a 20'
http://i782.photobucket.com/albums/yy102/Mike8560/Upholstery/100_1728.jpg

http://i782.photobucket.com/albums/yy102/Mike8560/Upholstery/100_1729.jpg
and I've bought used machine heads for $800 a a few hundred more for a table and motor.
And you'll want to get a heat gun alot
of little wrinle can be eliminated with one  many here use a steamer to
do the same thing but I like m heat gun thoose wripples
you have on the seat edge are a alinment problem if you had a small one a with some heat it would just dissapere. And as far as the small pix there is some code here that dosent allow full sixe pix photo bucket has a code to post expandable thumbnails or just a direct link is easy.  

[Peppy]

I've done similar ones



If I was you I'd simplify the backs. Use heat sealed stuff instead of tuck and roll, or just just do a plain back.



Either way I would definatly run the border right into the red/black stripe and not turn first like they did.

Thats a tough one to cut your teeth on, good luck!

[bobbin]

I would pay up to $500 for the machine you pictured.  I would have been looking for bobbins, and maybe a couple of feet.  Bonus would have been a manual and (praise be!) and parts book. Cash on the barrel head is a powerful thing,  And I have a decent idea what I'm looking for/at. 

[Mike8560]

 price I steed was  what I paid at a dealer Sanford sewing when I bought a new. Juki.

[TheJoe]

$800 for the machine and table with a new motor installed.  What'ya think?

Joe