edge seams on silnylon tarps

[Moondog55]

When sewing a 25mm folded seam is it stronger to sew one edge first and then fold or is a simple fold and stitch strong enough?
This is 30d from Simon at Tier Gear and the tape loops are going to be 25mm polyester grosgrain and I intend to add reinforcing at each corner and at each tie-out and the extra fabric will be included before sewing
A simple flat tarp fabric width by whatever length I have, an Experiment as I haven't sewn this fabric before

[perfectlydark]

Double fold then stitch should be strong enough,.and is all i do with hammocks. I usually single fold then pin, then roll again and repin then sew, mainly because i can never get a straight fold if i just go straight for the double roll.

[simonm]

I just fold the rolled hem and double stitch.

Winter Tarp 004_640x480.JPG (68.81 KiB) Viewed 28776 times

Winter Tarp 017_360x480.JPG (33.39 KiB) Viewed 28776 times

[Moondog55]

I have been having a lot of trouble with the silnylon in my machine so I haven't even started the tarp project. Yesterday I found the missing walking foot attachment and now it sews reasonably well
Hopefully I will get started after next week-ends Glamping

[andrewa]

Ah...the missing walking foot!

Never had a "walking foot", but it sounds a good concept. I have managed to sew plenty of silinylon, and I normally pin pretty well every seam before sewing, especially those that are curved. Whilst time consuming, it does at least minimise "botching" a seam. On a side seam, I'd probably only end up pinning every 30cm or so.

Happy sewing, and looking fwd to seeing the finished project.

A

[perfectlydark]

Yep i find pinning is essential for me. Longest part in the process but worth it.
must say i found.sewing silnylon to be fairly easy though, pinning took a bit longer than some other fabrics though

[Moondog55]

Even with pinning the fabric simply slipped on my machine and I kept getting it alternatively too loose and too tight. I'm thinking of ditching the bonded nylon tho and going with polyester to see it that helps too
OR
That cheap Rasant from Simon perhaps
Then just do the tieouts with the bonded nylon

[undercling-mike]

I suspect that using bonded nylon thread is causing at least some of your problems. That's heavy duty stuff and being nylon stretches more than polyester thread, your machine might not cope with it too well and the silnylon fabric is too light to benefit from the strength of the nylon thread. Use Rasant 75 or some equivalent quality poly thread for the hems as well as the tieouts, with a good stitch pattern it's more than strong enough.

[Moondog55]

NO Nope and frustration
Even with the walking foot and changing to the Rasant thread this grey stuff will not sew on my machine
It does sew easily on Ceciles but I am not allowed to use that one and The Boss is busy sewing tadpole clothing.
I'm thinking of either sending it to TerraRosa to have it sewn or just giving it away as a PIF

[simonm]

What's happening there MD?

[Moondog55]

I think it is too thin for the thread to lock properly and it is so slippery that even with the walking foot it won't feed in a regular manner, no matter what I do with the foot pressure or thread tension
I really need two machines, this one got some work done so I could sew the battle dress and the woollens and now it won't handle this thin slippery

[north-north-west]

Sew it by hand.

[Moondog55]

No way will my hand stitching be as strong as a machine seam on 15 metres of edges

[simonm]

What machine? Needle? Is the thread Rasant 75?

Top tension for sil is usually fairly light for most machine. Stitch length around 3mm or so.

[Moondog55]

My Sew by Janome #7 needles sharp,new point and the Rasant is Grey very fine and I bought it from you Simon

[simonm]

My Sew by Janome #7 needles sharp,new point and the Rasant is Grey very fine and I bought it from you Simon

Sounds like Rasant 120. Your needle is too small try #10 or #12.

[Moondog55]

Then it didn't come from you It is way too fine already and passes easily through the eye but I'll try a #10 first
It is finer than the standard polyester from Guterman which also won't sew

[simonm]

Then it didn't come from you It is way too fine already and passes easily through the eye but I'll try a #10 first
It is finer than the standard polyester from Guterman which also won't sew

It may have come from us. Is it Gutermann's or Amann Rasant thread?

[Moondog55]

It's on a red cone Simon, 1000m
Hmmm Maybe I got one of the Bosses by mistake Cecile uses cones too for the overlockers, I suppose I may have accidentally threaded up with overlocker thread
OOOps

[simonm]

Rasant is on a red cardboard 1000m cone but it will have Rasant printed on it. Anyway I would try a bigger needle, and make sure you have the right thread .