Chris Wiegers of A Stitch in Time Upholstery (Ames, IA)
What does being an upholsterer mean to you?
Being an upholsterer brings so many meanings to my mind. It means being creative, having excellent attention to detail, great problem-solving skills, and being able to bring a client’s vision to life. Since I went full time on my own 4 years ago, it has allowed me to be more flexible for my wife and kids to enjoy life as a family while still being able to provide for them.
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How did you get started in upholstery?
After serving in the Air Force, I decided to attend Wyotech in Laramie, WY. I took most of their classes while not being sure of what career path I wanted to take. I was initially in the trim/upholstery class for personal interest and knowledge. A few weeks before graduation I accepted my first upholstery job for Waves and Wheels.
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What types of upholstery do you do?
Automotive, Motorcycles, Boats, ATV, Aircraft, Resident/Commercial Furniture, Custom Lighting/Audio/Fabrication
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How long have you been upholstering?
9 years
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What is your biggest consumer demand?
Everything. Since I do all types of upholstery and there is such a big customer demand for every type it's hard to pinpoint.
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What is your favorite upholstery project you've done?
My favorite project would be the full BeechJet 400 interior I did.
What is the strangest item you've found in a restoration?
One time I was in the process of completely rebuilding a motorcycle seat and found a bunch of rolled up tube socks rolled up in a t-shirt to fill the void instead of being built up with foam. Other than that, just the typical dead mice.
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Have you noticed any up & coming trends?
The use of magnets to install panels instead of traditional clips and the use of scanning/printing parts.
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What changes would benefit the upholstery industry?
Getting the next younger generation into the trade
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Have you ever been featured on television, online, or in another Publication?
A client's custom S-10 from 2018 was featured in “All Time Low Magazine” back in June of 2019 where I was mentioned. Also a motorcycle I did the custom seat for was the centerfold and on the cover of “Full Throttle Magazine”.
Do you have a shop animal?
A 4-year-old husky named Demon
Some answers have been edited for clarity.
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