Your Double welt equipment and process?

[baileyuph]

Double welting is a time consuming activity, relatively speaking.  Some small antiques it can represent significant time relative to the job.

First - What equipment do you use to be efficient?  There are different styles of feet, as most will relate, there are the block style and there is the double cord welt style, it is styled more like general welt feet for walking feet equipment, that is the needle foot is a narrow v- shape and the pressure foot is of course the two grooves with the sharp ed dividing them.

I have both styles in different sizes, and in a sense see advantages from both styles.  Perhaps this is due to procedure or steps taken in the process.  With the block style it is a two pass sewing approach while the double grove with the dividing sharp fin is a single pass.  But, like expressed, neighter is efficient, but both with time can get the job done.

Second - in my quest to pick up speed, it would be informative to know how others do it relatively faster.  Some questions, not only about the feet used, but what technique works best for cuttting?  What I mean is do you cut the strips and sew without further trimming before installation?

Also related, how is the sewing accomplished, one pass, two passes, or another technique.

For a 5/32 nd cord, what is your cut width and when sewing is fabric folded for the seam on top or on bottom of the cord?

If there are other ways of expediting or even getting a perfect cord, please offer.

Doyle

[kodydog]

As far as welt feet, I've used both and found them to be just about the same.

Sometimes on thick fabric I'll use a slightly thinner cord so the finished product doesn't stick out like a sore thumb.

As far as speed, I don't think there is a fast way to sew dbl welt cord except to just get in there and do it. Wrap, tuck, sew. Over and over. About six inches at a time.

I cut my salvage after its sewn.

I've watched the double pass method with good results. But when I tried it It came out botched up. I didn't see any advantage one way or another.

I also watched someone sew, using the single pass method but sewing the cord bottom side up. To me this is incorrect. The welt foot helps push the thread down into and in-between the cords. If its sewn upside down the thread will come out on top and be visible. I've also seen loose and sloppy double welt cord. I try to make mine as tight as possible for a tight and clean look.

[SteveA]

Thoughts from the less experienced -
I loose time laying out fabric - sewing welt seems to be one of the faster processes.  I tried sewing one side at a time but it wasn't worth the effort.  Now I just fold it up and run it through a double welt foot - cut the waste afterwards.
I also have a narrow crown stapler for attaching the welt - with hot glue also - but a staple every 12 inches speeds the installation.  I set the air pressure low so the staple doesn't indent the center of the cord.  You can hardly see the staple and the welt will stay on tightly -
SA

[sofadoc]

They make a double welt folding gauge like this one:


But I've talked to a few places that tell me that any type of gauge would have to be custom made to fit a specific thickness of fabric. So I'm skeptical that any one gauge would be universal for all fabrics. But I understand that a properly fitted gauge would actually tuck the raw edge under, so no final trimming would be necessary. That would certainly be nice to have.

The one in my pic comes from Burch Fabrics. It cost about $110.

[gene]

Here's a link from this question being addressed awhile back.

The video I posted from youtube shows how I do it.

I cut strips 2" wide mainly because my steel 60" ruler is 2" wide and I can mark the strips quickly.

I don't like sewing it twice.

A guy on the internet made a razor blade jig that he ran the sewn double welt cord through to cut off the lip. I made one of these but found that cutting with scissors was almost just as good.

http://www.upholster.com/upholstery-forum/index.php?topic=12551.msg101307#msg101307

gene

[gene]

I like the idea of a narrow crown stapler. That's been on my "to buy" list for a few years now. I'm getting along without it.

I do put a staple in the corner sometimes if I think it needs help. Folding the double welt cord around, over the staple will hide the staple. This is something I learned how to do from this forum.

gene

[gene]

double welt folding gauge

I wonder if these gauges are for when you have to make a lot of the same double welt cording? I redid 40 or so chairs a few years ago and the factory send me pre cut fabric panels and pre made double welt cord. I'm sure they used a jig to make the double welt cord. I sew 6" or 7" at a time. I can't see doing miles of double welt cord without a jib.

I have jigs that tri fold fabric strips to make tie backs. The thickness of the fabric definitely makes a difference as to whether or not I can even use the jig.

gene

[sofadoc]

Here's the folding gauge in action. But again, I think you would need a different one for every thickness of fabric.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iisfJBNBOyo

Notice how it tucks the raw edge under. Beautiful.

[sofadoc]

OK, after watching the video closer, maybe it doesn't tuck the raw edge under. Maybe just the pre-cut width finishes out perfect with no need for trimming.

[gene]

Thanks for the video. That's very interesting.

It looks like they are using that foam type cord. I wonder if you need to have perfect cording and a perfectly cut width of fabric.

It does look like very tight tolerances.

gene

[kodydog]

Sofa's Youtube video shows the guy sewing the salvage side up. This video does the same.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW2Hc3mYBtA

Am I the only one that sews the salvage side down?

[sofadoc]

When I finish the second pass, the excess fabric is on bottom and to the left.

[Mike]

I make my weld by hand for a double welt I take 2 strips and sew them together down the middle both one on top of the other . then I wrap one strip around my welt cord as normal then wrap and sew the others.

[baileyuph]

Checking my understanding, so do you end up with a double cord covered by three layers on each side cord?  Guess you could sew the two layers down the middle and trim one of the layers back close to the center seam , on each side of the first seam, before sewing the final seam.  Then that would give four layers ( this assumes the final seam is sewn on top of the first seam.

Confused?  Probably. 

Doyle

[Darren Henry]

I do it as in Gene's video link. I cut my strips 2 1/2" and trim the excess after. I find it faster than cutting exact width and having to be that much more accurate.

I don't find double welt that much more time consuming than single welt. I did a large order of double welt last summer. One of our night clubs has half a d0zen fabric panels roughly 42X 80 set into the walls (for acoustics I assume) that are bordered in double welt. after the first 10 or 15 feet I " got into the zone" LOL and was sewing as fast as single welt.