Bridge Hammock - Can I stitch Amsteel directly into the fabric?

[jwalche]

So I saw ppl stitching a webbing or making a channel for cord and then stitching a few stitches at the end so the fabric won't slip, and sawing some extra fabric into the channel to prevent it wearing down with friction with the cord.

My question is, can I just stitch the amsteel into the fabric, then fold the fabric around the cord and doing some additional stitches? Making a perfect channel, with additional layers of fabric was pretty hard and I don't like what I did at all. It will be much easier to just sew in the entire cord to the fabric.

[johne]

i am definitely not an expert here. i am just about to start my first bridge hammock next week when the fabric arrives, but i have watched a number of videos... here is one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dA7rQl0JjEQ

in there, around 2:00 he talks about how he folded a separate piece of the same material over the edge to create the channel... like bias tape... sewing a separate piece of fabric over an edge is fairly straightforward.... the thing that strikes me as different from rope vs webbing is that rope is thinner which means more pressure in a smaller area... but again, i'd wait for the experts to chime in here...

john

[WV]

You're right, John. I've used Grizz's method with both amsteel and dynaglide. Sewing 6" at each end is enough to hold it. I use two or three rows of stitching there. The reinforcement you mentioned is needed because the amsteel exits the channel before the end. It may not be as necessary if the spreader bar connection is at the end of the hammock. (Grizz confirm this?) His videos are a great reference. Also look at the no-hardware connections with soft shackles and lanyard knots in "Gone Loopy".

[Life Scout]

I stitch the last couple inches at the corners when using rope for the bridge hammock sides. I also use 1" grosgrain for my side reinforcements instead of more ripstop like griz does. It's a lot easier to work with. Any color will do its folded inside the side channels. I have used soft packets for my spreader bar ends 2" seatbelt folded over. Had one tare off this past hang. I have gone back to metal hardware at each corner.

[johne]

I also use 1" grosgrain for my side reinforcements instead of more ripstop like griz does. It's a lot easier to work with.

i was thinking about that instead. i think the grograin would make a cool look, too. i have a couple questions about that:

1. as i understand, one of the reasons for rope instead of webbing is weight savings... wouldn't rope + grograin be more than the webbing by itself?

2. is grograin strong enough? is the grograin we get at joann fabric that the kids dig in all the fun patterns, the same strength as the stuff at rockywoods or RSBTR?

i do agree that grosgrain seems like it would be easier...

thanks,

john

[GrizzlyAdams]

I don't think the responses have yet addressed the question the OP asked....which I _think_ is "can you sew the cord down at the edge, then roll the edge+cord the way you would with webbing, and then sew again to keep it all in place. "

I did think about that once. The reason I waved it off is that the way I do cord there are buries at the corners for several inches, and these increase the diameter of the cord. Wasn't seeing how to get the roll 'tight' against the cord all the way along the body with this changing diameter.

If the cord diameter stayed the same through corner-to-corner then I don't see why the 'sew-down, roll, sew-down-again' approach wouldn't work if you can keep the roll tight.

[WV]

Good catch, Grizz. I missed that.