• Shop Talk: Fine Line Canvas & Upholstery

    Published On: July 1, 2015Categories: In the Shop, Resources

    Contact: Brad Schmeets Location: Colorado Springs, Colo. Year established: 2011 Number of employees: 2 Shop size: 3,200 sq. ft. How did your shop get started? This is my third shop. I learned to sew in the Air Force, and opened my first shop in 1980 in Alaska, doing furniture. Then someone asked me to do [...]

  • Keep your sewing machine running

    Published On: July 1, 2015Categories: In the Shop, Resources

    Faith Roberts of Banner Canvas shares tips for keeping sewing machines in tip-top shape. Whenever one of Faith Roberts’ many machines needs fixing, who does she call? Usually herself. “Oftentimes, I can make the repairs myself,” she says. “We’ve just learned to do it over the years.” That’s not to say that occasionally she doesn’t [...]

  • Shop Talk: Custom Canvas

    Published On: May 1, 2015Categories: In the Shop, Management, Resources

    Custom Canvas by Yvonne Contact: Yvonne M. Peters Location: Fort Myers, Fla. Year Established: 1996 Number of employees: 1 (self) Shop size: 1,000 sq. ft.   How did your shop get started? Owning a boat with my husband, Michael, and daughters Jessica, Melissa and Denise, who were young girls at the time, I had to [...]

  • Marine shop safety

    Published On: April 2, 2015Categories: Features, In the Shop

    By Mason Riddle The proverbial adage—“better safe than sorry”—applies to marine fabrication shops as much as anywhere. The mix of canvas, metal, tools and equipment can cause problems anywhere. Add chemicals, electrical and water to the mix, and a calamity could be waiting to happen. Much seems obvious, but the obvious is often elusive when [...]

  • A dog’s life

    Published On: March 1, 2015Categories: In the Shop

    Security officer. Receptionist. Greeter. Tour guide. “Shop dogs” play a variety of important roles at fabrication operations. We invited readers to submit photos of their shop assistants; here is our first gallery. 1. Penelope and Shaina Owners: Kenny Locke and Stephanie McLauchlan Company: Canvas Supply Co. Location: Seattle, Wash. 2. Chase Owner: Diane Buswell Company: [...]

  • Cover Girl Marine Canvas & Upholstery

    Published On: January 1, 2015Categories: In the Shop

    How did your shop get started? As a young woman, I lived in South Florida and wanted to do something I could travel with. That was canvas work, and I found a job as an apprentice for the wonderful pay of $4.64 an hour and quickly found out I had a real talent for it. [...]

  • What is trending on the water

    Published On: January 1, 2015Categories: In the Shop

    New acrylic-fabric options, customer color preferences and quilted cushion covers may not be trending heavily on Twitter this week, but in shops around the country, marine fabricators are noticing a changing tide in customers’ custom preferences. Game-changing new products don’t come along every year, but the custom boat-upholstery industry is steadily affected by gradual changes [...]

  • A clear vision

    Published On: January 1, 2015Categories: Features, In the Shop

    When it comes to marine windows, most customers are interested in a product that will wear well and last. Charlene and Chandler Clark, owners of Signature CanvasMakers in Hampton, Va., are always careful to protect their clear vinyl windows throughout the fabrication and installation processes. “If we are working with a product that [...]

  • North Beach Marine Canvas Inc.

    Published On: September 2, 2014Categories: In the Shop

    North Beach Marine Canvas Inc. North Beach Marine Canvas Inc. How did you get started? In my dining room in North Beach. What is your product focus? I started out working in canvas and boat upholstery, and now I focus on fine yacht upholstery and other inspired works. What unique design elements go into your [...]

  • Off the beaten path

    Published On: September 2, 2014Categories: In the Shop

    Uncommon, unique and outright strange requests are a regular for marine fabricators. Here are some favorites. Chris Griffin never thought she’d find herself in the restaurant business when she started B & C Custom Canvas of Hampton, Va., with her partner, Buck Tucker, nearly 10 years ago. But that’s exactly where she has found herself [...]