Soft Fabric for Home Hanging?

[Lonely Raven]

So I've got a Grand Trunk that I picked up last year on an REI closeout sale. It's a deep blue fabric with a nice hand, and has little diamond patterns in it. Breaths really well.

I just can't get to sleep in it no matter how I set it up.

So I'm thinking about making a double-wide type extra wide hammock so I can try more of a diagonal/flatter lay. Maybe then I can do some home hanging and actually sleep (not just read a book).

Any suggestions on some soft hand fabric I could try out? I don't want to guess and test fabric from JoAnne, so I'm hoping someone can point something out they have experience with.

Thanks!

P.S. I'm very excited to get my vintage thread injector warmed up and start making some projects again!

[Ramblinrev]

Supplex, (a nylon microfiber fabric) would be my hands down favorite for a nylon fabric. But it is heavier than some other options. I would also suggest a polyester taffeta. Still heavier than 1.1 rip stop but very comfortable.

[gargoyle]

LR.
For at home hanging I did away with synthetics, for a few reasons.
First off was the noise. Every time I moved, the fabric would "zippp" and my Mrs. did not approve. I found a firm fabric, with no stretch, and it has been a silent sleeper for me and momma.
Weight wasn't an issue since your hanging it home and not packing it.

So find a fabric that feels good, offers low static charge (trust me, theres a polyester lightning bolt on some fabrics!), low/zero stretch and have at it. Wide 60" fabric my fav.

[QChan]

I have a silk fabric for my home hanging and it's really nice.

[Lonely Raven]

Supplex, (a nylon microfiber fabric) would be my hands down favorite for a nylon fabric. But it is heavier than some other options. I would also suggest a polyester taffeta. Still heavier than 1.1 rip stop but very comfortable.

Rev, that was my thought as well...but then Gargoyle said...

LR.
For at home hanging I did away with synthetics, for a few reasons.
First off was the noise. Every time I moved, the fabric would "zippp" and my Mrs. did not approve. I found a firm fabric, with no stretch, and it has been a silent sleeper for me and momma.
Weight wasn't an issue since your hanging it home and not packing it.

So find a fabric that feels good, offers low static charge (trust me, theres a polyester lightning bolt on some fabrics!), low/zero stretch and have at it. Wide 60" fabric my fav.

Which makes complete sense. Though I'll probably be sleeping alone in the basement...it does stand to reason that a soft, non-zippy fabric would be nice in the silence of my man-cave.

Oh, which makes me think...I had this Bamboo fabric sheet I got a while back...I was going to give it to the dog when we wore it out...I'm wondering if I still have that. I bet it would work well.

[olddog]

LR, my 1st and now nightly indoor hammock was from Hancock's and at the time of purchase was an unknown fabric. I was new and experimenting and just went by feel and weight. I've since found that it was sport nylon, very soft and comfortable against the skin. My wife has been mentioning a hammock for her and a fabric I like the feel of is the polyester microsuedes. The polyester Taffeta the Ramblinrev mentioned also feels good. Mostly I'm looking on the sale tables. With discount coupons some of these fabrics will go for $2.00 or less. The polyester 'hang free lining' I am working with now for a new hiking hammock was discontinued and $1.95/yd.

[Ramblinrev]

LR I did not send my original post. I started to write a post for _indoor use only_ but then realized that you did not specify that in the body of your op.

For Indoor Use Only the world is your oyster. Ditch the Nylon. In fact... I would ditch the syntehtics except for one exception which I will get to.

Pima cotton is what very high quality sheets are mode of. It is wonderful stuff. But don't overlook things like "top weight" silk. (Top weight being for shirts blouses etc.) Just don't tell the clerks what you want it for. They will try to talk you out of it. But they don't understand hammocks. _HOWEVER_ take a deep breath cause _wowzers_ that's gonna be an expensive hammock. Luxurious but pricey.

Here's the exception to the synthetics.. Polyester Crepe de Chein is very much like top weight silk and very much cheaper.

Otherwise a lovely cotton (Pima or similar high grade) will suffice. But if I wanted to splurge on a hammock for indoor use only... I'd bite the bullet and go silk.

Edit: One other thing... many natural fibers don't come 60" wide. Don't let that freak you out. You can add panels to the sides with a flat felled seam or a topstiched french seam to the get the desired width. 18" on each side will bring you roughly to the width of the ENO doublenest. As long as the panels are added to the side the seams are not a big issue.

[Lonely Raven]

Awesome, great info, thanks everyone!

[Aven]

QChan, which silk did you go with?

[WhollyHamaca]

Here are a few possibilities you might be interested in.

My very first indoor hammock was a diy made from a high thread-count (450 tpi?) all-cotton flat sheet from a closeout store. Slept in it every night for a few years with no problems. Eminently washable and happened to be a beautiful burgundy color.

My first "winter" indoor hammock was made with a very soft, tightly woven, double-thick wool blanket I got in Peru in the late '60's. Now THAT's a comfy hammock! I still use it and love it. Been washed many times. No UQ needed.

I also made one for a friend a couple of years ago from a fancy-woven cotton matelasse she found at a thrift store in perfect condition. She still sleeps in it all the time. Washable, soft, attractive. I think I'll make one for me, too.

Another choice for a soft-finish fabric might be cotton Monk's cloth in 2x2 or 4x4 weave, also called Aida (I think). Looks like a thermal-weave cotton blanket (which also could work well, maybe doubled, depending on your weight). I'd stay away from canvas or duck (too stiff for me).

I agree, real silk would be very fine indeed! I NEED a silk one!