Reupholstering Cabin Cushions & Making Cabin Curtains

After many years of service, it was time to update the cabin upholstery aboard Johanna Rose. The project included recovering the settee cushions and making new curtains, which made a surprisingly large difference in the appearance of the cabin.

For the project, I purchased a NewTech 607Z sewing machine. The NewTech 607Z is a Ultrafeed LSZ-style walking-foot sewing machine from GoldStar Tool. It is essentially a much less expensive alternative to the Sailrite Ultrafeed LSZ and cost roughly one-quarter as much. For an occasional DIY marine upholstery project, it proved quite capable of handling the heavier fabrics and multiple layers involved.

I purchased the upholstery fabric and sewing notions from Sailrite and relied heavily on Sailrite's excellent how-to videos for the construction techniques. Their videos walked me through the process of measuring, cutting, sewing, and assembling the cushion covers and were particularly helpful for someone tackling marine upholstery work for the first time.

The existing cushion foam was reused where possible, with new covers made to fit the original cushions. I also used the project as an opportunity to make new cabin curtains from coordinating fabric.

This was a very manageable DIY project with the right sewing machine and a little patience. The combination of new cushion covers and curtains gave the cabin a fresh, updated appearance without the expense of having the upholstery professionally made.