Recovering '68 Caravel Cushions ???

[mistermike]

My wife and I want to make new covers for our 1968 Caravel's foam cushions. We are wondering how much fabric will be required. Our Caravel has the front dinette floor plan.

Thnaks in advance for any information relative to this undertaking.

Mister Mike
W1RC

[Bigventure]

Hi My 65 caravel with a front and side goucho will use 20 yards. Just measure all around and a little overage. The standard width of the fabric is 54" so on the custions the patern goes left/right. You will probably want to replace the foam. My total for both goucho will be 1000. That beaks down to 350 fabric, 200 foam, 450 labor, zippers, muslin wrap on the foam. I'm suppling the plywood for the inside of the backs. I hope this gives you a start. Oh use a good upostery grade fabric.

[rluhr]

Interesting. We just had our 1968 Caravel cushions done this week (haven't even seen them yet). Ours is a front dinette model, and the estimate was 11 yards of fabric, quite a bit less than Bigventure's double gaucho model.

But since we chose an expensive fabric, the total was $440 for fabric anyway. Labor was about the same at $475.

[mistermike]

Thanks folks for the information and assistance. My wife Cynthia is in charge of this aspect of the project and will assuredly produce far better results than I. She has much better color coordination and a feel for what works and what doesn't.

Regards,

MisterMike W1RC

[mistermike]

Originally Posted by rluhr

Interesting. We just had our 1968 Caravel cushions done this week (haven't even seen them yet). Ours is a front dinette model, and the estimate was 11 yards of fabric, quite a bit less than Bigventure's double gaucho model.</p>

My wife was wondering if you included covering both sides of your cushions with the 11 yards of fabric you used. Also did you make piping that goes around the seams and if so was that material included in the 11 yards?We are in the process of choosing the fabric and need to know how much to buy.
Thanks again,MisterMike

[Bigventure]

MisterMike,

The fabric only comes 54" wide. So you have to figure it long wise to cover a 76" seat. Unless you want a seam down the middle of the seat. You need two pieces because 54 won't wrap around a 24" custion. You also have to figure the repeat of the pattern, like wallpaper. Just draw it out on a piece of paper. Put the sizes on the paper and add it up. I think you need an inch extra for the zipper and any seam both sides. You can also figure wrapping the bolster in the front of the seats if you want a nice job. 11 yards seems like not enough fabric, unless it had no pattern.

[rgesch]

Hi,

I sew and have done some upholstery. No experience, read books. Did the webbing, the hardest part is the zippers for me.

Did you include the curtains in the larger yardage discussed? Curtains take a great deal more fabric than covering cushions.

I also don't see a lot of discussion about having a batting material over the base foam? Anything I should know about? Too much condensation? Too much cloth to absorb moisture?

I'm finally after about 7 years of living with a "shell" (what a dress marker makes from cheap material from a pattern BEFORE she cuts and sews the final product on more upscale dressess) having my cousin do my cushions, but her business is homes not RV's in regards to upholstery. I do like the idea where some people have put a vinyl back on the sides were you are likely to get moisture from the trailer walls.

Any suggestions?

Robin

[Bigventure]

Okay, today I picked up our seat covers. He used 18 yards with 2 yards left over. This is on my 65 with two gauchos. Six cushons total. I was going to have him cover the bolsters in front of the gauchos. But, it didn't look good. So we though drapes with the extra. Again, it didn't look good. So it's going to be through pillows. My upolster turn out to be a hack. The gaucho covers where, what I though baggy. So he put polester batting on top of the foam and it helped quite a bit. This batting is gluded onto the foam with indusrial spray adhesive. The plywood was sanded and a piece of heavy wool was put on the far edges. When he put the side gaucho together he put the zippers up when its folded. They should have been down when folded up. It doesn't matter when in a bed. Condensation, will not be a problem. You need air movment for that to happen and if the custion is against the wall, no air movement. I just though of another thing. I looked at a original 66 Caravel interior. The gaucho had snaps on a strap in front bottom. So when you pull it out the gaucho the custion comes with it, instead of sliding under the custion.

[Bigventure]

Here are the photos, what do you think?

[rgesch]

Hi,

I think it looks great! Thanks for the pictures and information regarding yardage, batting and speaking to the vinyl question. I think my cousin would have been a victum of the zipper placement too. Now I will tell her how that all should go thanks to you.

I think that's the kind of thing that can happen when we take the cushions to be covered and the person can't really see them in the trailer to determine how they are going to be placed.

Your layout is just like ours so this really helps a lot. Thanks. I have another thread going about the way the curtains hang. Don't want to break any rules and cross forum threads. Perhaps you can check that out and speak to how your slides, gides or hardware is in your trailer?

Robin

[mistermike]

Wow! A lot of information and advice here. But everybody's situation is different. Our CARAVEL has the front dinette option and this uses more cushions. We'll just have to find sufficient fabric to do the job and have some left over or material that is stocked if we need more.

Thanks everyone.

Regards of the Season!

Cynthia and Michael

[rgesch]

Hi Rich! Just noticed you posted to this thread.

Wow it's been awhile since we have gotten together. Maybe in Ohio this June at the THING. I'm interested in going talking it up to Rich right now.

Anyway would you post pictures of the Caravel you redid?

Robin
PS I would like to see as many pictures as people are willing to send or post. I am in the fabric choosing stage okay honestly, (hovering for the last 5 years) but a bit more actively looking.

I have so many issues to deal with in regards to choice such as a trailer with warm tones in the front, cream, wood, tans in the vinyl grain, THEN the AQUA bathroom. How am I suppose to balance that one in a 17ft continual living space?

I also have a wild child side and want geometric retro just for fun.

maybe I'll pick a few samples have my husband picture them and put it on this thread for a vote. LOL

Robin

[Bigventure]

I have so many issues to deal with in regards to choice such as a trailer with warm tones in the front, cream, wood, tans in the vinyl grain, THEN the AQUA bathroom. How am I suppose to balance that one in a 17ft continual living space?

This is why we chose the fabric that we have. It has alot of different thing going on in it. All the new RV have goemetric pattern now.

You can paint the fiberglass a different color. An auto shop could do it. They paint fiberglass Corvette everyday. You could do it yourself, an auto paint shop can mix it up with the additives you need and put it in spray cans. It wouldn't take that much.

Regards, Dave