Advice On 1St Car Interior

[errigal]

Hi all so I'm restoring an old triumph dolomite sprint at the moment and have decided to replace the cloth seats with leather. Have never done anything like sewing leather before and could do with a little advice.

I have figured out that I can't go grab an ordinary sewing machine and hey presto new car seats. I don't think it's worth spending a ball of money on a walking foot compound feed machine for a one off so my question is how difficult would it be to hand stitch an interior?????

I know every1 will tell me to get it done by an upholsterer but that's not point - I WANT to do it myself. The learning is part of the fun for me. I also don't mind slow painstaking work.

I have 1.5mm buffalo hides due to arrive in the next few days so will have to decide what the master plan will be

Would u all hand stitch or chance a cheapy like a singer hand cranked? I'm guessing feeding an old machine and keeping the stitches consistent would be a nightmare?

Also can you hand perforate leather? Be nice to have perf leather in the seat bottom to stop every1 sticking to them

Thanks

Davie

[Ferg]

If you are intent on copying the manner in which those seats are done plus doing it by hand you will need about a year of spare time and infinite patience.

A walking foot is just about the only type machine you can do this I believe.

Folks will have suggestions I am sure.

ferg

[errigal]

I kinda guessed that might be the answer. The infinite patience bit doesn't worry me but the year bit does.

I did consider changing the seats to a plainer design to update the look. The strips are not even pretty. Lol