The Upholstery Forum

I have a problem with top stitches not being smooth, particualrly around bends and curves. What is wrong or what do I need to do different? Happens with single top stitch and with French Seams. Sorry for the blurry pic. I am talking about the wavey area to the front.

Try steaming the seams of your cover before installing. It will help a lot smoothing out everything out and getting it to lay naturally. I use my steamer non-stop when I'm installing covers.

Also what size seam allowance are you using? A smaller seam allowance might help as well.

i do 1/2 inch and trim to pobably to 3/8 t 1/4 before top stitching.....

Oh ok thats good. In that case steam should fix that for you no problem. Do you have a steamer?

I have a heat gun. I have tried heating it AFTER it is installed. Seems to help some but I am affraid t go too crazy with it for fear of melting or scorching the vinyl. I heat it to the point that you can't ley your hand on it long.... Whatever temp that is...lol

Yeah heat guns can be useful in some applications. But you really need a steamer for this. It will make all the difference in the world. With vinyl you cant really steam it to much but you can defiantly melt vinyl with a heat gun. Steam it before you put the cover on from the inside. Get it nice and soft. The seam will relax and youll be able to install it really nicely on that seat. I typically steam every seam on vinyl covers before I install the cover. This is the steamer I use. It will last your lifetime. Jiffy J-4000 https://amzn.to/2GKa8X0
You can also get by with the cheaper ones from sears. Just don't buy the small hand held ones.

Thank you @john! I will look into it. So steam the fabric side first, then put the cover on? Maybe that is the secret I have been looking for. I allways wonder how the factory seats look so nice and smooth. I have taken apart enough seats now to know that few if any are symetrical from side to side or worse, seat to seat. So I was thinking it is not my patterns that is giving me those problems. I look forward to getting the steam going!

Steamers are a trimmers best friend
With vinyl you cant really do any harm. You can steam the heck out of it. You have to be careful on leather though. Sometimes it can make the leather shrink up like crazy.

And yeah there is nothing precise about factory boat covers.

@john, Does one of your training videos cover this? will you be making a boat seat training in the future?

@Vicstric in Johns Apprentice Course the steamer is covered.

Thank you @BigRig!

vicstric wrote:@john, Does one of your training videos cover this? will you be making a boat seat training in the future?

I use the steamer quite a bit in the seat covers course. I do plan on expanding the videos in to boats. I'm not sure when Ill get there.
Is there ant specific topics on boats you would want covered?

Let me get to the seat covers course and I will let you know if i would like more in a specific area. Thanks for everything!