length of diy gathered end

[GGT]

Hey guys I am thinking of making a diy hammock (well getting someone to help me with it, I have no sewing machine) I am thinking of doing it based on knottys sticky instructions but have a few questions

Was thinking of using some black ripstop from joanns fabric (I'm guessing its 1.1 oz but have no idea )- that will at least give me a second hammock to camp with (with my wife) until I can save up for the blackbird

Anyway questions

1) Can it be adapted to be a double layer, is there any thing I'd need to do differently to the gathered end parts in knottys instructions? And will that make the channels too large to work when all bunched up?

2) Would 3 1/2 yards be long enough? I'm 5'10" and sleep very well in an eno dn which seems to have approx the same dimensions.

3) What's the best stitch to use? Never used a sewing machine before but can tell my helpers to set it up with that stitch

4) What thread do you use? any tips or just plain polyester/nylon?

I'm pretty sure these have all been answered before (I scroll hf a lot ) but I do not have full internet at the moment and just access hf on my phone...its a hassle trying to read/search for all the different threads to find what I want.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Thanks in advance guys

[GOLFER]

as far as a sewing machine check out the salvation army thrift store you'de be surprised what you would find. I got one for $15 bucks the other day a singer to be exact.

[JohnSawyer]

There's some debate on appropriate length, but I love my 11' hammock. (I'm 5'11") it's long, but very comfy.

Most of the fabric I've seen at Joanne's (nylon ripstop, anyway) appears to be 1.9oz/yd. It'd make a very sturdy double.

Sclittlefield at backwoodsdaydreamer has some 1.1 for sale at $3/yd, which is cheaper than Joanne's even with a 40% off coupon. I have a single layer 1.1 made from his fabric, and it's great. A double would be even better IMHO.

As far as using knotty's instructions, the only trick is to not make the end-channel too small, as it won't bunch-up properly. Follow his instructions, and you'll do fine.

If you're doing a double, take a look at Risk's Zhammock: http://imrisk.com it shows how to sew the sides together.

For stitching, I'd use a medium-length straight stitch for everything. I've made 6-7 hammocks this way with no issues.

Best of luck!

John

[WV]

as far as a sewing machine check out the salvation army thrift store you'de be surprised what you would find. I got one for $15 bucks the other day a singer to be exact.

You can find some great deals on used sew... er, thread injectors. However, it helps if you have some experience to evaluate them. It still may be necessary to take a bargain to a good repair shop for a tuneup, which can cost $100. Another option is to go to the repair shop first and ask about used machines. Last week I took my wife's machine in for repairs and was amazed at the collection of used models for sale. I passed on a used Kenmore in a cabinet for $50 and instead picked up a used Singer in cabinet for $100. Both of these machines had had a full tuneup before being set out for sale, and they came with warranties. Repairs on my wife's Kenmore (which I broke) cost $140 with sales tax.

[GGT]

Thanks guys, my wife got a broken? Sewing machine for free her relative said it would only take about $30 to fix she just hasn't taken it yet

I did look at risks hammock I'm not so sure on the ends open though, was gonna leave a space in the middle for a pad to fit in? Is that a bad idea considering I'd be getting in and out of the middle (stretch

11' for a hammock seems a little long, I'm sure its comfortable but I'm in ga and its pretty dense down here.what would be the shortest it could be and still be confortable for a 5'10 individual

As for fabric I know it will be cheaper to get it online but its so much easier (for me) to just go to joanns for 50c more a yard...once I get the urge I just want to go buy it, I'm not a fan of waiting I'm sure the more I do the more ill want to save on fabric but not at the moment

Thanks guys

[GvilleDave]

Keep in mind an 11' hammock is only 11' when stretched out on the ground without a ridgeline. The true hanging length of your hammock will be dictated by your ridgeline length. For me I find a 108" ridgeline works well. So even though my DIY hammock is 11' 8" of fabric the hanging length is 9'. For me the extra length in the hammock made for more sag with the same length ridgeline and the sag created a very flat diagonal lay for my DIY. FWIW

[oldgringo]

My Speer is ~ 9', and I'm 6-0...not as comfy as larger hammocks, but certainly not uncomfortable, either. I just spent over a week in mine @ deer camp, with no complaints. I was able to hang it on a stand inside a wall tent that measured 8'6".

I believe the Nano 7 is a shorty, too. Maybe someone can comment on it.

[jred]

I'm 5'9"ish, and I started with 3 yds before hemming. It's comfortable enough for me. You could start longer, whip it with zip ties, and figure out how long you like it before trimming & hemming.

[dandeman]

i am 5'9" and i use a single layer 1.5 oz ripstop nylon that i ordered raw from backwoodsdaydreamer. I whip the ends to eliminate the possibility for a seam failure that would undoubtedly land me on my butt. My hammock is 9ft by 5ft in raw dimensions. ripstop is stronger than you think, and you can make a great hammock out of almost any weight of it: as long as you are using it correctly. A single layer is, obviously, lighter; but a double layer gives opportunity for a pad between the layers if it is built with a slot, and double layers are somewhat more sturdy/ durable...but like i said, if you use your hammock correctly, than no matter if its a single or double, it will last and be as great the 300th night as it was the 3rd night.
Thanks,
Dan

[GGT]

Thanks guys think I'm going to go with about 10 foot for each layer raw size, it should take it down to about 8.5 to 9 ft when complete. if I don't like it ill make another and give it to one of the kids should be plenty long/strong enough for a rowdy 4 year old

where would you recommend I put the pad hole I was thinking the middle but am worried about it stretching out? I'm not so sure about at the edges like the z hammock...any advice would be appreciated

Also was going to seal the 2 layers with velcro if I go with a hole in the middle, any comments/suggestions?

Hammock forum members are awesome in their responses...thanks again