A while back I found a thread that mentioned using your original upholstery as a pattern and cutting out the same shapes from new material. Has anyone done this? I want to recover my bench seat, and nobody makes a kit(of course). My mom is quite the seamstress, sew I may be able to talk her into helping me. Would the fabric section at Wally-World have tough enough stuff to do upholstery with? Is there a special type of heavy duty thread used? Sorry if these seem like stupid questions, I know nothing about this stuff. thanks in advance, AC
There are no stupid questions. Matter of fact, I would like to know the samething. I need to get my 70 Grabber bench seat redone.
Guess what, I just found this on Google. Maybe I should have checked there first Obviously it can be done. Still, if anyone has also done this and has pics or experience to share please do. AC
This sounds like a great idea--But wouldn't ya need an industrial type sewing machine to do all of this?? Or can it be done on a little dinky one I wonder.
Many years ago when the blue cloth wore through on my Sprint seats, my then wife and I took the seats apart, removed the blue cloth, cut some blue vinyl with the pattern, and stitched it back together. It turned out pretty good but it was mostly straight stitching and we still went through a bunch of the heaviest duty needles we could find. So it can be done, just takes patients and lots of needles. An industrial machine would definately make the job easier.
i made my door panels with a standard sewing machine it was pretty tuff going through 2 pieces of material, sometimes in seats you may have to go through 3 and sometimes 4 pieces. as long as you can get all the material under the foot on the sewing machine and go slow it might work. i've been thinking about tying it myself. try jo-ann fabrics, that's where i got my material for my doors and dash.
Sweet. I called my mom today, and she said thet her sewing machine would sew leather without a problem provided I find a needle that would keep up. I guess Ill give it a shot. AC
Once again, when I want to learn something I go to the library and get books, Read them and then do what I have learned. One thing I learned on upholstery is that old sewing machines have steel gears. That makes it better to do car upholstery. So I went to a used sewing machine store. Found a 60's sewing machine (201 model ) and then persauded the old lady there to give me a quick sewing lesson, Actually I just wanted to learn how to thread the dang thing. From what I learned from books and then just doing it, I found that it is pretty easy when you have patterns. I had to start from scratch as my springs were bare. First thing I did was cover the springs with burlap, then I cut some foam and placed over that. Then I sewed a backing to my chosen upholstery. Then I sewed piping into it for design. Stuffed the piping, hog ringed it to the springs and installed. This was for my Model A, most people think it is the original upholstery cause it does match the original headliner, door panels that are left in the car. Oh yeah, that sewing machine cost me a hundred bucks back in 1996. Dan
This is over my head...I can picture myself hunched over a sewing machine cussing like a drunk sailor or wishing I was. Them door panels look pretty darn good to me.
Damn, Dennis referring to the ex-wife in a positive and productive situation. There is hope in the world!! Just razzin' you Dennis. Seth
