Frequently asked questions

... along with my frequently answered answers:

Do you make seat covers for my ___ scooter? I didn't see it listed.

I am happy to make a scooter seat cover for any scooter that I have a seat for. If it's not listed, I don't currently make it. I don't like to guess because I want the seat cover to fit just right. If it's loose, for example, you can slide around too much, or it can look bunchy and not-so-great, or fabric can get caught in the seat latch, and so on. Keep an eye on the site, because I do occasionally add to the line.

When will my seat cover get here? I ordered it on Saturday, and it's Tuesday already.

When you place an order for a scooter seat cover, I cut the fabric and make your cover to order. Making your seat cover takes time because I make it from scratch just for you. I do the same thing for all my customers. Due to demand, orders can take from 2-3 weeks to get from the point at which you order to completion. Please understand that I make each of these seat covers myself. Mid-summer is the busiest time, and sometimes the queue can get as long as 5 weeks out. You are welcome to write and ask when I think your scooter seat cover will get there, but please keep in mind that the queue can vary due to all kinds of circumstances - a power outage, a fabric gets really popular and I have to reorder, and once in awhile I do take a day or two off. (I know, the nerve!) So, I just ask that you keep in mind that I'm a human being, and occasionally there are human-influenced delays. I'm not sitting around eating bon bons, I assure you! And if I am, I probably really need the break for a few minutes.

After your cover is done, I package it up and send it - and while USPS Priority Mail often only takes 2-3 business days to get to most U.S. destinations, during holiday or tax seasons, this can take longer, and believe it or not, the USPS isn't infallible.

So, please understand the nature of ordering a custom cover before you place your order. I take you and your faith in me very seriously. My reputation is important to me, and I want you to have the best scooter seat cover you can have.

I placed an order and you didn't write to me to confirm it. What's up?

When you place an order for a scooter seat cover, the PayPal interface should automatically send you a receipt with an order number. I sincerely try to write to every person who orders, but this doesn't always happen. It doesn't mean you're not one of my favorite customers, I probably got sidetracked with cutting and sewing and ordering and shipping. When I ship USPS, the system also automatically sends you a shipping receipt with a tracking number. I usually don't write a message when I mail out packages because the system has already done that.

Why does my order get charged before you ship it?

Since every scooter seat cover order are custom and done on an individual basis, we must charge as orders come in.

Can I have a discount if I send you my own fabric?

Many people ask if I will offer a price discount on their seat cover if they provide the fabric for their seat cover. I used to say "yes." But they often take much more time and more materials than a stock scooter seat cover. A custom scooter seat cover can involve all or most of the following: extensive back-and-forth discussion about design ideas and consultation about materials, fabric searches, recommendations and testing, extra sewing, hand sewing and other special handling, extra fabric, and so on. Given this, the cost for your custom seat cover - even if you send the fabric - is often the same and sometimes more than one that is a "stock" design.

Will you make a custom cover?

Technically, every seat I make is "custom." You pick the fabric, and I make it just for your scooter seat.

But maybe you want something different... fluffy pink or pom-pom trim... or both? Got an idea but don't know where to start? Click through the fabric samples to see if there's anything that catches your eye, and if not, let me know and we'll try to find something that does. Write to me - - we'll find the right design and fabric, and add your personal touches.

I can make seat covers out of all kinds of fabrics, but I definitely have preferences, and there are some I won't use. For example, I've made a couple of seat covers out of T-shirts, because that's what the customer wanted. However, T-shirt material isn't all that rugged and generally isn't meant to sit on. So if that's what you want - or you want some other not-very-rugged fabric - understand that it may not hold up as well as something that is upholstery weight, like the velboa I use in most of my covers.

How do I choose my own fabric?

• Avoid super-stretchy material, like Lycra or other 4-way stretch fabrics. These tend to wear easily, and also move around due to the stretch. Depending on the fabric, they can get misshapen because of the stretch. A little stretch is OK.
• Avoid 100% cotton fabric. There are some incredibly beautiful 100% cotton fabrics, but there are a few downfalls. Cotton can shrink, it is often not color-fast (the colors will fade in the sun), it's not quick-drying, and it may shrink.
• Avoid super-light fabrics, like fabric you would make a shirt out of.
• Check with the store or seller about the fabric's care. If you purchase upholstery fabric that requires dry-cleaning, you've got to be willing to pay for dry-cleaning. Also find out if it will crinkle up or stay color-fast if it gets wet, because no matter how careful you are, your seat cover will probably get wet one of these days.
• Avoid slippery fabric. You don't want to slide off your seat the moment you hit the brakes! :-) For example, some of the new "furry fleece" fabrics are just gorgeous, but they are super slippery. Some of the plain "mink" furs that don't have a pattern are very slippery. Some fabrics are slippery in one direction, but not in the other (this is the nap). If I use those, I always make sure that the nap faces backwards, to avoid slipping forward.
• If you are buying a remnant, ask for the dimensions. I recommend that you buy a full yard of fabric, but it you find a deal, we might be able to work with a slightly smaller piece. It depends on the dimensions, though, especially if the fabric has a pattern.
• Avoid big weave upholstery fabric. It frays easily and doesn't work well for covers that need to be elasticized. There are a lot of upholstery fabrics that will work, though.
• If your fabric has a pattern, such as stripes, be sure to let me know which direction you want them to go (side to side, front to back, at a diagonal).
• Buy a yard of fabric. Most stores won't let you buy less than a yard, so be prepared to spend the money on it. When you send me fabric, send it all, just in case I make a mistake (I don't like to admit that this is a possibility, but I have to! :-)) Do not purchase a "fat quarter" or "FQ," it is not enough fabric for a seat cover.

How do the covers stay on?

They are elasticized, and the elastic is adjustable so you can tighten it.

Are the seat covers waterproof?

No, the seat covers aren't waterproof, so if you know the weather is going to be icky, I'd recommend removing it. If your pants are waterproof, then it might not matter to you if your seat is wet. :-) If it gets icky, pull off the cover and throw it in the wash. It is better if you air dry your scooter seat covers, especially if they are longer fur. Invest in a lint roller and a small hair brush for best care of your scooter seat cover.

Can you tell me how to make my own cover?

Now, if I went and did that, then I couldn't get you to buy one, right? :-) Seriously, though, I encourage you to make your own covers, it's a lot of fun! If you have sewing experience and skill, along with some gumption, creativity, and patience, you can make your own. Send me a photo when you're done!

Can you send me a pattern?

At some point I might produce copyrighted patterns, but I'm not doing that at this point. All of my patterns are copyrighted.

Will you sponsor my event?

Check out the sponsorship page for more info.

Will you make seat covers for my car?

Sorry, just scooters. There are LOTS of car seat cover companies out there; a search on Google brings up tons with great prices and patterns.

Can you re-upholster my seat?

I'm not an upholsterer and don't have the equipment to do this. Lucky for us, there are lots of people who do this sort of thing, and I bet you can look in your local yellow pages under "upholstery" and find a few people near you who have this expertise. I really like drunknpirate's work: http://www.pirateupholstery.com

Can you make a seat cover out of leather or suede?

No, sorry.

Can you make a seat cover out of ___ material?

It depends on the material. I like the velboa fabrics because they are rugged, keep their color, don't shrink and they aren't slippery to sit on. I've seen some gorgeous Lycras and Lycra blends, but personally I don't like covers made of super stretchy material because they tend to slide around. Some upholstery fabric works, some doesn't. Cotton can shrink (even pre-shrunk cotton can still shrink a bit) and can lose color. Fleece is pretty and colorful but some lower-quality fleece can pill. Long furs work (for many seats); they cost more because the fabric tends to cost more and more detail has to be added. They get flattened when you sit on them, but usually that's nothing that a hair brush can't fix.

If you have a fabric that you want made into a seat cover, write to me at - we'll talk about it and perhaps arrange for you to send me a swatch (a small piece of fabric) to test to make sure that it will work. The main rule of thumb is that it shouldn't be slippery (I assume you don't want to fall off your seat!) and that you are willing to take care of it the way the manufacturer suggests.

Where do you get your fabulous fabrics?

Luckily, there are a lot of great fabric wholesalers out there from which I order online. I also bid on cool limited-quantity fabrics on ebay, and shop at local fabric and department stores.

I wrote to you yesterday/last week/last month and you didn't write back! Why didn't you answer my email?

I do my absolute best to answer every customer email I receive - I can't always do it right away, however. If I didn't write back to you, write again. Please remember, I get a LOT of mail. I also get a LOT of spam and junk mail that gets filtered into my junk mailbox, and once in a while a legit email gets swept away into that box. Also - if you wrote to me, say, on a Friday night, and you haven't heard back from me on Saturday morning, please remember that I do occasionally get away from work on the weekends. It's rare but it happens. Also - be sure to check to make sure I'm not in YOUR junk box! I get bounces from some emails because my emails get caught in your spam filter. Be sure you add me to your address book so my emails get through.

 

Contact me at with any further questions.