I have learned tons about sewing (and myself) through this project. I'm over half way done with the sewing so I thought I'd share a few of the things I've learned.
First let me share the semi-end project. This is a completed seat, but it is not stapled down to the cushion yet so it looks a bit lumpy...but you get the idea!
Removing the old upholstery was an overwhelming task but as you can see it was worn and had some mildew. Once everything was taken out of the boat I realized just how much there was to be done. (And this isn't even all of it!)
I wish I had some tips on removing the old upholstery...I suppose the number one thing I learned is to use stainless steel staples. The previous upholsterer did not! The staples were rusty and very hard to get out! (I'm sure I should have had a tetanus shot before starting this project!)
As I took the seats apart they had a variety of screws and hinges so I quickly realized how important it was to be organized. Easy tip....use a ziploc bag!! I used a different bag for each different type of seat or cushion, making sure I labeled it clearly! I can't imagine how we'd ever get it all back together if I hadn't kept the parts separate.
In addition to the vinyl having mildew the cushions underneath had gotten wet and not aired out properly. I feared we'd have to replace the cushions; which would have been a pretty penny, but with a good cleaning with Odoban they smell fresh and mildew free! (I don't usually endorse products, but I am a huge fan of Odoban.) It took a long time for the cushions to dry out but I was so pleased with the result! I could stick my nose right into the foam!! I am always quick to toss things out and buy new but I have learned don't just toss those cushions, blankets etc that get mildew or mold...give them a good bath and they will be back to their fresh selves!
We decided we really wanted to have some piping on the seats. I struggled with the piping (at first) because you have to sew very close to it but not over it! This is fine when you can see the piping, but when sewing the second layer it is impossible to see exactly where to sew...unless...you use a ZIPPER foot!!!
Once I discovered the zipper foot I thought I had found gold!!
The only drawback with the zipper foot is that it doesn't help feed the thick fabric through, so I've had to
use a bit of muscle! Anytime you need to see where you're sewing I highly recommend the zipper foot!The most important lesson I've learned so far in this project is not to doubt my abilities! If you take the time to think through what you're doing and measure multiple times your not going to run into many problems. If you make a mistake, you can rip it out and start over...I learned that very early on! Nobody will know how many times you started over, but they will know if you give up and quit!
