Retired from newspapers and television, currently sailing Thelonious II, a 1984 Ericson 381.
It's a tribute to the bulletproof velour upholstery that Ericson used in 1985 that in many boats it survives and even flourishes. My zippers remain sound. The cloth is robust and unstained. Even so, damage occurs. Many years of UV through an uncovered forward hatch led to the destruction of the V-berth cushion tops. These I replaced with a Sunbrella product that closely matches the original (Sewmanship 3, here).
Small holes and tears, however, are inevitable.
If simply sewn together or patched the repair is obvious. A better way is use a sewing machine to darn the hole against a backing plate of any slightly less thick material. The backing doesn't have to be the same color. The darning stitch can be zig-zag or straight. (Color differences in these photos are the result of lighting; all fabric is the same color.)
The backing plate should be fairly large, so it can easily be positioned under the work area. The sewing machine is then used to fill in the hole by repeated zig-zag forward and reverse passes. If using straight-stitch, the material should be filled in the direction of the fabric grain, then rotated so the second passes occur at right angles. Here's what the result looks like from the back side. Oversized backing can be trimmed down after completion.
Even in velour, the completed repair is not easily noticeable in cabin lighting.
One important factor is the color of the thread used. It should closely match the fabric, and it's a good idea to take an upholstery sample to a fabric store such as JoAnn Fabric and Craft and compare prospective thread spools outside in sunlight. I recently filled some holes in my "starry night" dark blue fabric with "navy" V-92. But it was a slightly different "navy," and I had to rip it out and start over with a closer color.
I am not unaware that this thing called darning is elementary and what mothers used to teach their nine-year-old daughters. But it is a necessary step in preserving our old upholstery because little holes get bigger fast, and as far as I know there's no better way to do it. A new set of cushions is only about five grand, of course, so perhaps maintaining the old ones is a waste of time that would be better spent lunching with Warren Buffet.
I taught myself basic sewing with a 1965 Singer 237. Wonderful machine, and I used its zig-zag setting for this project. I recently bought a 1952 Singer 15-91, because as a direct-drive machine, rather than belt-driven like the 237, it can sew through more layers of canvas. The 15-91 has reverse, but sews only straight-stitch. Both machines are indestructible examples of mass-produced mechanical art and both can be had on the Internet in the $200 range.
The real answer, when the time comes, is a Sailrite machine or equivalent. Here's a video:
Sewmanship 1--the Sewing Machine
Sewmanship 2--Covers for Dinghy, Hatches, Pedestal, Mainsail
Sewmanship 3--Cockpit Shade, Main Hatch Cover, Interior Upholstery
Sewmanship 4--Line Bags, Seat Locker, Grab Rail Covers
Sewmanship 5--Weather Cloths
Small holes and tears, however, are inevitable.
If simply sewn together or patched the repair is obvious. A better way is use a sewing machine to darn the hole against a backing plate of any slightly less thick material. The backing doesn't have to be the same color. The darning stitch can be zig-zag or straight. (Color differences in these photos are the result of lighting; all fabric is the same color.)
The backing plate should be fairly large, so it can easily be positioned under the work area. The sewing machine is then used to fill in the hole by repeated zig-zag forward and reverse passes. If using straight-stitch, the material should be filled in the direction of the fabric grain, then rotated so the second passes occur at right angles. Here's what the result looks like from the back side. Oversized backing can be trimmed down after completion.
Even in velour, the completed repair is not easily noticeable in cabin lighting.
One important factor is the color of the thread used. It should closely match the fabric, and it's a good idea to take an upholstery sample to a fabric store such as JoAnn Fabric and Craft and compare prospective thread spools outside in sunlight. I recently filled some holes in my "starry night" dark blue fabric with "navy" V-92. But it was a slightly different "navy," and I had to rip it out and start over with a closer color.
I am not unaware that this thing called darning is elementary and what mothers used to teach their nine-year-old daughters. But it is a necessary step in preserving our old upholstery because little holes get bigger fast, and as far as I know there's no better way to do it. A new set of cushions is only about five grand, of course, so perhaps maintaining the old ones is a waste of time that would be better spent lunching with Warren Buffet.
I taught myself basic sewing with a 1965 Singer 237. Wonderful machine, and I used its zig-zag setting for this project. I recently bought a 1952 Singer 15-91, because as a direct-drive machine, rather than belt-driven like the 237, it can sew through more layers of canvas. The 15-91 has reverse, but sews only straight-stitch. Both machines are indestructible examples of mass-produced mechanical art and both can be had on the Internet in the $200 range.
The real answer, when the time comes, is a Sailrite machine or equivalent. Here's a video:
Sewmanship 1--the Sewing Machine
Sewmanship 2--Covers for Dinghy, Hatches, Pedestal, Mainsail
Sewmanship 3--Cockpit Shade, Main Hatch Cover, Interior Upholstery
Sewmanship 4--Line Bags, Seat Locker, Grab Rail Covers
Sewmanship 5--Weather Cloths
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