Strong Curved Seams for Vinyl Project - Suggestions?

[llz]

Hi!  I'm new to the forum, and based upon the photos and posts I've seen of other members' projects, I'm in good hands here!

I've recovered my couch and loveseat, twice each.  No sweat there, they're very boxy, all perpendicular lines.  My current project involves a pair of chairs that are all curves.

Here goes....

I picked up two chairs at a vintage store - very retro, curved, what I'd describe as egg-style-chairs.  (I'm having issues attaching photos... working on it.)  I had to modify my original plan once I discovered that these chairs have absolutely NO frame.  They are some kind of molded foam with a plywood seat.  The only way to recover them is to essentially sew a one-piece slipcover for them.

I cut them down a bit with a reciprocating saw and made slipcovers with a long seam open along the back.  I still have to figure out how I'm going to close that seam (hand stitch, velcro, something else?).  Against my better judgement, I'm using white vinyl for all but the inside back and cushion.

How do I make sure that the stitching around the arms stays strong?  I want to make sure the vinyl doesn't tear under the stress of the seams.  I've clipped the seam allowance (selvedge?) every 1" or so to help the curves spread out and stay smooth.  I was planning on topstitching, but I have a few questions before I go punching needle holes in the vinyl.  

- Is topstitching the way to go?  And if so...
- Is it best to "press open" the allowance and stitch down either side of the seam, or should the allowances both go to the same side of the seam?  
- How to I make the allowance stay put while I'm topstitching?  I can't pin the vinyl... Is there a glue?  Tape?  Some other trick?

If you have any other suggestions, tips, things to consider with vinyl, anything relevant at all, please do share!

Lauren

[llz]

Sorry, I can't get my photos to upload.  I've got 2, one is 8KB, the other is 12KB, both are .jpg.  Don't know what's up.  Any help?  I don't have a photobucket account and I'd like to upload them from my computer...

[wind_rose_2]

http://get-up-and-go.com/upholstery-forum/index.php?topic=7472.0

Check this.

[R.A.F. CaNvAs]

Wow , Styrofoam egg chair circa 1968 'till mid 70s, I know the type of chair well.
White vinyl eh ?  hope it's stretchy..
If I were you I would go for just a single top stitch for strong seam ( hope you didn't snipp your salvage all the way to the first seam)  on the out side of the chairs curves.
No need for pins tape or glue , only fingers and thumbs.

"Precautionary note" DO NOT attempt  to use spray glue or contact glue anywhere on the styrofoam shell. it tends to melt it in to goo. !
Good luck,  ???   

[hdflame]

Lauren,

I got your email, but the best advice I can give you on posting your pics is open a FREE account with one of the free hosting sites....like PhotoBucket.  I hate how commercialized with pop-ups that PhotoBucket has become.  I have even thought about changing to another site myself.  That's the easiest way to post pictures here...that I know.  Maybe someone else can be of more help.

[llz]

Wow , Styrofoam egg chair circa 1968 'till mid 70s, I know the type of chair well.
White vinyl eh ?  hope it's stretchy..
If I were you I would go for just a single top stitch for strong seam ( hope you didn't snipp your salvage all the way to the first seam)  on the out side of the chairs curves.
No need for pins tape or glue , only fingers and thumbs.

"Precautionary note" DO NOT attempt  to use spray glue or contact glue anywhere on the styrofoam shell. it tends to melt it in to goo. !
Good luck,  ???   

Really? You've seen this kind of chair before??  You're the only person to know what I'm talking about so far!  Thanks for the suggestions!  The salvage is cut to about 1/4" from the seam; I hope that's okay. 

Just to clarify the "outside of the chairs' curves":  Say there is one seam on each side of the letter C .  On both seams, I would push the salvage to the left, is that correct?

Before I posted, I read the sticky about posting photos... I just try to keep my online "accounts" to a minimum, and I'm easily frustrated by all things tech. 

I think I have the information I need to finish up my project.  Thanks everyone!

...And, no, the vinyl is not stretchy.  Because I tend to make things more difficult than they should be... :)

[Mike8560]

Lauren,

I got your email, but the best advice I can give you on posting your pics is open a FREE account with one of the free hosting sites....like PhotoBucket.  I hate how commercialized with pop-ups that PhotoBucket has become.  I have even thought about changing to another site myself.  That's the easiest way to post pictures here...that I know.  Maybe someone else can be of more help.

if you use the thumbnail code at photobucket like we have to here if you delete the code from the ? to the second = you elimintate all the add junk and the photo open directly. June taught me that and I like it.

[llz]

if you use the thumbnail code at photobucket like we have to here if you delete the code from the ? to the second = you elimintate all the add junk and the photo open directly. June taught me that and I like it.

Thanks!  I'll remember that for next time!

[R.A.F. CaNvAs]

Good 1/4 " is fine , nice large top stitches and keep it tight as you go .
salvage to go to the outside of the curve so as it makes life easy...
Then again if you like to struggle and cuss at the machine and have a lumpy seam when you are done you could do it the other way around ..
Yeah I've covered a few of these monsters before. The hardest  part about the job is telling the customer their choice of material ain't going to work well or look good .
Now choose something more pliable.
As for you now you are at this point (you said it was in a kinda stiff vinyl),
All I can say is ... Heatgun /hairdryer.

 

[llz]

Good 1/4 " is fine , nice large top stitches and keep it tight as you go .
salvage to go to the outside of the curve so as it makes life easy...
Then again if you like to struggle and cuss at the machine and have a lumpy seam when you are done you could do it the other way around ..
Yeah I've covered a few of these monsters before. The hardest  part about the job is telling the customer their choice of material ain't going to work well or look good .
Now choose something more pliable.
As for you now you are at this point (you said it was in a kinda stiff vinyl),
All I can say is ... Heatgun /hairdryer.
 

Thanks for clarifying and for the advice! 

The vinyl isn't stiff, per se, but I can't say it's stretchy either.  It has just a hair of give and is otherwise fairly limp - as far as vinyl goes.

While I don't enjoy making things difficult, I've had a number of "happy accidents" when working on projects.  I decided to teach myself to sew when I was 13, so a lot of what I've learned has been learned by my mistakes.  Oftentimes, I find that I like my work better than the original plan when I have to re-work my plans.  :)

Can't claim that I didn't know better with the vinyl though.  I did know it wasn't a good idea, but I'm a bit stubborn with myself sometimes!

I really appreciate everyone's help!  A lot!