Pinning Silnylon

**Hammonkey** · 10-21-2012, 16:27

Im getting ready to begin my maccat clone diy tarp and about to seam the ridgeline. In order to get a really straight line with this very slippery material I want to pin a few inches in from where I'll be seaming so I wont have to pull the pins as I pass the fabric through the machine in addition to pinning the edge to keep the fabric together. I'll basically have 2 tracks of pins, 1 of which I remove as I go, the other spaced out away from the thread injector keeping the material from sliding.

My concern is: will I have water leaks where i've pinned the fabric due to this excessive pinning?

If so do you guys recommend a better method of keeping the fabric straight on this really important first stitch. Any tricks you guys could pass along to help a noob sew a straight flat felled french seam will be taken to heart.

thanks

**UberLight** · 10-21-2012, 16:51

Its better to pin on the seam line and pull the pins as you go. When you seal the seam you will seal the pinholes as well, otherwise you will have to seal the pin holes as well. If you are making your own sil out of 1.1 ripstop or the like you will not have to worry about the pinholes off the seam.

A trick I use is go by an office supply store and get those heavy duty metal clamps (the smaller size) they have enough tension to hold folds without poking holes.

**GregB** · 10-21-2012, 17:05

I ran into exactly the same situation when I made my tarp. I didn't have much luck with tape because SilNylon is so slippery. I asked for some suggestions in This Thread and Rat suggested Binding and Hem clips which I didn't even know existed.

There's a link to them here.

I think might do the job for you.

**Hammonkey** · 10-21-2012, 17:06

A trick I use is go by an office supply store and get those heavy duty metal clamps (the smaller size) they have enough tension to hold folds without poking holes.

these? the clips you're talking about?

**raiffnuke** · 10-21-2012, 17:33

Originally Posted by Hammonkey

these? the clips you're talking about?

I use those all the time! They work great!

**UberLight** · 10-21-2012, 18:24

Originally Posted by Hammonkey

these? the clips you're talking about?

Yep! You got it!

**Detail Man** · 10-21-2012, 18:26

If it's not too late for some input....I take it you're making a flat felled seam for the ridge. You could skip that type of seam and make it like a Warbonnet tarp with a standing seam. Much easier IMO.

If you don't want a standing seam, do a search for French seam vs flat felled. The former is a bit easier to do on sil.

**raiffnuke** · 10-21-2012, 18:29

Originally Posted by Detail Man

If it's not too late for some input....I take it you're making a flat felled seam for the ridge. You could skip that type of seam and make it like a Warbonnet tarp with a standing seam. Much easier IMO.

If you don't want a standing seam, do a search for French seam vs flat felled. The former is a bit easier to do on sil.

Do you have a diagram of how to make this seam? I am sure it is pretty easy, I just haven't tried to reverse engineer my tarp.

**Cosmic Osmo** · 10-21-2012, 18:42

I used only pins on the seam, about every 6 inches, and removed them as I went. I used binder clips to secure the folded up excess material to either side of the seam and keep it manageable as I went. As long as you take your time and keep the material stretched taut beneath the presser foot, it's not that hard to get good results.

I made a cat-cut winter tarp with doors out of navy sil 2nds from DIYGS and it turned out very well.

**GrizzlyAdams** · 10-21-2012, 18:45

Originally Posted by GregB

I ran into exactly the same situation when I made my tarp. I didn't have much luck with tape because SilNylon is so slippery. I asked for some suggestions in This Thread and Rat suggested Binding and Hem clips which I didn't even know existed.

There's a link to them here.

I think might do the job for you.

I'm a fan of these myself. Available at any fabric store.