Anyone do sewing on canvas tops?

[Patrolman]

I have a top that needs a couple small patches sewn in. Wanted to check and see if anyone here can do this or refer me to someone before I go to CL or the yellow pages...

Thanks!

[Chris]

PM Pete ;)

[Brody]

Happy to take a look at it, but Phyliss Grimm (AKA Stitchlines) is located right around the corner from you off of Broadway. Her shop is an alley entrance shop with the sign on Broadway and is almost due west of your house.


Stitchlineshttp://maps.google.com/?cid=16716417849308127027s=9758315767325038435Stit chlines
Place page
3750 South Broadway
Englewood, CO 80113-3617
(303) 781-9044
Bus: S Broadway & W Kenyon Ave

Phyliss has all of the commercial machines which I do not own anymore and has done a lot of work for both myself, friends of mine and Ed. I have done a lot of sewing for her at various times when she has gotten behind in her stuff. Good person and very reasonably priced.

Matt Feeney also has a commercial machine and does sewing, but he seems to be very busy right now. Sean also used to have a commercial machine and has done sewing, but he is way north of you. Try to get in touch with Phyliss (tell her I said hi...and use my 'other' last name 'Hubbel' as she sometimes forgets I changed it...)and let me know if you strike out there for some reason. She is pretty damn good...

[Patrolman]

Actually, I guess this is a vinyl top rather than a canvas top. Too late to think clearly when I wrote last night. I have a Miata top that needs some stiches repaired around the window. Also have a Miata top that just needs a couple patches.

Can these generally be done on the car or does it need to be removed? If it is removed can it still be on the convertible frame or does it need to be completely loose? Sorry for the ignorance. When it comes to sewing, I am completely ignorant...

[Cr33p3r]

Jeff they are generally off the car and frame so they can be machine sewn, some place will do it by hand while on the car but usually charge more. If I still had my machine it would have had to been off of both, never hurts to ask the shop you deal with.

[RicardoJM]

I bought a Paki style soft top that was seven years old. The windows were cracked so I took it in to Stichlines to have new windows put in. At the time Phyliss's workload was pretty high, so she sent me across the street and down south a few blocks. I don't remember the name or address; but it Phyliss cant get the work done for you, she can pass on the contact information. If not, it is a white house with a sign on the side indicating they do motorcycle seat covers with a phone number. They are only there M-W. Windows came out great and the price was reasonable. Your post reminded me, I need to take my top back in for some repair work on one of the seams.

[Brody]

That's funny Ricardo. I have known Phyliss for over 20 years....

[Patrolman]

Only problem with taking it off the frame is they are generally riveted on from the factory. To take it off means drilling out rivets, which often times means ruining the top. Sort of defeats the purpose.

[Brody]

Hey Jeff

Can you post some pictures? If worse comes to worse, I am also very good at hand sewing stuff....including skin....

I would like to have a better idea of what we are talking about here.

[Patrolman]

Will try to shoot some tomorrow. These are both simple jobs, likely could be done by hand, I just have no idea where to start. Thanks to all for the info!

[Patrolman]

here are some pics of the "priority" one. It is on the car. There is a bar that pushes on the top right there, and it split open. I wanted to try to patch it to keep from having to replace the entire top. Split is about 2" long. One photo is close with the ruler. Other is further away to show where it occured.

[RidgeRunner]

I work at an upholstery shop and have done quite a few Miata tops. They can be removed and re-installed without ruining the top fairly easily. The only way to really do a good resew on a top is to remove it and sew it on a machine. The down side to that is that there is more labor involved in doing that than just replacing the top. Not only do you have the labor to R&I but you have time sewing also.

What I'd probably recommend is to glue a patch on the under side using contact cement to keep it from getting any bigger, that would be the easiest and cheapest way to go. If the stiching on the binding around the doors is starting to go, that's a good sign that the top in near the end of it's life and isn't worth pulling to resew it.

[Patrolman]

The only 2 places that it is having any issues is the 2 small spots on either side of the bow. Obviously the one is torn, and the other is getting thin. Otherwise, no problems. I can get another top for a couple hundred and remove/install myself. Car has all tinted windows, so I would have to do that to match and it wouldn't have a rear grid, which is honestly not a big loss. Just trying to gauge which is the better option at this point.

[RidgeRunner]

Some of the newer tops we install on those have a reinforcement patch on the underside in that area. I'd probably put one on both sides with some good contact cement and some top material. Glue it in cloth back to cloth back and let it go until the tip really dies, then replace it. If you can't find some material down there I can get you a piece big enough to patch both sides.

[Patrolman]

Cool! I appreciate the tips. Car has a salvage title and some bad paint, so trying not to drop big $ into it. Will let you know how it goes!