Probably going to need to sew piping to carpet.

As I see it, I have 3 options...

1) Pay a professional to do it - against my philosophy as I've done everything myself so far.

2) Buy a sewing machine - any recommendations?

3) Borrow a sewing machine - anyone localish got one up to the job I can borrow for a few days?

Stephen

[Edited on 25/3/06 by stevebubs]

I'm localish (Andover)
If you're going to buy then avoid the silly travel machines, they just don't work for doing anything other than sewing bad stitches through muslin.

I don't know what sort of thickness my wife's machine will go through but I'll check and let you know.

you cant sew carpet with a normal sewing machine. your going to need the machine designed for the job.

get down carpet world and ask one of the fitters to do it on the side

Yes agree with that domestic machines despite different needles wont cope.Tried sewing double thickness vinyl and ended up at the shoe repairers for him to sew up my cover

I've got a Brother industrial sewing machine in my Garage that will quite happily sew piping to vinyl. I'm not sure about carpet though, as it depends on the thickness and toughness of it.

The domestic ones (like what you can buy from argos etc) won't really hack sewing anything other than a few layers of curtain fabric. The motors don't have the grunt, and the mechanics are too weak.

North Wales is a bit far from reading though, otherwise you would be welcome to borrow mine. Which reminds me, I need to change the oil on it!

Cheers
Andy

Took a sample of the piping, carpet and alcantera into the Heelas (Reading John Lewis's) yesterday.

Woman behind the counter took a look at it, went ok..."this one won't but this one may....". She then took the machine off the shelf and sewed it together infront of me to prove it.

She then gave me a 10 minute lesson on what to do and hints and tips.

So I bought one.

Spent 2 hours and 100m of cotton last night trying to replicate the feat. Gave up before just before I reached the point of throwing it through the window...

Got up this morning, removed the plastic tubing from the piping and sewed a sample together perfectly....

Just need to wait for the rain to stop so I can measure up and cut the carpet to size...

[Edited on 27/3/06 by stevebubs]
Rescued attachment Interior 001.jpg

BTW - ignore the loose threads - the house is covered in them at the moment.

This is an approximation of what I want to try and achieve on the tunnel...
Rescued attachment Interior 002.jpg

I got one for £5 from the flea market and it sews 3 layers of vinyl together with a thick needle for denim. It's a Newhome machine.

These Locosts are amazing aint they? One minute you`re up to your elbows in oil with a breaker bar and the next making pretty little carpet piping with a sewing machine. Any of you tried your own curtains yet ?
Alex

Coming together slowly...
Rescued attachment Interior 007.jpg

looking really good steve, coming along nicely.

what happened to the old seats?

and what do you charge for sewing up a boot cover - i have all the material so can cut and pin it to shape

Ned.

quote:

---

Originally posted by ned
looking really good steve, coming along nicely.

---

quote:

---

what happened to the old seats?

---

quote:

---

and what do you charge for sewing up a boot cover - i have all the material so can cut and pin it to shape

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by stevebubs
Look in the "For Sale" Section - think this is the second pairs since you saw the car - had some intatrim low backs in there for a while.

---

quote:

---

Bring it over one night and we'll see what we can do. Only have black and yellow cotton currently, though

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by ned

quote:

---

Originally posted by stevebubs
Look in the "For Sale" Section - think this is the second pairs since you saw the car - had some intatrim low backs in there for a while.

---

you had some westfield padded race seats in when i saw the car.

---

Steve , my mum used to do a lot of sewing and when sewing vinyl etc she place a piece of greaseproof paper over the parts to be sewn and sewed through it . This had the effect of somehow lubricating the material and was removed when the job was finished. May be of help to you?

Ta - think I've got it down sorted now....although I'll probably redo the tunnel at some point in the near future - not quite as good as I would like it.

Stephen

[Edited on 4/5/06 by stevebubs]

A bit of paper (greaseproof or office) between the layers of materials being stitched is usualy to try and minimise the layers slipping relative to eachother.

Ripstop nylon is particularly bad in that respect, but a bit of paper between the layers minimises slippage, and can be removed easily without damaging the stitching.

Cheers
Andy

Mum used the greaseproof on top of the fabric to be stitched to aid the needle to penetrate . With out the greaseproof sewing machine did not have enough power.