View Full Version : Button Holes Sewn
dirtwheels
01-29-2014, 19:57
Can anyone sew button holes? I could either buy the fabric from you or send you some. Looking for a 8' x 5' hammock body with tri-stitched end channels with button holes sewn on each end at 2.5" - 3" intervals to attach cordage. No access to a button holing machine here.
Vincethebutcher
01-29-2014, 21:23
What about grommets instead? Little more durable
All my hammocks have cords spaced about 3" or so. I often use 1.9 oz. fabric and fold the ends over twice, then sew a channel. I run a piece of amsteel, dynaglide, or utility cord through the channel. Then, instead of using buttonholes, I use a small soldering iron and simply melt holes in the fabric next to the cord. The hammock strings can be run through the holes and larks-headed around the amsteel. Melting holes in the fabric essentially creates nylon grommets.
Ramblinrev
01-29-2014, 22:13
What about grommets instead? Little more durable
Grommets are notorious for cutting the fabric and ripping out. I don't recommend grommets for anything gear related.
Good point, Rev. I used the term "grommets" for my melted holes, but it's not the thicker nylon edge of the hole that keeps the cord from tearing the fabric, it's the amsteel in the channel.
XTrekker
01-29-2014, 23:32
Good point, Rev. I used the term "grommets" for my melted holes, but it's not the thicker nylon edge of the hole that keeps the cord from tearing the fabric, it's the amsteel in the channel.
Ingenious WV..Your ingenuity constantly astounds me. You need to write a DIY book of your successes and even your failures. Consider the first copy sold.
dirtwheels
01-30-2014, 12:37
Sounds interesting, the suspension lines are connected to the amsteel with a larks head thru four holes burned/melted into the fabric channel. What do you do with the ends of the amsteel? Do you rely upon the friction between the "U" formed in the four layers of fabric and the amsteel to hold the amsteel in place?
I considered melting holes and larksheading cords thru 2 of the holes 3" apart but wasn't convinced that the melted fabric would last long. Shedding the load in the "U" of fabric and around the cordage in the channel sounds cleaver and sound. How long have these lasted for you?
Thanks for the great idea.
All my hammocks have cords spaced about 3" or so. I often use 1.9 oz. fabric and fold the ends over twice, then sew a channel. I run a piece of amsteel, dynaglide, or utility cord through the channel. Then, instead of using buttonholes, I use a small soldering iron and simply melt holes in the fabric next to the cord. The hammock strings can be run through the holes and larks-headed around the amsteel. Melting holes in the fabric essentially creates nylon grommets.
dirtwheels
01-30-2014, 12:43
Thanks for the tips, WV is leading the way with his ingenuity.
The Old Boot
01-30-2014, 15:08
All my hammocks have cords spaced about 3" or so. I often use 1.9 oz. fabric and fold the ends over twice, then sew a channel. I run a piece of amsteel, dynaglide, or utility cord through the channel. Then, instead of using buttonholes, I use a small soldering iron and simply melt holes in the fabric next to the cord. The hammock strings can be run through the holes and larks-headed around the amsteel. Melting holes in the fabric essentially creates nylon grommets.
This will work better than buttonholes by far!! The tension is on the amsteel that is run through the channel and not on the fabric itself.
Used in this application buttonholes would have just torn out anyways. Machine worked buttonholes work well for buttoning up something but not so well for the tension that would have been put on them on the hammock.
VW-
Can you post a pic?
That would help me alot.
Thank you.
Dos