Another one...Upholstery

[V153]

Re: Another one...Upholstery

Sorry to chime in so late. Nice machine, looks kinda familiar. Appears you've hit the ground running in your new career. And your work looks great. Congrats.

February will be 9 years since I bought my shop. Still find it hard to believe cuz if you'd told me 10 or 11 yrs ago I'd be spending my days behind a sewing machine. Id'a probly punched ya in the nose ...? I admire your enthusiasm but trust me there will be days when ya just wanna go home'n cry.

I'm mainly just an old canvas slinger though do some simpler interior work. Took on a gal 3 yrs ago who is an extremely talented upholsterer so I don't have to worry about that end of it much.

Fwiw I'm impressed with your work on the sculpted, multi panel stuff. Never been my strong suit. Thank God I got Beth for that.

For hanging rolls of material I use 7/8" alum tubing. Been using it for years and never had a problem. Got a fresh read heavy roll of 30yds of 30ga clear vinyl hanging on one now?

If I might offer a lil constructive criticism: The only glaring thing I see wrong with your set up is you need some table space behind your machine. Musta been a sob seaming that big tarp through there? Yeah I hear ya, what I wouldn't give for a wide arm.

But I digress & babble ... Carry on!

 

[JDA1975]

Re: Another one...Upholstery

Thanks for the chime in V153, I always appreciate your input, your guidance early on helped me pull the trigger on this....I haven't pictured it but I do have a small rolling table I can slide in behind machine when I need to pick all that up off the ground, still wish I could afford a 30" throat, but the Consew is wide enough after dealing with the 7" throat of the old singer....speaking of which, the old singer is still mounted in my desk, it is a conversation piece, like my first dollar, it was the machine that started this for me and will stay there until we give this up...hopefully after my son is done with it! I did name the busines so me, my wife and son can all claim it....we are all like initials JD lol.

a little less than a year ago when I let pics of woodonglass doing his seats lit a fire under my arse and had me sewing mine on a cheap walmart special machine that had no business feeding vinyl through it....I would have never guessed I would end up here...have grown in both shop size and jobs, in fact was just askin the sign man how much to remove the boat repair from my sign, because upholstery has taken over.... all types not just marine...so thought JD's Upholstery fits better

 

[JDA1975]

Re: Another one...Upholstery

So here is my first complete start to finish fitted boat cover....was a fun project and learned a lot about making covers, I have done repairs and small covers but never anything this large

Had some cut-outs for the Bimini cover to go through...sewing the flared pocket was a new trick I had to learn on the fly

I did raw edge binding on the edges instead of doing a fold over, I think it looks better and is stronger, but it takes more time...also had to add straps and snaps in key places, and added strapping to inside corners for strength from tearing

I did not too bad , 16 yards of material and this is all the scrap I had left!

I have to say the new machine made all the difference in the world, when I did that large tarp in my driveway, I vowed never to do another til I had the right machine and I see now why!

 

[GT1000000]

Re: Another one...Upholstery

What an excellent job!

This gives me hope that quality manufacturing is still available in this country...

Let me say that whatever it cost to do this quality piece is worth every penny and then some...

Kudos, Judge!

PS- if possible, post up a pic of it installed...

 

[V153]

Re: Another one...Upholstery

Yeah yeah but whats it look like on the boat? Heh heh heh

Here's a recent one I'm kinda proud of: 24' SeaRay deck boat.

Y'know what makes our job(s) interesting Judge is no two are alike. Sure ya still gotta do the basics, estimate pattern'n sew, but each job and/or customer is different.

I had myself believing that upholstery/canvas was a dying art. Literally, 2 of my closest competitors died? I didn't do it ...! And another 2 closed up shop. So for me it's inspiring to see some new blood gettin involved in the game.

Carry on.

 

[JDA1975]

Re: Another one...Upholstery

it was brought to me without the boat, but I did tell the customer I would like to go out to the boat and take pictures, so after he comes to pick it up I will see if I can follow him back and get some pictures for my album...It should look good, its an exact replica of the original fitted cover lol...well supposed to be anyways!

 

[JDA1975]

Re: Another one...Upholstery

ok, so I got out to the lake today to install the cover...enjoy these pictures because they cost me 70 bucks to take them (I lost my balance and my crutch fell into the lake..)

I am pretty happy with the fit, and more importantly, so is the customer

So I guess I did something right, cause it fit!

 

[GT1000000]

Re: Another one...Upholstery

Very sorry to hear about the crutch...BUT...WOW! just WOW!

That cover looks spectacular!

The Force is strong in your sewing skills!

and, Thanks for the really expensive pics...:redface:

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Another one...Upholstery

Judge, you truly are amazing!!! Seeing this makes me sooooo Happy. What a difference a year makes!!!!

 

[joewithaboat]

Re: Another one...Upholstery

WOW

You are doing very good work!!!

 

[JDA1975]

Re: Another one...Upholstery

Thanks all, I appreciate the compliments, and yes the year has been a major change in life, weird how an old run down boat...a forum of passionate boat enthusiasts, and wal-mart sewing machine can end up leading to this....who woulda thunk it! unfortunately I have strayed from the boats and do other stuff too so I do not update this thread as often, but I am keeping pretty busy with other stuff like RV's and furniture and such

 

[jbcurt00]

Re: Another one...Upholstery

Great fitting 'toon cover! Excellent!

 

[V153]

Re: Another one...Upholstery

Yo Judge. The only time you profit in this business is the time you spend seated behind your machine sewing. When work walks into your shop it's an awesome thing. I welcome repairs'n restitches. There's really not all that much more money to be gained by driving all over bidding, patterning and installing sh*t.

I've never felt comfortable patterning off of old covers, biminis, etc. Even if the customer says it "fits good"? There's still too much margin for error. Imo. Prefer to pull my own patterns.

Here's a poontoon cover I did. Don't get too hung up on the center seam. Just let it lay where it falls ...?

 

[JDA1975]

Re: Another one...Upholstery

Yeah, I would not have needed to go out to boat on this job at all if I hadn't wanted pictures...customer came to me for the quote, brought the cover to my shop and came to pick it up...I offered to help install it since I wanted pictures for my scrap book...a picture of a cover on the floor doesn't tell the whole story like it fitted and tight.

the cover was still in decent shape other than the huge tear it got from him installing his own vent and leaving a raw edge cut in one of the more stressed area of the cover....so far as the patterning off it went, it should have been right, and luckily it was, but I will keep that in mind in case someone else brings me one that is worse off than it was

 

[sphelps]

Re: Another one...Upholstery

Great job on the toon cover JDA ! Ya got me thinking on a canvas cover for the MFG ..
I need a little guidance on my sewing.. Need to talk about stitch length . I have the machine set on the longest length but when I run it thru sometimes it does not stitch the same . It seems to git off when I sew to fast and I am guessing the feeddogs can,t keep up with the needle.. Can I correct this somehow ? Here is what I have and the foot peddle ..

Thanks SP..

 

[JDA1975]

Re: Another one...Upholstery

I had that problem with my smaller machine...I got a cheap even feed attachment and it helped some...but still has the problem occasionally....these home machines aren't made to feed this thick fabric through so pressure of the presser foot can cause uneven feeding, if it is adjustable slack it off some. I had a lot of issues with top stitch until I got my commercial machine, it is just the price we pay! give me a call sometime and I will see if I can help you at all, I do not do well with explaining with text thats why most of my posts are pictures and very few words lol

 

[JDA1975]

Re: Another one...Upholstery

got the next set of RV cushions and a scissor couch done...starting to get the hang of this!

Needed to make some tufting blocks, so found out my machine will sew thru 1/8 masonite lol...worked good

 

[craigweaver]

Re: Another one...Upholstery

Man Judge, you move light years ahead everytime I catch up with your work. Keep it up and prepare for all my questions when we get to the interior, lol

 

[JDA1975]

Re: Another one...Upholstery

heres some pics of my latest works, couch loveseat and rocker, and another pontoon in progress, I am beginning to wonder if I need a bigger shop....


Chair

Couch...oops need to flip center cushion around

Love Seat

My cluttered shop and part of the pontoon I am currently working on

I do not post many in progress pics anymore unless someone asks a specific question because this thread is just a accumulation thread where I post this and that

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Another one...Upholstery

Uh Huh, I wondered where ya been. Now I know...You been BIZEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! Very Nice as usual.!!!!!!!