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[mdy25]

Hello!

I'm about to embark on my first job -- but I'm struggling a bit with the amount of fabric to order. The inside measurements of the car total 13 feet (it's a Model T). The client has asked for red and black interior (black pleating in the middle of seats and red around). This same pattern will be throughout the door and back panels as well. The client is figuring 6 yards of red and 3 yards black plus 4 yards of carpet.

Does this seem like enough? I feel like it might be underestimating.

Thanks in advance!

[Cody]

I don’t think this is far off honestly. But without measurements of your insert size, are they factory seats, a sedan, tudor sedan, coupe, roadster, etc. carpet should be an easy measurement, factory seats are smaller than modern. If factory, I have a 26 T, Tudor sedan I can measure

[John]

The #s sound close but like Cody said, hard to say with out pictures and measurements.

I honestly stopped estimating in detail exactly how much fabric I need for a job. Its a waste of your time. The extra hour or two of your time you spend measuring and calculating everything exactly is worth a lot more than just ordering a few extra yards. Just over estimate a little. Also this allows for mistakes, which do happen.

Your customer should trust you and the amount of fabric you need for a job. They shouldn't be telling you how much fabric you need to use.

[Cody]

I agree with @John i use to measure to the inch. (Not really) then I’d screw something up and there I sat a few days waiting for material to show up, pay out of my pocket the second round of shipping, which if I had added a few extra yards on to start would have been the same shipping as the first round. A yard or 2 extra won’t make or break the deal with the customer. If it does, you didn’t want them anyways.

[mdy25]

Thanks all! It's a 27 Model T Coupe. I've included pictures of the project car as well as how he would like the seats to look.

[mdy25]

[Cody]

Not sure if those are his exact seats but if so I feel in the end you’ll have close to equal amounts of black and red, little more red. The door panels you have double the red as you will the black. Depends on what the owner wants for around the rear window area. That will all be fabric too. But I doubt they would want to 2tone that high up and would look best single color.

[mdy25]

@Cody -- He wants the red pleating to wrap around the entire interior. The height of the pleats will decrease but the black pleats with red will be throughout, with a black welt cord in between the horizontal sections. I think that's what is causing me to really struggle calculating amounts of fabric needed. The seats will look just like that, except black pleats in the middle and red on the sides. The cushion under the bum is removeable.

Nothing like jumping into a rather large job for the first kick at the cat!

[Pgnelson45]

Keep in mind what they say is the best way to eat an elephant;
One bite at a time!

[John]

I think you will need more like 8 yds red and 4 yds black. Because you also have all the panels behind the seats and also the headliner.