The Upholstery Forum

Hello all,
I’m a bit of a car nut and want to undertake some of my own car interior upholstery, door cars, quilted panels etc.
I am a COMPLETE novice. My first project is to make a car transmission tunnel diamond stitched cover. I’ve posted a few photos below. The first shows the pattern I have created.

Next the effect I am trying to create

So this is my first attempt


I’m struggling with stitch consistency. This is my machine which is fitted with a cheap add on walking foot.


Can anyone help with advice on the following questions, is my equipment suitable. Any tips on threads, needles, thread tension? I’m also struggling with hemming the edges and keeping these neat and straight. All this is new to me.
Do I need a more robust machine?
Any help appreciated. Thank you,
John

Your limitations with that machine will include needle and thread size, stitch length, the amount of material will fit under the foot and stitch irregularities. That machine will make stitches but with many compromises. Check out @John 's buyers guide on the lucky needle

Hi @John G! Welcome to the forum!

Unfortunately you likely wont be able to get good stitch consistency using that machine with heavy material and foam. Also those walking foot attachments dont compensate for a real walking foot sewing machine. That being said your work looks pretty darn good for the machine your working with!

Thanks for the replies and advice, I’ve just purchased a Singer 211G 156 for $200. So hopefully that we help.

Oh yes that 211 will be a massive improvement and $200 is a steal of a deal!

Have you managed to do it successfully? Please, share the result! we are interested :)

Hi all, yes will keep you updated. Will likely be looking for advice and tips on setting the machine up. Collecting the machine up this weekend.
John

Hi pick up my machine today. A quick clean up and oil then had a quick go.
It seams to work fine, the clutch is pretty fierce and maybe to fast for my limited skills. I tried out a few runs on some Alcantara I had laying around. Definitely more practice needed.

I've had some clutches that work okay. I have tried greasing the cork on a few of them and that helps improve speed control some. The one I have now I wiped sewing machine oil on the cork (clutch side only not the brake) and that one provides pretty good low speed control. I found the greased clutch had a warm up time, meaning the low speed control got better the longer the motor warmed up so I figured the oil would not need the warm up time.

That or pop for a servo drive. I've done that on most of my machines.

Looks like it stitches quite nicely! My first choice would be to purchase a servo motor for it. That will make it much easier to learn on. If you dont want to do that I would suggests finding the smallest pulley that will fit the shaft of you motor. This will slow the machine down a bit.

Thank you for your advice, I’ve trying to some options for servo motors in the UK. On eBay they vary from $130 - $180. To be honest I’m not sure what I’m looking for but have found theses options in the Uk. Any thoughts or advice please. Thank you in advance.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133333389725

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/352021797735

The two I normally recommend are the exact same as what you posted except here in the states they are sold under a different rebranded name.

If you want the best controllably I would go with the first one.
The second one will also be almost as controllable but will have a little more power.

Just my opinion....

John, thank you for your advice. Servo motor ordered hopefully delivery for the weekend.

But - boys with new toys etc, decided to spend a couple of hours tonight with the machine. So a full oiling session again just to help Doris (that’s my machines new name) along. Then I set about my first project. Please remember, have have about 6 hours experience to date on a domestic machine and about 30 mins on Doris.

My first project being a vinyl cover for Doris. To keep her clean and safe. Measured and cut out one main section and two ends. 1/2” seams all around. Plan being to sew inside out.

Spent about 30mins setting up the top tension. Once happy I started with the bottom hems then added the side panels. Managed to get some reasonable control over the needle speed but a servo will almost certainly help me.

Very pleased with myself, no major mishaps, on the final run and about halfway along my bobbin ran out of thread

On well, time to thread a new bobbin - that is where the fun started. Before I restarted on my project I decided to do a trial run and disaster, massive birds net on the underside of the thread. Re checked the bobbin, all ok, tried again. Still a mess.

With my limited knowledge, I deduced it had to be thread tension ( unlikely to be the bottom I thought) so I tightened the top. No difference - regardless of adjustment I just seemed to be making no difference, and every attempt ended up with a birds nest. Frustrated I re threaded the machine. More adjustment and this time it seemed to be making a difference. Wasted a complete hour

Not sure what I did or didn’t do.

By the time I had the problem sorted tthe bottom bobbin was empty again. Luckily I had wound a spare bobbin. So finished off my last seam.

MASSIVE learning curve for me. But hopefully I will learn from this.

Anyway a couple pictures of the finished cover - it’s nothing special however a step forward for me. Genuinely pleased with myself And a picture of the mess on the floor from all the wasted thread

Your machine cover looks great! Especially for it being the first piece you made on the machine. When you start sewing you seam are you holding tension on your top and bottom thread with your fingers? If you don't hold the thread tight enough until you do your back stitch you will end up with a big birds nest of thread as you described.

That looks great for only a few hours of sewing! I was going to ask the exact same question as @Mikesimpson