Seat Restored

The seat cover was way beyond repair as you could see from previous pictures.  The vinyl was worn clear through and it was threadbare on the edges.  The rivets were all rusted and most of the clips were rusted away as well.  I COULD have sent away to Stewarts to get a reproduction, but what's the fun in that?

Hancock Fabrics had a nice selection of vinyl scraps for really cheap.  I got way more than I'd ever use (just in case I screwed up).  The original made a good pattern, and the original horsehair jute was still serviceable.  I started with the main seat section cutting out a large piece with plenty of overlap.  It went nicely on the jute and I stuck it in place with a little contact adhesive left over from when I redid the carpet in the red Imp.  My old hand-me-down Sears sewing machine was NOT up to the task of punching through two layers of vinyl and the jute, so I had to break out the old sewing awl and do all the stitching by hand.  The two little triangles at the front of the seat were the only parts the machine could handle.

The bottom and back of the seat was a little more difficult.  It had to be made in two sections and then fastened together.  The bit in the back that hangs down was easy, the rest which holds three riveted clips was a little less straightforward.  It went together rather well, I'd say for never having done something so intricate.  Most of the stitches are straight and relatively uniform.  Truthfully my hand stitching was more uniform that the old sewing machine could manage.  It went together and slid over the whole frame.  I crimped the jean rivets into some stainless clips I fashioned out of old shimpack material.  It clipped in nicely and seems to have a nice even taut pull to it.  No bumps or lumps.

Whew something accomplished anyway.  Back to wrenching.