The Upholstery Forum

Hey guys after a lot of messing around with my sewing machine I finally got it to work and this is my first ever project, I’ve uploaded a few pictures please let me know what I could improve on

These are flat bed cushions for a rock and roll bed I have 1 left to make then on to the seats in the front

Looks pretty darn good to me.

What is causing the odd stitch every once in a while in the diamond pattern?

That would be the company I bought the Dijon’s stitch from, it would appear there maybe a problem with there cnc machine
I’m hoping to get better as time goes on, the machine I got probably ain’t helping matters

Looks like an excellent start! If you want to grow your skills try adding a single top stitch around some of the perimeter seams.

What machine do you have? If it is a real upholstery machine you can sew your own diamonds it just take some practice learning how to use the machine. Once you learn how to use your machine following a line it not so hard.

I have a brother db2-b755-mk3 which has been a pain to get working also the stitch length seems very unpredictable but I’m working with it and getting this project done, I’m enjoying it atm but maybe I could do with a walking foot machine?

Looks real good for a first piece. . . . curves and corners take some time to master. I'm still working on those aspects of the craft.

If you are going all in with upholstery work, you'll want to get a compound feed (walking foot & Needle feed) machine. The needle feed makes for an exact stitch length. You will also want the various feet/guides for sewing curves and top-stitching.

If you are having varying stitch length issues:
1) You may not have enough presser foot pressure.
2) Your thread may be getting caught up in the bobbin area
3) You may be pushing or pulling the fabric as you sew, instead of letting the machine feed itself.
4) Your presser foot may not be lifting high enough to clear the material.
5) Your presser foot could be getting hung up and not dropping all the way.

I’m currently using the same nylon foot the everything so maybe that won’t help doing the curves, is there a website that tells me what foot does what?
I got a feeling the foot don’t lift up quite fair enough the clear the material fully
I also appreciate all the help from you guy thank you

A nylon foot may be too slippery depending on your material.

Your can look at different options for you machine is the Superior catalog:
https://supsew.cld.bz/Superior-Sewing-D ... er-Catalog

Should I be proud of this or should I start it again? I’m not sure if it looks ok to use or not, please let me know what you guys think


I will post a picture later this evening of them in the vehicle and see what they look like

More 'proud' than 'start again'. For your first piece it is excellent. Is this something for your own project, or for someone else? If so, are you concerned they won't like it?

TedP wrote: ↑Fri Apr 15, 2022 9:57 am More 'proud' than 'start again'. For your first piece it is excellent. Is this something form your own project, or for someone else? If so, are you concerned they won't like it?

It’s for my own project as we have a camper van and it’s going in there but I do like things to be right, I was noticing that I was struggling getting the corners to match up but I did see a improvement the move I was doing them.
I know have the front drivers and passenger seats to do

We all tend to be the most critical of our own work. Corners, curves, and pattern alignment between separate pieces are all challenging and will improve with every piece that you make.

Are these seats patterned from old/original material, or did you have to make the patterns?

TedP wrote: ↑Fri Apr 15, 2022 10:18 am We all tend to be the most critical of our own work. Corners, curves, and pattern alignment between separate pieces are all challenging and will improve with every piece that you make.

Are these seats patterned from old/original material, or did you have to make the patterns?

These seats in the pictures were made from scratch, no templates but with the driver and passenger seats I may use the material from them as templates

Here’s my first attempt at doing 3 headrests

Glad this is not my day job

Remember the 3 p's,,,,,,practice, practice, practice. I wish my first bucket seat job had been in cloth and not vinyl. I think your doing fine for the first time. I just started late last year, and my wife would not coach me. She would later tell me my errors and how it should have been done. I guess you learn more from mistakes.