Prams Perfect Prams

the head end of my pram bed has nicks in the piping so am gettign some new material that matches i have found on ebay and wondering when that is taken off what to use as the filling before i replace with the new material?is foam a good idea?atm it is the original old stuffing which smells damp.

sorry! computer seems to be messing around and I can't delete anything aaargh!  Didn't mean to post the same message several times :0)

hi Maddie,thanks for all 3 messages lol.the filling is like multi coloured cottony scrambled stuff.where do i get the filling to replace it and how do I fix it in so it doesnt move?:dry:

Yeah thats the old mixed fibre stuff, full of dust and not hygenic.  You can get foam sheet on  ebay,search for quarter inch thickness and you buy it by the metre.  The quilt wadding I bought from John Lewis but I'm sure you could get that on ebay too.  Are you changing the lining too?  Do you want white or cream (thats he camellia lining used by silver cross)  White is cheaper, I found some for £4 a metre, try to find someone to sell you a couple of metres cos otherwise you'd have to buy a whole roll and thats expensive.  When you take out the old lining use it as a pattern to cut the new lining and foam/wadding.  You could use a few staples to hold the foam in place before nailing on the lining but it usually holds in place quite well because it goes over the 'rim' of the pram and this holds it up.  Just watch whe you take it out, take photos of each stage and do the same in reverse with the new materials

I would love to change the lining to an off white or similar but its too much of a job for me and i managed to find something to match the colour exactly on ebay and thats on its way so i will just change the head and the footend padding and replace the vinyl/leather whatever it is with the new from ebay.I have looked on ebay and seen the padding but its in different oz weights and dont know which i need hope you can enlighten me?will 1/4" be thick enough for the foam lining?I also need to re fill the mattress pad which is the thing that is in 3 sewn together sections so presumably that will be the same as in filling it with the foam but maybe thicker?

I was told 1/4" with quilt wadding on top would be fine but haven't got round to fitting mine yet.  I would think you'd need to go thicker on the base pads though, haven't had to try this yet so I don't really know.  Let me know how you get on

well i have taken the lining and the filling off and am down to the bare wood.i am now panicking and would welcome any advice at all.i know i use the original pieces as templates to use to cut out the new faux leather i have.its exactly the same colour which is lucky although not as thick on the backing.so hope that will be suitable?i have taken photos as i have gone along.its the filling i,m still not sure how much to get.i would like to be able to take the pram bed to the upholsterer in my village and may ask him if that would help him know how much of what to sell me.i can take the body off the chassis while marie has the hood and apron and take it into him.i,m going to use a staple gun more than tacks for the inside that you dont see.not sure what i,m going to use for trim.this is turning into a much bigger job than i first thought.does anyone live near to me and think they could possibly give me their opinion?i live between guildford and horsham.or i have looked on youtube for something to show me bit by bit what to do regarding lining and stuffing a pram but cant find anything does anyone know different?

If you get the lining you've removed from the pram (does it have piping down it?) and lay it on some newspaper, draw round it and take the shape to the upholsterer he can see the amount you'll need (or you could take the whole pram body and get him to sort it for you (!) The trim is a pain because if you fold lining material and tack it on its difficult to get it to lie flat, perhaps the upholsterer can suggest something.  Using a staple gun sounds a good idea, wish I lived closer and could be more help

hi i am going to take the body to the upholsterer when my back is better and see what he suggests.sure he will be able to sort me out with something.yes i wish you lived nearer too:cool:

I expect you've already seen this, Leanne has posted pics on her website of taking out and relining pram body, under restoration on the home page. www.coachbuiltprams.co.uk - might be of some interest?

no i hadnt seen that thankyou.i have written to leanne a good couple of weeks ago but never got a reply.have just looked at what she did with her manton picture by picture handy really as its wooden the same as mine...despite being constantly told by-naming no name-that my pram is fibreglass!i really am not up to what she has done on her pram and am wondering now if the vinyl i have(its faux leather from ebay)is thick enough as its not got the thick backing on it that is originally there.its actually scared me a lot now realising what i have done in taking all the padding out but it had to be done as it smelt.the old vinyl also had to go as it had water marks and smelt damp.i am not going to get much money back off this pram if i ever sell it as i cannot do the original piping and so wont be doing that.i will just line it the same as my little silver cross without any.thanks for the link.:)

i have been ringing around and have found a lady in my village as it happens who says if i get the pram body in my car and take it to her she will look and see what i will need and how much to line and pad the inside body.so hopefully shw ill be able to give me some advice as to how to do it also and maybe she will sell nice upholstery pins too:)when my back is right and i can get oh to take the body off the straps and put it in the car i,m away:D

Glad you've found somebody to help although I'm sure you'd be fine having a go.  It is quite daunting I must admit, I've had nights where I've laid awake fretting about paint finishes etc.  You can see why fully restored prams cost so much

i havnt got to take the body in yet thats happening tomorrow.but the piping on the pram vinyl i really wont be able to do myself i am just not up to it and as i have no-one to do it for me and cant afford to spend anything on having anyone do it for me would it be ok to not have it at all?my little silver cross just has the vinyl plain over the padding at the foot and the head and the padded sides and am wondering if it will detract from the fethalite not to have the piping and copy the silver cross way of doing it?