How do you guys roll the edge?

[Gqgeek81]

I'm trying to make my first DIY double layer hammock based off Knotty's directions and I can't get past the first foot or two of pinning the edge so I can sew it. I've done this with cotton canvas before so I understand the concept but I can't for the life of me get the fabric to cooperate. I'm ready to throw something or start tearing my hair out.

I starting by trying to draw a line down the edges 1" in. I used a fabric pencil to begin with but it doesn't want to rub off on the fabric unless I press really had at which point the fabric looks almost damaged.
I switched to a sharpie which works fine if a bit messy.

Next I'm trying to go back and fold the edge over half the distance to my line and then again so it meets the line, but the fabric is so thin you can't feel if you've got it folded in half and I keep looking back and realizing all I've managed to do is fold the very edge over so it meets the black line.

When I do get it folded right and pin it the pins don't really get a good hold on the thin fabric and the springiness of the fabric is unrolling the pins right back out.


Knotty's thread sure makes the project sound easy and hemming the edge seems to be an afterthought. Why on earth am I having so much trouble with this???

[Running Feather]

Perhaps Ramblinrev's video series will help.

Working with slippery fabric takes a lot of patience at first. After a while the fabric does actually cooperate (a little).

Good luck!!

[grich9860]

maybe try using paperclips or bobbypins. when i sew ripstop i tend to get it started then just do small 8-10 inch sections at a time.

[gmcttr]

Sometimes I fold hold and sew, sometimes I pin it every ~3".

To pin a fabric hem, you push the pin down through all layers of the hem and then push it back up through all layers about 3/8" away. They will not "spring" out as you are describing. I'm guessing you are only pushing the pin through once.

[krugd]

I usually fold over one time, pin and sew. Then repeat process. Not fun, but it works. That sil is so slippery that there seems to be no easy way.

[hppyfngy]

There aren't any real tricks to it that I know of, it just takes practice. I roll the same size hem, total 1" folded twice. It would be easier to work on a little bit larger hem probably, until you get the hang of it.

Work on a hard surface and pin across the hem while holding the hem flat. If that's what you're doing I'm not sure why your pins aren't holding.

I use tailor's chalk. It works on most of the stuff.

Hang in there and you'll get it.

[dragon360]

I've heard of some guys using a glue stick to tack the fabric down (thinking of trying this myself). Others have used those butterfly style paperclips and have had success.

[TadTheTinker]

I do two things depending on the size of the project. When I did my tarp (Last week), I found it easiest to simply Pin about 6 inches worth, get the sewing machine going on that and then fold and sew as I go. With 12 feet of sewing that was easiest for me.

The other option is to get out the iron and board, or table. Fold over the first half inch and press with a warm iron. I set the iron about as low as it will go. I want warm but not hot. Don't want to melt anything. I use pressure with the warm iron to crease the fabric. Work all the way down with the first half inch. Then work your way back down the seam doing the other 1/2". As you get a section done, pin it. The heat and pressure will give you enough crease to make the pinning easier. And it will hold better during the sewing process.

On smaller projects, bags and the like, this works well. Just it is real time consuming on a big project. Hope one of the options will work for you.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out!
T

[Gqgeek81]

Did some reading as soon as I posted and saw that many use the fold and sew approach. I still hadn't tried running this fabric through the machine so I went ahead and cut a piece off the test out. Folding over several inches and running a seam worked fine, no need to play with the tension. I then tried to roll a seam and quickly found that once the presser foot and needle have a hold of the first inch or so this is really easy. Its not super exact but its close enough.

All in all I spent more time trying to pin the edge than it took to just sew it.

So, one 10.5foot layer is done and so am I for the day. I'll get to the other next week and then add some amsteel to it.

[nicholasyax]

As I have mostly been doing ripstop, that has very convenient lines every ¼", I just do one fold at a time by eye. I have done that enough that I can do it with other materials as well now fairly well.