Marine Fabricator July/August 2021 - 17

" Ambiguous details slow the process, "
she says. " Time spent up front saves time
and mistakes and the potential time spent
to redo the item in the fabrication part.
There are so many questions-it requires
detective work and some mind-reading. "
Questions she poses include asking
how many bedding layers the client
would like, if sheets or a blanket are included,
the item's function (sleep or decor
only), the budget, how durable the
bedding should be, favorite fabrics and
patterns, if they have any dislikes and if
the client can provide photo examples
of what he or she wants.
" The height of the mattress is central
to creating the right product, " Delano
says. " Does the height of the bed change
when you add multiple layers? Does the
client want to see the bottom trim of the
coverlet? What is the client's vision? Do
they want a clean look, do they wish to
brighten the room or do they wish the
area to calm? Does the client plan to use
the pillows or are they for decor-only
purposes? Do they have room to store
them? Do they want washable fabric or
dry-clean only? "
When they've homed in on the client's
concept, Delano says she and her
team create a paper presentation, shipping
this with fabric samples to the client
in order to provide the best possible
vision of the project.
Plauché always asks how the customer
is going to use the vessel, such as for
extended cruising or shorter trips. Other
good-to-know information is if family
members or pets will be on board and
what the customer uses in the home.
" They want similar items on board, "
she explains, adding that in the case of
mattresses, Onboard Interiors will try to
build the marine mattress with similar
foams and densities. " If anything, they
want to upgrade since yachting is a luxury
sport and many will want all the best
they can buy.
" Write everything possible down on
the template, " Plauché says. " Try to
use the pattern material that is clear so
you can see the twists and turns of the
mattress or deck. Take the bevels measurements
in small sections and mark
them-take your straightedge with you.
And take photos. "
Shown are two of the three staterooms
Onboard Interiors completely redesigned
for the new owners of a 55-foot Nordhavn
yacht. Among the bedding trends refl ected
here are using neckrolls for accent
pillows, incorporating a lot of texture,
coordinating the bedspread and shams
together and using cord trim instead of
fringe. Photos: Onboard Interiors LLC.
BEDDING HACKS WORTH TRYING
I
nstead of adding a triangular gusset to the
inside corner of a mattress or cushion, Katie
Bradford, owner of Custom Marine Canvas, Noank,
Conn., uses a boxing technique. " To hold the
inside corner in place, we sew a Velcro®
tab to the
sheet and the opposite Velcro to the underside of
the mattress/cushion cover, " she explains. " If we
can't get inside the cover to sew the Velcro to the
bottom, we'll make a Velcro/elastic strap to go the
whole way across the underside of the cushion. "
A favorite technique of Captain Krisha
Plauché, designer/owner of Onboard Interiors
LLC, Marblehead, Mass., is using self-welting as
the outline for the bedding. Compared to just
cutting the bedspread to shape, this helps hold
it in place and gives the fabric more structure.
The lead custom stitcher for Alfred's Upholstery
& Co., Alfred, Maine, uses a French seam to hide
raw or surged edges, says Rebecca Delano,
owner/product design and development. " We've
also found that using double-sided tape and
¼ [inch] masking tape to hold stretchy fabrics
when sewing works well. " Also, Delano adds,
" It's much easier to produce quality if you have
the right sewing machines. We use a walking
foot for the heavy multilayers, a straight stitch
for the lighter sheet sets and an industrial
serger to ensure strength and washability. "
www.marinefabricatormag.com | 17
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Marine Fabricator July/August 2021

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