redoing cushions/upholstery

bill_never_paid · January 24, 2009, 06:48 PM

Still winter but time to get new things started. Is there a place that someone has posted on redoing upholstery in their motorhome? Not looking forward to this but wife says she wants/would like it changed. No clue on how to, even, run a sewing machine; but hey if a ---- thought I was going to say it?

not a chance.
Thanks for any help,
Bill

tiinytina · January 24, 2009, 07:19 PM

hi ho,
I actually just did a complete makeover of Gone last camping season, sewing machine in tow each trip.
there are 2 options for you to consider. First is to simply make slip covers, the other is a total redo. I chose to do slip covers, that way I can take them off and de-dog them when needed easily.
To make the slip covers I simply measured the demensions of each piece of material used on the seat or cushion. I added 2" to length and width measurements. I bought a big remnant of upholstery material (8 yds) which turned out to be just enough to cover the dinette cushions and both big captains chairs. I didn't have my measurements when I bought the material or I would have bought more!
I measured out each piece, cut it and sewed. For the dinette cushions I made the tops and made the sides extra wide and attached elastic in a channel I sewed on the bottom. For the captains chairs mine slip over as one piece but you could make a back piece and a bottom piece.
If you want to do a total redo the first thing to do is to take apart the existing cover, snipping the stitching apart. Now you have a pattern to use to cut the new pieces.
I always allow extra around my patterns because you can always take fabric in but if its short well.... I also fold over the edges twice so that the edges can't fray.
Are my slip covers perfect? Nope. are they functional. oh ya. And the first rule of sewing is... First you sew... then you rip!

Tina

ClydesdaleKevin · January 24, 2009, 08:33 PM

For complicated upholstery, like the old driver/passenger seats in the Ark, we had a professional do it...and we'll do the same when it comes time to reupholster the driver/passenger seats in Excalibur.

For just the plain flat foam of the dinnette cushions, Tina is right...if you want to totally redo them, then its just a matter of carefully removing the old stitches, use them as a template, and then sew the new ones up. If you want to do piping like Patti did in the Ark it still isn't all that hard...you just sew them into the seams...all piping is is a ribbon of material in the color you want, sewed tight around a cloth rope that looks like clothesline.

Kev

tiinytina · January 24, 2009, 10:11 PM

Actually I used cotton clothes line last time I made piping for some pillows!... ha ha

Tina

ClydesdaleKevin · January 25, 2009, 08:31 AM

LOL! Patti was going to use clothesline, but she had about of hundred feet of the piping rope in her craft/sewing totes from some other project from years past, so she used that instead...lmao!

Kev

bill_never_paid · January 25, 2009, 05:04 PM

Thanks for the information on the cushions and I think I will do "the redue thing" but the covers sounds inviting after i told my wife "i think i can do this but may have to figure out the cornering thing "and she said there are professionals to correct my mistakes. Now that i want to do this i also want to use diff. foam and shouldn't i use a little softer stuff as the foam is a rock right now or just pick the foam i want and use that batting material.as if i know what I'm talking about.
Bill

tiinytina · January 25, 2009, 05:25 PM

Most fabric stores carry foam, but just a warning its expensive. A cheaper option may be to add several layers of polyester quilt batting to the top of the foam. Alternatively you could get a mattress egg crate foam for a twin bed and cut it up adding that to the top of current foam.

If you decide to attempt them yourself. make a mock up using cheap cotton fabric first. You can usually work out issues on this before you ruin $$ upholstery fabric...

Tina

bill_never_paid · January 25, 2009, 05:46 PM

Thanks tina,
I heard that the foam was expensive and I think you are right on the extra cushion stuff. I really don't have a problem with sleeping on it ,now, but thought it would be nice to have a little softer cushions and the "cheap fabric" thing is a must for me to start with. Hey we have a sewing machine out there in the shed that hasn't been used for 30 yrs so even that may be a challenge although i figured i would ask the people at the store what to use for sewing etc.
Bill

tiinytina · January 25, 2009, 07:23 PM

No clue as to how that machine was cared for in its prior life... so may or may not work if the parts are all rusted. That said I have a 1917 White treadle machine in my hall that works like a charm.... May behoove you to google the machine to find out where the oil points are etc. Cheapest material to get for prototype is simple cotton. you can get at Walmart etc for $2-5 a yard. Fabric stores usally have cheap remnants.

If you want to go all out... you could buy a memory foam mattress and cut it down for the cushions. I've found it fairly cheap online especially at overstock.com.

Tina

ClydesdaleKevin · January 25, 2009, 07:35 PM

When we redo the dinette cushions in Excalibur, we are going to replace the foam with the marine application floatation foam...why, do you ask? Because it is closed cell foam, and if one of the dogs or the cat has an accident on them, of if someone spills a drink, the marine style foam doesn't absorb moisture like a sponge...lol!

I THINK that memory foam is closed cell as well, if MY memory serves me correctly, and if that is the case, that might be a cheaper more comfy option than the marine foam.

Kev

maryk2u · March 15, 2009, 05:33 PM

I reupholstered our 1985 Itasca Windcruiser last year, bench seats, hide-a-bed and captain's chairs. It was the first time I attempted anything like that too. The tips from Tina and Kevin are good ones.

A couple of things I learned that I would like to pass along are make your cushions slightly smaller than the size of your foam because most uph material will stretch a little with use. Put a plastic garbage bag over your foam before putting it into the material- it will make it a breeze to do, then of course, remove the garbage bag before you zip or sew the seam closed! To sew a round corner, clip the seam margin in a number of places. It will keep the material from bunching.

I don't know what sewing machine foot Patty used to make the welt, I found a zipper foot works the best for me. I just made 2 window awnings and a 17 ft sunblocker and found I could get real tight to the cord using the zipper foot. I hope your efforts turn out as well as you hope. Please post some pics when you are finished. We will be reposting some pictures of our rig as soon as I can get the battery for the camera recharged! Good Luck with your efforts.
Mary