DIY Tarp Ridgeline Seam Binding Question

**jdm80** · 03-21-2010, 21:26

Construction on my DIY tarp will begin soon. Just about got it all figured out except for the method I'll use to bind the ridgeline seam. I know it isn't required, but I'm determined to do it. I want to apply the binding over the seam and not roll the seam over the binding. There's nothing wrong with rolling it over, I know, but I want it on the outside for appearance.

So my questions are:

1) If I use the Backwoods Daydreamer modified felled seam and apply a binding material over it (GG, or maybe a low-stretch polyester twill), is the binding applied so that the stitching is outside the felled seam area (i.e just into a single layer of sil), or is the stitching applied through the felled seam (i.e. through many layers of sil). I can see the benefit of stitching through multiple layers, but then I think I will need to make my felled seam wider to accommodate the width of the binding. I was planning to use ~1/2" binding.

2) Is the binding applied to the outside of the tarp only? I presume so, but somewhere in the gallery I saw a tarp with GG binding on both sides of the ridgeline seam. That seems like overkill, but what do you guys think?

Thanks!

**Schneiderlein** · 03-22-2010, 08:10

If you want to add a strip of GG, you could do so while sewing the second seam line of the French seam. No additional work required. May be easier to use 3/4" GG.

I think warbonnet tarps have binding on the ridgeline seam. Maybe somebody with a warbonnet tarp can tell you how the pros do it.

**jdm80** · 03-23-2010, 14:57

I just looked up the Warbonnet tarps and see Brandon is binding the ridgeline. Photos on his website aren't zoomed in enough to see his method.

I looked in the gallery and found a photo of a Warbonnet tarp that shows the ridgeline tieout, but I can't see the ridgeline binding very clearly.

Any Warbonnet tarp owners out there that would mind posting a pick or two of Brandon's professional work?

**Trout** · 03-23-2010, 15:02

I think most do either a binding or a rolled hem. If you want to do it how you've been planning, I'd sew the rolled hem once (to make it easier) and then put the binding on with the second sew sew line.