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[rdh522]

I’m new and would love some advice on patterning around the front corner of a seat base. I used a clear sticky transfer tape to try the pattern but it seams I’m ending up with about an inch of excess material around the corner. I’ve seen other people use masking tape to get nice tight pattern but I can’t wrap my head around how do I get a piece of leather around that corner with that much extra material. I’ll try to include a picture of my pattern. Thanks!!!

[Mikesimpson]

With the seam being on that radius it makes if more difficult to make the pattern. When I pattern something like that I spray a little cheep spray glue on the foam and then use a thin clear plastic to make the pattern. The plastic has a small amount a stretch in it, similar to vinyl or leather. When I place the plastic on the foam I get the flattest part struck down first to act as an anchor, then stretch the plastic slightly as I would wrap it around. Its not easy to do and defiantly takes some practice to get right. The stiffness of that clear transfer tape is going to fight you on that particular piece.

[rdh522]

Thanks...I bought cheap dollar store clear shower curtains to use as templates, I'll try that with some temporary basting spray. I just used that tape because it was there and figured it was already sticky. I'll practice on some cheap vinyl I have left over from other projects a bit before I sew the leather!!

[Matt Hamblin]

@rdh522
Boxing can really be a pain. I still have a hard time trying to get them right at times, especially when i am doing a big job where i don't do a seat for a while and kind of have to retrain my mind once i do one again.

I hope this will make sense.

I usually take a sheet of clear vinyl that is overly large compared to the actual piece. I then start at the front edge, around the curve past the seam, with the upper left corner of the vinyl. I like to use temp glue as well as tee pins to help hold it in place so it can stretch around the corner.

Then take the rest of the material and wrap it around toward the rear while angling it upwards. This helps take the slack out in the corner. I then tack it in place and make adjustments from there. If you were to leave the side attached and loosen the front it would look like it is angled down.

Hope this helps and makes sense. I have to really think about it and adjust multiple times every time and I've done my fair share of seats at this point lol.

Good luck!

[rdh522]

@Matt Hamblin,
Thanks....I did use the cheap dollar store shower curtain with pins for a rough draft it worked pretty well, I was more concerned with that upper corner that slopes back a bit so what I did was instead of ending up with that extra 1" of fabric, I pulled it as tight as I could then made a bunch of tiny pleats in the clear vinyl and taped it with scotch tape. I traced it all to my scrap vinyl and it turned out pretty decent. Except......for exactly what you said, I wasn't paying enough attention to the sides and now it seems as though when they are pulled under there is too much material at the corner. Trial and error...that's why I'm roughing it out with scraps of vinyl before I cut into the leather!! Thanks for the advice!!

[John]

The trouble you are running in to is not using a large enough sheet to start with and also your lining up the top edge of the pattern material with the top seam and trying to get it to take the shape of the corner. You would think that piece should be straight. However because the shape of the corner on seats it usually tapers in slightly to the bottom. This makes it not a straight piece when laid out flat
Try laying down an over size piece of pattern material and dont worry about the top seam. You will find that the correct pattern will be "J" shaped.

I hope that makes sense and helps!