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Hey all!

What techniques do you all use to make a pattern on something with complex curves.

The way i was shown very breifly was to draw on the item where i want my seams. Then spray glue (lightly) some scrap vinyl onto the piece onto the panel. Then to find seam lines carefully lift the vinyl up to find seam lines then draw them onto the scrap vinyl. Cut it out then transfer it to the leather/vinyl to be used.

Even if thats the technique you used, i want to know any do's, dont's, tips or tricks. Basically give it to me idiots guide style.

Cheers
Sean

do you guys patern the same way for seats with custom foam (since the foam is uncompressed) as you would an oem seat that has the fabric still on it? would you shorten the patern for the custom foam similar as for a boat seat?

Pin it on with skewers using cheap vinyl, by using vinyl you get that slight stretch like you get with leather, don't glue the vinyl to the foam its not necessary and it could tear the foam, i won't use clear plastic cos it doesn't have enough stretch and your attachment marks will be out of whack especially for borders etc where you need it to be pliable , i will use it for inserts where I've got to see my design. You can glue vinyl when you have a hard surface and hard to cover pieces but only where you can pull it off without effecting the surface

What do I do about my chalk line rubbing off while making patterns?

Use sharpies so the seams don't rub off. I never glue my patterns down. Like Brent said you can just pin it. Gluing it eats up time and makes a mess. Also, I think using material for your patterns that has similar stretch capabilities as the material you intend to upholster the seat with is very important. Clear vinyl is alright but you could do just as well with normal scrap vinyl, just mark it from the underside.

Well bought some clear PVC and how I've managed without this stuff is beyond me. At £3 a metre it's cheap enough. Hoping my patterns will become more accurate too.

i use plastic as well. the way i was taught was to just spray a little bit of spray tack or contact cement to the plastic and stick it on to ensure it doesn’t move on you and aslong as you spray lightly it will pull right off then i spray the plastic with a little silicon so it doesn’t stick to itself or anything. i might try the vinyl way but how do you get a truly accurate pattern if ur lifting it up then putting it down then drawing the seam that’s the part iv never understood

I use the skewers method like bpmt, there's a good reason for it..... The panels can be stretched out so thay take the shape of the seat, once all the panels have been "pinned" to the seat then point them, when you machine the cover up you may notice you need to pull one side to get the points to match, the result will be a cover that falls on with no heat etc

A good example of this is a 911 bolster repair, try matching the cover without the stretch!

What method would be the best for a newbie that is trying to say recreate a new cover from a worm oem bucket seat cover?
1. Remove cover and disassemble entire cover to make a pattern for new cover.
2. Remove old cover and make a pattern over the foam using clear plastic or vinyl and a marker.
3. Use plastic or vinyl over the old cover with pins and a marker.
4. Something else

yep number 3 for sure! Naseem couldnt have said it any better than he has, check your old cover and centre up again and adjust accordingly. A little tip for the newbies, as long as the driver and pass seats are identical I will always try and mark out on the passenger seat cos it wont be as worn

shouldnt have to if you pin it to the job, by pinning it tight you should be compressing it already.

I've got a follow up queston if I may. Lets say I am making a pattern for the main face panel on a bucket seat and that main panel has some sort of design created just by top stitching. Lets say the pattern is six large diamond shapes incorpoarted within the main panel.
What would be the procedure for getting to the final panel size? Would you cut that panel somewhat oversize and then go about top stitching in your diamond patterns? With that complete go about cutting the main panel down to its correct size?