Stories about how individual auto trimmers learned the trade has always intrigued me. It’s one of the last remaining crafts where apprenticeship is essential, so there’s always an interesting story to be told.
I’d like to share with you the story of how I learned auto upholstery; and hopefully you’ll share yours in the comments section below. I have a feeling that they’re similar in a lot of ways.
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I guess you can say that I was destined to become an auto trimmer. Nearly everyone in my family – including my parents, three brothers, five uncles, and countless cousins – has been in the trade.
I learned upholstery from my father who has been a trimmer for well over thirty years. Since the age of thirteen, I’d stop by his shop every day on my way home from school to help him in the shop. He liked it because it kept me out of trouble and taught me a skill. I liked it because I got to spend time with my dad and be surrounded by cars.
Of course, I couldn’t do much at first. I’d spend my time sweeping the floor, answering the phone and organizing tools. But just being in that environment and watching my dad work and interact with customers taught me a lot about the trade.
As my interest grew, my father began allowing me to shadow him on the job. I was instructed to watch what he did and learn by asking questions. He said that was the best way to learn. I didn’t know it then, but I was receiving the best type of education a trimmer could get: on-the-job training.
In no time at all, I was cleaning headliner boards and stripping seats. That naturally progressed to installing new headliners and seat covers. After a couple years of doing that, I learned how to strip and prep a convertible top for my father to install. I’d then follow him around the car and study his every move.
One Saturday morning, after removing the top from a 1990 Ford Mustang, my father suddenly announced: “I’m going home, you install the top.” When he returned to work on Monday, he saw a perfect install – wrinkle free and tight as a drum.
Impressed with how quickly I learned, my father decided it was time to teach me how to operate a sewing machine. He sat me down on an old Singer with a rocket for a motor and no reverse; and began teaching me how to thread it, run it and all the different types of seams I would need to know.
For an entire year I experimented with that machine – making wallets, hats, school bags and mock seat covers. My father humored me – encouraging my creativity and teaching me the proper methods of making patterns for whatever I dreamed up.
By the age of seventeen I had sewn my first complete set of seats for my brother’s 1996 Chevy Caprice. It turned out so nice that my father began showing it to customers; and before we knew it people would come to the shop asking for me to work on their cars.
In high school I would count the hours waiting for school to end so that I could go straight to work finish a job. That’s how I knew upholstery was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life.
I continued to work through college. After graduating from Penn State with a degree in business administration, I took a full-time job as a master trimmer in my father’s shop. A few years later, when he retired, I took over the family business – Delaware County Auto Upholstery – which I still run to this day.
How did you learn auto upholstery? Share with us your story in the comments section below.
i was mostley self tought .
Very sorry to hear about your father Edward.
First time i touched a sewing machine was in 1997 at a local mattress factory. The position was called a surger, didn’t last long an didnt think i’d ever use one again… Always had a love for cars an my first classic was a 1970 Buick Skylark (raggedy old p.o.s.)I wanted to fix it up! I started with the motor and paint! Last thing to do was the interior it never got done so the car sat for many years, but i started other projects. Then i found a local trimmer he told me he’d learned in Prison… That man was the biggest blessing, basically i paid him to learn what he knew. I hung out at his shop almost everyday an shadowed his every move. He would start sewing, an to make time pass i would start tracing patterns. Although he didnt teach me everything he did light a fire thats still goin to this day. A few years later i went to a tech school, and after the first couple weeks i was sewing cushions with welt cord an zippers the teachers told me i had a knack for it, that statement gave me the confidence to finally work on that old skylark. First seat bench seat with an armrest. 2yrs that course lasted i watched every snip tug pull i could…An opportunity for a sewing machine popped up for a reasonable price so i jumped on it (Pfaff 1245). Still wet behind the ears in the the trade i needed a confidence booster. It came, this guy invested in me an trusted i could do the work. First complete interior job was a 1956 Belair, all roll-n-pleat…(alot of sewing)He bought the materials and gave me a couple dollars to live. D & D Auto Upholstery was born, the man was so impressed he gave me a $100.00 tip. Still learning today, an now I’m ready to have a youngster shadow me.
I could tell you were dedicated when I read “i paid him to learn what he knew.” Most people want to be paid top dollar while they’re being trained and still know very little.
I am so grateful for this blog!!Im still at Waterville Upholstery and Canvas doing auto upholstery and boat tops and cushions.We have a book of industry standards,time spent on jobs and use timers when working just to see how dialed in we are and how much to charge for labor.I love the extra training!These guys are great,and top notch.Even after 25 years doing furniture and window treatments,still cannot get enough.Being a music minister at our church with my new wife,and upholstery Im where I want to be.Would like to make some friends here and share some of the ideas and the passoin for the trade,and thanks to all….Don
My venture with learning auto upholstery started with a move to Laramie Wyoming to attend WyoTech. I started with just the intentions of learning more about the paint and body field and going more in depth and learning streetrod and sheet metal fabrication. After finishing the courses, I decided to go a few steps further. I attended the applied service management courses, chassis and metal fabrication and lastly bust most definitely not least I studied auto upholstery under Charles “MAC” McDonald. He is a very inspirational teacher that I am now able to call a friend. While in his classes, I wanted to learn more and more and more. To this day I contact him with any troublesome questions I may have and he still has alot that he still wants to teach me. I will be going back to Laramie a couple times a year to visit friends but lost importantly to visit with my instructor and soak up anymore knowledge he is willing to share with me. I graduated from WyoTech Sept ’10 with honors and in national honor society as well as 2 outstanding student awards. Since my time at WyoTech, I have started my own shop out of my garage for right now. It has been a slow process building my clientele but I’m almost ready to take the next step into advancing into a shop/storefront. I have tried working at a few different streetrod/interior shops around my area, but they have been run by/managed by crooks that are destined for crashing and burning sooner or later. I have dreams just as anyone else does, and I am excited to learn more in the industry everyday no matter if it gets difficult or sometimes frustrating, it still is exciting to grow in knowledge.
“everyday no matter if it gets difficult or sometimes frustrating, it still is exciting to grow in knowledge.”
Well said Smiley!
here’s my story i have never been a fan of school always the class clown or finding a way to get kick out of class just to roam the halls…with that being said a friend in high school asked me if i would like to get out of class for 3 hours the following year i said to him how ..and he said sign up foe auto body at a trade school its from 7 to 10 am everyday and have to b back at highschool by 1045am so i did well the form said pick another course just in case the one u choose is full we picked auto trim not knowing that it was seat ext. well stayed there for 1 /2 years went to work for a furniture upholsterer for a year and then my dad at 18 open me a small shop and have been in biz since i am now 46 years old and my 18 year old son is in training although school taught me how to sew and make patterns..every thing i else like carpets convertibles installs i learn by taking in the jobs and figuring it out myself that includes furnitue boat resturants motorcycle seat airplanes selling a measuring fabrics
Wow, that auto trim class in high school certainly had a big impact on your life. It’s a shame that there aren’t more programs like it to teach the next generations.
Well, my Dad owned a glass & upholstery shop he started in the 70’s. I too went to work there, being a gofer – picking up parts and cars, cleaning and pickup after the guys. I watched my Dad as he sewed growing up and he opened a second store. Well, I was recently divorced with three children to support so my Dad asked if I would like to buy his second store in 1989. I didn’t hesitate. I knew how to sew clothing and car upholstery and furniture were the next step. I never had any formal training just watching other people at my Dads shop. It gave me the flexibility to take care of my kids(I had a play room for them- at the time they were 5, 8 and 10) So, I had late nights I could grab dinner and they could be in the room doing homework and I could get cars finished. Or if they were sick I could still take them to work (their was a twin bed) and still do both jobs. It was not easy- but my Father gave me the opportunity to make a living – July 2012 marks my 23 years in business. I have since married and my husband and I run our shop now..(yes, I am still the boss) LOL and Have four children and 2 grand kids. I have a love for cars that has kept our business growing. I am always learning- That is why Hog Ring is Fantastic! I love reading what other trimmers are doing.
Thanks for sharing your story Sueann. Congratulations on 23 years in business! That’s quite a feat.
I just read most of these comments on here how people got started….Very interesting! I too got started by attending WyoTech..I graduated in laramie in 2001. Very good school. After knowing now, i wish i would have pursued upholstery right away after i graduated but instead looked at other jobs for 3-4 yrs til I really knew i wanted to do upholstery. I have my own business which i started shortly after I graduated, but never worked it full time until a few yrs. ago. i couldnt be happier doing what I do. I have more work than i can handle but its better to be busy than wondering where your next paychecks coming from.
wyotech laramie!!! big thanks to charles (mac)mcdonald the best damn instructor there is ! as soon as i graduated a few months ago i started cpr customs and by word of mouth alone i am staying busy! to say the least!like i said mac at the laramie wyotech gave me the knolage to have the best damn job i ever would want .
We’ve heard a lot of good things about WyoTech. It seems they have put together a great program.
It started when i was 17 years, mum was fed up with me kicking around the house so sent me to work at a friends place (or hooked me up), he learnt his trimming skills from AC cars back in the day.(UK)
He was a fantastic trimmer and a outstanding hood maker but he had lost the sparkle and kinda given up…
I remember my first job was to trim 2 F1 carbon maclearn seat in Alcantara.. i was given a quick breif and that was that… trimming a carbon mould from the knee to the shoulders in ONE peace of Alcantara is a MISSION! the end of my fingers hurt soo much doing that…..but i was into it! the seat looked mint! and for maclearn F1
Then my mistake i lost my licence and could’nt afford to get the train to work so handed in my notice…..
At this point in life i had passed my aerospace course at collage but for some reason it did’nt do it for me?
So thought fook it i’m young i have no ties, i’ll travel the world..which i did, what happened is another story!!! great fun was had!
I must add my father was a precision engineer with his own factory…i spent most of my time as a kid sliding or “drfting” about on my bike on the cooling fluid in the factory..great times!… he gave me same unique skills
when i got back from my travels i knew what i wonted to do so started looking around for a trimming job, i managed to score a job with some tallented guys, the guy i’ve been working with for years are X ,AC.panther,bentlty,aston,bentley trimmers
as a example…
Dave was the hood maker for AC…no point trying to make a hood for a AC just call dave, he will do it 2,3 times faster to 100% as original spec! dave now does the patterns making for lear ie what you see in audis, bmws he designed!…gets paid quite well for it also!
the old rolls and bentley guy have some fantastic little tricks!
i’ve learnt to trim with guys that made the cars first time round with there little tricks and how the car was done originaly…which when restoring a car comes in handy
I’m sure theres a Pebble beach winner in there some where… (RSW)
I guess my story is a little different to many on here, in so much as I am a 55 year old College Lecturer looking at starting a new career!
My Grandmother was famous as an upholsterer in her home town here in the UK. She stood 4’10”,110 pounds and was strong as an ox! She would work on chairs, cars, bus seats, sofas anything anyone brought to her. She was a great inspiration in my life and I was in awe of her skill.
Although I can’t claim to have learned any of her secrets I have always loved the creativity and ability to ‘bring something back from the dead’. The main thing she did show me though, was that anything can be done if you take time and care. I have worked on Auto interiors, mainly on my own projects and for fun, over the last 35 years. Starting with my first car, a 1960 Austin Mini, that I trimmed in white fur fabric (it was big in the day guys!). It got a lot of attention as you can imagine, and for a pretty reserved and shy 18 year old the celebrity status boosted my confidence no-end. I was even asked to do some for other people. I’ve since trimmed all my own and my son’s cars and, although still learning, can work to a fairly good standard.
To cut a long story short I am now thinking about taking early retirement and focussing on doing something that has always given me enormous pleasure and satisfaction. As with many people these days, every year brings more redundancies and I fully expect that my employer will be looking to offer voluntary redundancy in the next few months. I’m hoping to start up a small scale operation part-time until that day comes.
By the way the forum is excellent and a terrific source of sound advice.
Thanks for joining The Hog Ring and sharing your story Nigel. You seem to have a lot of passion for the craft. I’m sure you’ll be successful. . Best of luck to you with your new venture.
Hi, thought i would post up how i got in to upholstery . First a little bit about me , grew up in a custom car hot rod mad family , learning how to weld , fabricate and mechanic from a very early age. 8 years ago my wife and i bought a caravan, the wife didnt like the interior , i bought her a sewing machine . Long and short of it was she couldnt sew at all. So in drunken state one night my male bravado came out and i had ago. Found out that night i could stitch. It then just snowballed from there. I use a toyota compound walking foot machine. Similar to a singer 111w. Oh and my daytime trade , im a refrigeration engineer. I run my trimshop evenings and weekends. Cheers ade
So may story is still in the making. I was medically retired from the military and I am a 100% disabled veteran at the age of 26. I decided to go to Mobile Technical Training in south Hackensack NJ for training in 12v installation and design. I was using my g.i. bill and decided to take the night upholstery class to keep myself out of trouble. within 2 days my class of 4 made our first seat we designed/patterned and stitched. I was hooked. Sadly this class was only 5 hours a day and 4 days a week. Upon graduating after 3 months certified I was giving a friend a ride to a garage that did an exhaust system in his truck. I saw pictures off trim work all over the shop and asked if they did trim work. They stated no but they wanted to open that section in the shop along with a body shop for custom hot rods. I stressed I was newly graduated and was looking only to apprentice to become more skilled. They stated over and over that I was what they were looking for and the customers were excited because I was young. Well after a few months of working there by myself and dealing with medical issues of almost daily appointments my boss was upset I was not on the same level as his friend who has been doing this for 40 years with a staff. So after weeks of disagreements we parted ways. I enjoy doing trim and am doing side jobs and reading books to better my skills. One day I wish to start a custom audio and trim shop. Until then I am doing everything one seat at a time.
Chris, I think you had the right idea when you said you wanted to start an apprenticeship. That’s the best way to hone your skills. Keep practicing and soon you’ll have your own shop.
Chris you should look into he VA’s voc rehab program they have a program to help vets start their own businesses. Jim 🙂
I was the smart*ss at the back of the class. To me, school was a place to do your daily pennance for being a child, in the government squirrel cage. Got ‘A’s’ when I tried, but the only classes that I really applied myself to were Automotive & Graphic arts. How did I ever end up doing this? After 2 years in an automotive apprenticeship, decided it just wasn’t what I wanted to do. But, I still wanted to work on vehicles. My Dad owned several cabs. He suggested upholstery, & sent me to work with the an older fellow that had a small shop. The first day, he gave me a set of ’70’s ‘Vette seats to recover, then walked out of the shop for the day(!) I knew NOTHING!!! By the end of the day, all I had done was break every needle in the shop for the machine, & had knocked it outa time!
So I took a 9 month/5day a week course @ BCIT. But the real learning began after that. Worked with some amazing craftsmen in the first 7 years, who unselfishly passed on their knowledge. I can still hear them behind me, walking me through a procedure that they were teaching me, 30 years later!
From those early beginnings, I have worked up from taxis, to being a lead hand in a shop, in charge of 15 workers making 90-110 hottub covers a day, to a lead hand in a shop doing million $$$ custom interiors in corporate jets. During this time I achieved an ‘Aircraft Mechanical Engineer’ degree.
But my first love has always been custom & restored auto interiors. Several that I’ve done are national & international award winning show cars. In 1997, a ’32 Ford with one of my interiors, made it into the ‘Great 8’ as a finalist for the ‘Riddler’ award. One of the most prestigious trophies in the hot rod world!
Now, I work for a small select clientel of auto enthusiats, with multi-car collections. I have also earned a Bachelors Degree in education. Yea! Me! A teacher! Whodathunkit?
Been doing this for over 33 years now. Self-employed for 25.
When I started out, all I wanted to do was vehicles. Dad said,”Don’t limit yourself. Do not turn down work.” The stuff I’ve sewn, repaired, &/or fabricated, would fill this page 10X over. Many have had nothing to do with vehicles. But, if it could get into the machine, I’d sew it.
I’ve made tents, fixed purses, hemmed jeans, bags for anything & everything including windsurfers, custom waterskiis, even a complete semi-truck, trailer & all. Some strange stuff too! Harnesses for bungie jumpers. Leather stuff for the ‘Love’ shop! A pink leather bikini for an exotic dancer! I could go on (& on & on!)
Since I bought my first machine, which I still have & use, I’ve never been broke, or had to look for work.
And after all this time, I still look forward to getting into the shop every morning!
your story sounds like mine 40 yrs in the trade TURN DOWN NOTHING AND LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERY TIME ..CHECK OUT MY INVENTION due to uph work THE FAWSSIT PORTABLE SHOWER
I started out doing trimming when I finished school I was just looking for a part time job but it went from being a part-time job to my passion I worked for a company in east London eastern cape south Africa for 3 years as an apprentice trimmer to the master trimmer but after 3 years the master trimmer decided to relocate and I was left with the task of running the shop thats when I really started enjoying my work well after a year of working as a master trimmer I decided to open up my own shop called sukamiza motor trimmers /upholsterers with my dad as silent partner but after 3 years we decided to split the company and I renamed my shop elite auto trim going on 8 years in the trade with exsperience in small aircraft interiors leather work cotton canvas and tarpaulin boat and seat covers inc furniture I am hoping to go to the USA for a few years to further my career in American cars because to us in S.A American muscles rule I also have a diploma in theology
I’m looking for an experienced foreman turkey automobile upholstery business phone 5464127188
I went to wyotech back in 2004 as well for collision and refinishing. When I decided to take upholstery as an elective I had no idea the enjoyment I would get out of the class and the profession. I got out of school and had a very hard time landing a job at a body shop due to my heavy foot on the gas. Finally landed at a floundering custom car shop that wanted to add upholstery to their lineup. I was hesitant but had nothing else and saw an opportunity to show my skills. One of our customers( my first) offered to buy my sewing machine in return for his interior. I agreed and worked for nothing more than my machine and tools for a month designing and stitching this interior. It turned out looking pretty good but I never got to finish because as I said the shop was floundering and shut down. I did quite a few other jobs in between in that month an gained some on the job training by trial and error. In this short time I got two job offers from two top local interior guys who seemed to really like my work but I regretingly turned them both down and left the field for the most part. Through the years I have consistently done work on the side through many different full time jobs upholstery has stuck. I am now looking at beginning my business. I am a full time firefighter which gives me 20 days a month free and plenty of time to work this field. I’m excited but nervous! I’m terrible at pricing and don’t know where to begin, can anyone help me out? Pointers? Thanks to this website and everyone on here it is great! Jeff Hamm
heres a pointer jump in with both feet work with wreckless abandon and youll be fine dont chop up any prices from shops that are now in business dont treat auto uph as a hobby its a profession be professional
Thanks seatfxr. I appreciate the advice!
Always wanted to learn how to do upholstery….
Well, I made my first doorcard today… or rather I finished it. Feel realy proud as I never sewed before, and had nobody but the interwebs to teach me everything from setting up my grandmother’s ancient pre-war singer with vibrating bobin, to using (making) cloth backed foam. Told my wife tonight I want an industrial machine… This is fun.
Who knows how I missed out on this. My mother is a master seemstress and my dad used to own the local tailor shop.
Anyway, at least I can say I learned how now…at 38. It was a riot. It took some precision setting up of that sewing machine and lots of scolding while trying to make it work consistantly with cheap thread…. (don’t even try).
Well my story is still in the making but I still remember being fascinated as a teen by the baseball stitched seats Audi had put in the TT’s and interiors at carshows.
To make a long story short, after a mechanical engineering degree and environmental studies, lost out of my mind career wise, I opened my own restaurant and spent the last 7 years on a physical and emotional roller-coaster.
Looking back while typing this, I must have rehupolstered over 50 chairs and built some 50 linear feet of benches before the opening without any knowledge or experience.
Still, I baught an industrial walking foot machine a few years back after watching some videos online an intended on doing my own interior for my old vw rabbbit. Unfortunately It sat in the dark like most of my projects as I had no time for them nor life itself.
Then, last year, I couldnt take anymore and decided to sell both of my restaurants ( wich is still in progress).
Since then, I realised that I need to creatively work with my hands and that I should of studied industrial design instead, but with a young family and all, I decided to learn the most that I can anyway I can. Now I help out at my stepfathers bodyshop and also have put in alot of time learning to sew, I just finished making a brand new hockey goalie chest protector from scratch wich made me learn so much ( I actually have people asking if I’ll make some to sell). I’m Gradually building up my tooling supplies and fabriic knowledge and hope to keep learning and finally do my own interiors as a classic vw bug joined the rabbit in line.
Ultimately I would like to make it a living eventually and thankfully, with a site like this at my disposal, it will come sooner then later. Thanks.
Well my story is this…. I didn’t grow up around the business. I was a young African American kid that grew up in the inner city. I was raised by my grand parents, who are alcoholics, because my mother and her then boyfriend were addicted to heroin and running the streets with stints in and out of jail cells. The perfect recipe for me to be the classic failure and follow in the footsteps of my mom and my peers and live a life full of drugs and jail. And I did just that as a young lost teenager. I was sent to prison. At that point I decided I had to make a change or something bag was gonna happen to me. So while I was incarcerated I stayed to read a lot of business related books and writing out a business plan. But my business oodles had absolutely nothing to do with upholstery. It was for a cleaning service. Meanwhile, my mom’s now husband was working on bettering himself as well and while incarcerated, he learned the trade of furniture upholstery in the prison industries. He Became really good at it and once he was released stayed working fora local upholstery shop. Fast forward a couple years, I get released from prison with all intentions of following up with my business plan that I so diligently put together. The upholstery shop that my step dad worked at closed down and he decided he didn’t wanna work for another one so he decided to open his own. He called me and asked if I wanted to help him with it. He had acquired a lot of good contacts with interior decorators that were willing to still do business with him so that was start of the business. I put my business aspirations on hold and joined up with him. I stayed out as a “tear down” man. And helped market the business through flyers and talking to local fabric shops. As time went on I learned how to make patterns, sew, and install. I worked by his side for 5 years. Then I decided I wanted to do automotive interiors instead of furniture so I hired in a guy that new that part of the industry. We started advertising and taking in cars for headliners, convertible tops, seat upholstery and so forth. I was like a spine, absorbing everything I could learn about automotive upholstery. Finally I decided it was time for me to spread my wings and go out on my own. I found a building for rent and signed a lease. Set up my business license and tax info and opened up my shop, Ride City Customs in February 2009. It was scary at first not knowing if the business would come but Business has been great and fast forward to 2015, I’m still rolling strong. I owe this all to my step dad, who took a negative time in our lives and turned it into a positive for the both of us. He still has his furniture upholstery shop and I have my automotive trim shop. With the closing of one of the oldest trim shops here, I am now the second oldest brick and mortar trim shop in Lexington Ky.
Hi! I am 18 and extremely interested in learning this trade. I have been graduated from HS for 2 years this spring. I have my independent contractors license, and have been working more than full time in the construction and service industries. I contacted Wyoming Tech today, and the recruiter said it is mandatory to take the “core” mechanical or collision courses in order to participate in the upholstery portion. I am not interested in the Mechanic part. Where else can I go to learn this trade? I have been asking around in my local area, and the upholsterers are not taking interns…… thanks!
I was born in the trade you could say. Learned the basics form my father, throughout my highschool years I had a study job, stripping or teardown the work he had be it car or furniture. Still hear my dads words now ” you have to know how it comes apart before you can put it together.”
Soon he taught me to respring the furniture
webbing and the 8 way tie. My first solo job a 55 Chevrolet, It came out beautiful,
It is a wonderful career, Its an ART, and we are the artist.
Hi just wanted to share my sittuation as a fellow car builder/enthusiast. I started back in 94 working for a local dealership here in south texas as a porter then several months later moved to parts department in the warehouse. I had always loved the whole aspect of the car business but had my goal set high with plans to run a full one stop fabrication design restoration shop one day. I moved around to different employers in the industry looking for a better wage slowly going from parts to a lube tech then later moved to a friends body shop as a body man which also included some help with their painter. However this whole time I had always loved the upholstery side just have never had the possibility to be an apprentice to learn the craft properly. I had a few electives in high school for sewing and loved it. Fast forward to 2001 – 2014 I worked as a software enginerr for a company the finally ended and sold to a larger company that didn’t need me anylonger. For the last 6-7 years I have done many builds at my personal small shop/garage one of which was in 2011 of a one off Supervette at home that have seemed to have cought the attention of many that have had me do their builds to the point that I have ran out of room to even take on all the jobs. Now that my full time 9 to 5 is gone I have decided to go all in with the shop that I have always dreamed of with many car clubs support that I have done many of their cars. However any and all upholstery was subbed out to a shop that I have known for a long time. Recently I closed on a 16k sqft facility. 3k offices/showroom 2900k I plan upholstery area 5k fabrication/speed shop bay with full chassis dyno and a 5k paint and body shop. My question and plan is how hard it will be to find a qualified upholsterer to hire which I plan to pay above avarage wage with benefits and offer an above avarage facility and choice of vehicles to work on as well as a lot of the equipment such as embroidery and sewing machines as needed. The plan would be to watch and learn from my employee if possible. I am concerned and naturally worried with such a large undertaking but with my passion and reputation I believe without a doubt I will succeed.
Best of luck with the new shop. We’d be happy to help you find a qualified trimmer. When you’re ready, email us at info@thehogring.com and we’ll add your help wanted ad to our jobs page.
Hi found your story while searching for a Mini Classic upholstery and this is my story I am a Maltese born 1945 from an Italian Family my father was a a professional tailor in Army,Navy & Airforce uniforms and my mother was his support in finishing like hand made buttonholes and could knit anything without any patters. Was sent to a private college and studied to become a doctor but after one year at university I realised that in those days it was difficult to enter in this trade so I started my working career as a clerk where my father was working as a factory manager producing service uniforms. He used to come to the office and place me near a machinist when I had nothing to do and he used to tell me’just look and learn’ this went for 3 years and when the rag trade started ht in Malta decided to open a small work shop making trousers…had my ups and downs and from 1970 to 1985 I managed a leather and fur factory producing 2000 leather garments and 800 fur garments weekly with 400 employees…unfortunately we had to close down due to government pressure as my bosses were Jewish. (long story)I bought a workshop and was making jackets and shirts to local shops, when the rag trade was taken over by China I had an opportunity to work as Human Resources Manager in the shipping industry going up to Head Human Resources also writing and applying collective agreements. One day a friend of mine asked me to repair his boat cover which I did at my work shop which I used as a store and in no time nearly all the boats in that particular boat yard came to me for anything from a simple zipper to re upholster seat covers….Unfortunately my son,grandsons or my brothers never wanted to take this trade……
Hi,
I’m really impressed at your story,wishing you even greater things. Secondly, how can I contact you via mail. I’d appreciate a form of contact. Talk to you soon hopefully
Id like to learn the basics, just to work on mine and my buddies stuff. Are there any videos or basic tools you’d recommend for someone just to try and see if they have the ability?
Hi my name is Tyler Singleton from Tenneese an im trying 2 get into the auto upholstery business myself. Its kind of hard for me cause im just learning, but im hanging in their but i was wonderin can u reply bac with a few pointers for me I would appreciate it.
I don’t own my own brick and mortar business. I do work out of my garage from time to time. I worked for Gil Spirlet of GS Auto Upholstery in Millersville, Md. He took a chance on me as I had been a bit of a knucklehead and had a felony conviction on my record…
Gil overlooked my past and gave me a shot at being a helper in his shop.
I’ve got to work on a lot of very nice cars for a variety of people. Gil is like an encyclopedia of cars and what came factory correct with x, y, and z with options 1, 2, and 3 etc… He knew SO much. I had a background in auto stereos and alarms and any 12 volt dc device from the past and had a good hold on not having left over parts and was a stickler for making things look nice. Always wanting to improve the broken stuff that I was repairing or customizing.
I kinda gave up the battle of doing things my way and allowed Jesus to be my Savior and Lord in the back of the police car after I first told HIM to strike me dead cuz I’ve been a hypochristian most of my life….obviously He didn’t do what I was hoping He would do and although jail didn’t repair me….I did learn a lot about life and trust…..and doing all things as unto the Lord.
Fast forward a bunch of years later….I still have my sewing machine and a skill that I can take to the grave if for any reason my job as an x ray tech is no longer required of me.
I would love to round up some young guys and gals and also teach them some of the skills that I learned to give them a sense of being able to make things better as well.
I was going to open up my own mobile upholstery business basically sticking to headliners and convertible tops (as those were what I was the best at…) Cuz I’m way too slow with my stitching (being a perfectionist and all)… But someone had broken into my would have been work vehicle and the wife didn’t like how (in her opinion.)….everything would take 2x as long as I would estimate it to be and there were lots of cold meals in the microwave cuz I would be so focused on getting work done….
I will never sell the sewing machine as I have repaired some of her articles of clothing and saved her some money and time on alterations.
I actually got my sewing machine from a lady whose husband was a police officer who did marine upholstery work as a hobby and he wanted his tools to be sold when he died so that someone else could benefit from them as opposed to them rusting away.
I’m blessed to have my sins forgiven and I’m blessed to have been trusted by someone that didn’t have to and although I don’t do it all the time…I see the machine in the 3 car garage we have and know that there is a purpose for it being there…
I appriciated your story as well as the Christian testimony. Thank you for posting and God bless.
I know this is an old post but ill just leave my story here also .
we started off as kids building an old chevy and dropping v8s into old English cars on my fathers farm , after a few jobs after leaving college , a worker at a concrete factory i was at said you’ll end up like me here forever, i hadn’t much thought of the future at 22 but i didn’t want to be there forever, i had always loved cars and motorcycles , but didn’t want to be a mechanic as that was my hobby , so i went looking at upholstery shops and managed to snag a adult apprenticeship with one of the best auto interiors guys in the area , completed my trade and even picked up an award for highest graduate for the year.
After 6 years i left the trade to be a sales rep ( better money , company cars and overseas holidays on the company) 20 years later and ive come full circle and started doing upholstery for home with the intention of leasing a building and going to it full time , I know i have a lot of catching up to do , but for the first time in years i feel like im home ( job wise) , this site has provided me with the inspiration to step out and give it a go .
Great story. Very influential
Hi my name is Nicole from Houston I am really look into getting to Lear Auto upholstery. I do not know we’re to start I do not wanna take collage courses, unless I have to. Can anyone point me in the right direction?
Hi Nicole, hopefully you see this. I’d suggest you start with finding a local shop and offering to intern for them for free . In exchange for training, you sweep their floors, deconstruct seats, work your way up through the ranks. You’ll learn a ton and be helping them out in the process. If you do a good enough job and they have the work, may be they’d hire you on as a paid employee 🙂
Hope that helps!
At the age of 13! I begged my father to learn trim he didn’t want me to do it finally he said ok.
He knew the trim real good and a tough teacher he said if it’S worth doing do it rite.
My dad did a lot of dealer work and so often he was out selling work,when he was gone I would sew up practicing.
One day he brought in a 1948’Plymouth new to seat cover,seat covers big thing in those days.He told me to seat cover it I said I’ve never seat. Covered he said I have been checking the trash seeing what you have done,I did it and it tuned out good dad took the car and showed the job done.
I built my first convertible top at 16 1940’Olds.
Since that time I have done many things custom tailoring is my bag.
I Ike taking a seat that looks as if it is no good and make it look good.
Would love to know how to help my son learn how to upholster and do trim work. He loves cars and finds this part of renovating them intriguing.
Would love to start up an apprenticeship program in my shop, desired persons primarily Veterans.
Sort of funny, bordering on hilarious ho I began larning Upholstery. Cousin had a shop in another town 70 miles from me. I was 10 or 11, got curious how all these nice seams and lines were done so beautifully. So, I took my Dads recliner chair apart to see if I could fogure out how it was done. Needless to say I got my butt kicked all over the house when he got home. I stuck with it and about a year later I finished my project and presented my Dad wiith his recliner back. Looked fairly good I gues. Dad forgave me at that moment. I jusst continued on from there that was 1971 or 1972 and I continued learning compleely on my own. By the time I joined the Navy I was very good at furniture. After Navy went to Colorado and ran into an old friend. Seems he had taken up Auto Trim. We made a deal, I would teach him furniture upholsery and he would teach me auto trim. Sucess is a great word. We wound up teaching upholstery for the state of Colorado in a program that basically completed what you would call an associates egree in your choice of furniture or auto, or both.. Left Colorado went back to Montana and opened up shop ran that for a number of years. Retired from Upholstery in 1999 for medical reasons. My wife and I relocated to Georgia in 2016 and a year later she started working on me to open a shop up here in Ringgold. I did 2 years ago, though I knew and told her that she would not like or stick with upholstery. She didn’t believe me. I was right tough. So once again married to a business, getting old and want to be able to pass knowledge on to a few deserving people. Hard to find. How can I set up an apprenticeship and get some funding for it to be able to create some Beautiful minds in all facets of upholstery and Auto trim?
Richard Carl
DBA as In Stitches Upholstery LLC.
1288 Boynton Dr.
Ringgold, Ga. 30736
(406) 422-3194
https://in-stitches-upholstery-ringgold-ga.business.site/
Would love to start up an apprenticeship program in my shop, desired persons primarily Veterans.
Sort of funny, bordering on hilarious how I began learning Upholstery. Cousin had a shop in another town 70 miles from me. I was 10 or 11, got curious how all these nice seams and lines were done so beautifully. So, I took my Dads recliner chair apart to see if I could fogure out how it was done. Needless to say I got my butt kicked all over the house when he got home. I stuck with it and about a year later I finished my project and presented my Dad wiith his recliner back. Looked fairly good I guess. Dad forgave me at that moment. I just continued on from there, that was 1971 or 1972 and I continued learning compleely on my own. By the time I joined the Navy I was very good at furniture. After Navy went to Colorado and ran into an old friend. Seems he had taken up Auto Trim. We made a deal, I would teach him furniture upholsery and he would teach me auto trim. Sucess is a great word. We wound up teaching upholstery for the state of Colorado in a program that basically completed what you would call an associates egree in your choice of furniture or auto, or both.. Left Colorado went back to Montana and opened up shop ran that for a number of years. Retired from Upholstery in 1999 for medical reasons. My wife and I relocated to Georgia in 2016 and a year later she started working on me to open a shop up here in Ringgold. I did 2 years ago, though I knew and told her that she would not like or stick with upholstery. She didn’t believe me. I was right tough. So once again married to a business, getting old and want to be able to pass knowledge on to a few deserving people. Hard to find. How can I set up an apprenticeship and get some funding for it to be able to create some Beautiful minds in all facets of upholstery and Auto trim?
Richard Carl
DBA as In Stitches Upholstery LLC.
1288 Boynton Dr.
Ringgold, Ga. 30736
(406) 422-3194
https://in-stitches-upholstery-ringgold-ga.business.site/
I do not have a story (yet). I would like to start to learn to sew. I am a mom of two and need to learn a skill. I always wanted to learn, so I think it would be a good idea to start now. It has to be part time though.
Thank you for sharing your story with us.
Started by restoring my boat, 12yrs ago. Someone saw what I did and asked to do theirs, started with using the sewing machine my Mother made my diapers with. Have progressed quite well into a thriving business. Basically self taught. Lot of trial and error. Watch videos on you tube now and then, I wish I had made this a career when i was younger. Shut down my construction company 8yrs ago, and glad I did. Two main careers I was in before were, construction and metal fabrication. These blend well with a upholstery business. Although was extremely frustrating at times. Ive graduated in confidence, client base, and over all enjoyment in trade. Have now demanded worth from trade/skill. I don’t advertise, all word of mouth, always booked out 3 months.. Even through COVID.
Willie
UphYoars Marine Restorations and Upholstery
Nevada City, Calif.
I owned a body shop and my mom had an upholstery shop I would paint a car and the customer would ask me if I knew anyone that could do the interior. I would tell them yes knowing that I would be fully involved.l generally tore down made door panels a headliners and such mom did most of the stiching she thought me along the way. Where I would do some on my own cars and trucks. The years went by mom closed her shop and retired. I went about my career and retired, but found it quite boring. I decided I would do a little upholstery now at 70 yr old I have all the work I want.Yet still enjoy having something to do. Everyone ask me how I got started I tell them this story and say my mother taught me enough to be dangerous.
I have had a deep love for cars all my life, ever since I saw Dukes of Hazard and Knight Rider as a kid but I never felt drawn to mechanics or body work and since thats what most people think of when they think car work, I never thought working on cars was for me. I have always been pretty creative and enjoy customizing stuff but I’ve never had skills in wiring or installing anything serious. I had no one in my life who was passionate about cars to learn from or draw inspiration so as I grew up I got into computers and worked many miserable jobs in many fields I felt no real connection with.
In 2018 I bought a 1980 Monte Carlo in excellent condition which I had for about a year until one Saturday afternoon a young woman blew through a red light and destroyed it for me. I was pretty depressed after this and when insurance paid I decided I would just get something fun to drive rather than another super nice car. In June 2019 I bought a ’94 Trans Am for pretty cheap with no carpet and a sagging headliner. I bought carpet, there was a guy at my job who was widely known as the “car guy” there and he agreed to do the install. My carpet sat in a box for weeks as the excuses rolled in, he always had some emergency going on, was too busy, too tired, wouldnt return calls on days I was supposed to bring the car to him. Eventually I decided I was done begging another man to come put his hands on my car. Even with no knowledge or experience if I had to, I’d just do it myself.
When the pandemic hit I was laid off and had time to take on this project. I did a ton of research and dove in, installed the carpet by myself and it turned out great. I went on to install a custom sound system, headliner, reupholstered the door panels, wired cameras, and installed tons of other things by myself with no help other than what I found online. It was right about at this point I realized this was very fulfilling and I could see myself doing this for any car, not just my own.
I just turned 46 years of age. I have spent my whole life working unfulfilling jobs and now, I’m looking to make a career change to auto uph. I’m taking an online course and would like to do an internship or something that can gain me experience in the field. I’m excited to begin this new career that will allow me to express my creativity and work with my hands. Better late than never.