Gary Witkowski of A Creative Stitch (Kodak, TN)
What does being an upholsterer mean to you?
Being an upholsterer means being able to combine my passion for designing with some of my favorite interests like cars, motorcycles and boats.
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How did you get started in upholstery?
My family and I have always loved cars so I’ve been around them my whole life. After completing art school, I was hanging out with some of my car buddies and was introduced to a very talented upholsterer. As we were talking, he offered me a job and became my mentor so I started working alongside him and his sons.
What types of upholstery do you do?
Pretty much everything -- custom car interiors, boat canvas and upholstery, motorcycle seats, RVs, furniture, entertainment venues, restaurant seating, awnings-- you name it!
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How long have you been upholstering?
About 30 years.
What is your biggest consumer demand?
We do a lot of auto interiors but the biggest demand is just high-quality upholstery of any type.
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What is your favorite upholstery project you've done?
It's hard to pick only one. I've had some very cool projects and owners.
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What is the strangest item you've found in a restoration?
Rat carcasses
Have you noticed any up & coming trends?
Modernizing older bench seats to include consoles, cup holders, and the like.
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What changes would benefit the upholstery industry?
There are a lot of How to Videos out there that skip a lot of important steps and make upholstery look easier than it is. We could use less of those around.
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Have you ever been featured on television, online, or in another Publication?
I’ve been featured in a few magazine articles about cars I've upholstered.
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Do you have a shop animal?
Yes, 2 American Pit bulls who love to hang out and sniff around new projects as they come in.
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Some answers have been edited for clarity.
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