Double stitch work

[crosjn]

Does anyone here regularly work with leather or do upholstery work which involves a double stitch?

I've thought about buying a double needle machine but never have.  One of the questions I have a hard time with is how best, and what machine to use, to handle leather box cushions for sofas.  Do you need a split-needle bar?  Walking Foot?

Any advice or help would be much appreciated.  Those things aren't cheap!

Jeff

[Rich]

No they aren't, so it probably depends mostly on how much use you'll get out of it. If it saves a certain amount of time and that time is frequent it might make sense but you'd have to do some projections.
Rich

[kodydog]

We also have no double needle machine. But my wife is very accurate with the single needle machine and we get such little work requiring top stitch that we have always gotten by.

Last week we went to a customers house to look at a contemporary leather sofa. This thing has double top stitch everywhere. The corner and top of the arms, the semi-attached boxed seat is pieced 27 times and all top stitched. The back is the most unusual thing I've ever seen. Its round like a bolster but is suspended in the air by a rod that fits through it and then fits into grooves on top of the arms. Its hard for me to imagine how they could top stitch the round ends even with a double needle machine.

We told her we couldn't do all that top stitching. She felt this detail makes the sofa. And shes right.
We suggested redoing it in fabric and her husband was hip with this idea but she said no.

She said she paid $3900 for the sofa. We told her if we could do all the top stitching, including the leather it would be around $3000 to reupholster it.

She is trying to decide what to do. She said she may just trash it and buy new. The guy I work for in Gainesville also has no double needle machine. I'll ask him what he would do and if he wants the job.

What would y'all do.

[sofadoc]

What would y'all do.

I offer them a cheaper alternative without all the double stitching and extra panels . Even then, they usually opt for trashing it and buying new.

Unless you plan on doing a ton of double stitch work, I don't think that a small shop can justify the cost of a twin needle machine.
It's tough enough to compete with new furniture prices anyway. It's even tougher with the double top-stitched leather work.
I don't lose any sleep over not getting those jobs.

[JuneC]

The back is the most unusual thing I've ever seen. Its round like a bolster but is suspended in the air by a rod that fits through it and then fits into grooves on top of the arms.

No Pics?  That's a unique design I'd love to see!

June

[BobbyD]

Anyone try using a topstitch foot?  Like one of these:



I used one on a vinyl seat cover with topstitching and I was quite pleased with the results.

[JuneC]

Anyone try using a topstitch foot?

I don't topstitch without one  8)  Amazing how just that little spring-loaded bar keeps things on track.  LOVE it!

June

[BobbyD]

Anyone try using a topstitch foot?

I don't topstitch without one  8)  Amazing how just that little spring-loaded bar keeps things on track.  LOVE it!

June

Yes!  That foot has made my topstitches go from being drunken sailors to real straight shooters  ;)

[kodydog]

The back is the most unusual thing I've ever seen. Its round like a bolster but is suspended in the air by a rod that fits through it and then fits into grooves on top of the arms.

No Pics?  That's a unique design I'd love to see!

June

June, I've poured through pictures on the internet and couldn't find anything close. We are doing a bench for them and when we return it I will bring a camera. I think you will get a kick out this sofa.