Just sharing what I have come up with for my door panels I am making for the 53 Ford. If you read in an earlier post, I found my tired door panels that were made by the previous owner were made from cardboard, and were rotted very bad. I have cut new panels from hardboard, and this is what I decided to cover them with. old school ticking (like what they used to cover old feather pillows in). This pattern has always given me that nostalgic warm fuzzy from my youth with my old childhood feather pillows. This fabric for some reason, I have always loved. I decided to do my interior in it. Eventially, my seats will be done the same. But I'm starting off with my doors. The bottom half will be padded, with vertical quilting (not shown in the sample I made. Of course on the actual panels I will pay more attention to lining up the stripes though (didn't worry much about that on the sample). I was going to plan to do my headliner in it too, but the bride mentioned that might be sensory overload with the seats and panels in it. I think she's right, so the headliner will be grey like the piping on the panels and seats. Sure, this wouldn't be for everybody, but I think it would be cool. If I find it's too much, I'll just re-do it in something else later..
Here is one of the armrests in the same fabric. Looking forward to how the finished panels will come out. I'm liking so far.
Thanks.. I think this idea you will either "get it", or ya won't. I have many fond memories of old feather pillow fights, wallering around in front of the TV as a kid in a huge pillow my Mom made (we called it "the waller pilla". Old feather matteresses were covered in this fabric too. Anyway, like mentioned, ya either "get it" or ya don't.. But I think it is gonna turn out cool..
I am using 1/8" cloth backed foam. The cloth back is much better when you are pleating, or other style of stitching so it doesn't separate. Will be doing the seat covers the same with the cloth backed foam to give it more of a "tuck & roll" texture to it.. On the panels, I stitch the foam on the back of the fabric, then spray glue the panel and back side (cloth side) of the foam to the panels. Holds very well, and looks great for many years. But before I put them panels back on, gluing foil backed sound deadning insulation to the inside of the door skin.
Ticking material is used to cover mattresses and pillows but is not designed to be used 'as is' because it soils easily. In real world use, sheets and pillow cases are used to cover it because they can be removed and washed with soap and water. If I was going to spend time and money covering seats in a vehicle, and upholstering it, my thinking is that a material that is designed to be cleaned in situ would be a better choice. I know this is not what you wanted to hear, but there is a reason materials for 'rough service' are used to cover seats in cars and trucks. My favorite is pebbled material because it aids in preventing the seated from slipping and sliding when braking and accelerating. Other patterns, similar to that shown, could probably be found in vinyl, as modern manufacturing methods allow photographic methods to reproduce almost any image on any surface. Carl
Carl, that is good input. I actually thought about all of that as well. Under the material, I spray adheasive it to bond the layers to the layer below it, so slipping is not a huge problem. Done it that way for years with good results. I also thought about the fabric getting soiled easily too. I have not used this type of fabric in past cars, so I have no long term experience on that, but have thought about it in this case. I am going to scotch gaurd the heck out of the panels after I get them finished so it will take that a bit better. Still unknown really long term, but I am going to go that route with that in mind. I sew and do interior work, and don't mind the time and trouble on new things if for nothing else but for the education of it. Point is, I'm not too worried about it. I am taking those precautions, but if it doesn't pan out, I'll just do it again in a more suitable fabric. I wouldn't do this in a car that I drive full time, or a daily driver. But, my 53, for what it is, and the time I drive it, it's worth the shot for something different..
Ok, after some tinkering. Here is what I came up with for my new door panels. I decided that the entire door in the pin stripe was kinda too much stripe. So, I broke it up and made the panel "two tone", buy making the bottom half with a herringbone pattern gray, to match the piping, and the door trim. Here is what it is going to resemble once installed on the door. I am pretty happy with the look.