Making Tree Huggers

[miisterwright]

I'm by no stretch an expert on this topic, but I doubt the shape (bar, zig-zag, box/x) is nearly as important as the number of stitches and the length of webbing over which the stitches are placed.

I have done box/x is the past, and 4 bartacks once on some tubular webbing (broke so many needles on that stuff..), but the ones I sewed tonight were about zig-zag with about 4 zigs and 4 zags with about 3 passes each on a zig-zag stitch pattern.

I wonder if you'd really get any difference between a pretty box/x, completely random stitching, or drawing a embroidered art masterpiece given that the number of stitches and the overlap of webbing were equal.

[Youngblood]

There is another factor in this-- all thread is not of the same strength. The various polyester thread I sew with likley varies in breaking strength by about 10:1. For example,I think I have Gutterman polyester thread in 3 different strengths that I bought from the same fabric store that was labeled as something like economy, regular(?), and heavy duty... and then other Gutterman's polyester thread that's a different strength from a web site.

And typically you have to find some table that lists breaking strength versus thread size or test it yourself. Often the thread we buy doesn't even list the thread size. Fortunately, the breaking strengths of individual threads are small enough that it isn't too big of a challenge to do a static test to get a good idea of its approximate breaking strength.

It has been a while since I went through all this so I don't recall all the details but I think there was a very informative thread (can't help the pun) on this site about thread strength. As a result of that, I sorted out what I had and bought a couple of other thread sizes on-line such that I use thread rated at about 1, 3, 6, and 9 pounds breaking strength for various things. I quit using any of the thread that was weaker than that and I had some. I use the 9(?) pound stuff when sewing loops into webbing I use for hammock suspension.

I size the needle according to the thread. There is a range of needle size that work with various thread diameters. And (think about this for a minute and I think it will make sense) I sometimes size the thread according to the needle. Some materials are tough on smaller needles but not so much on thicker needles... so if you use a bigger needle then you need to use a bigger thread that works with that needle. There is more to the needle and thread connection than the eye of the needle. I forget the terms but needles are designed so the thread lays inside a precise shaping just above the eye of the needle and gets picked up inside the sewing machine to form the actual stitch.

And a quick word about tight zig-zag stitching versus straight stitching. Tight zig-zag stitching or bar tacks work better with smaller thread than larger (and stronger) thread. It may not work at all with large enough thread as the machine may jam. But you need it more with smaller thread to get enough thread in place to make a strong enough connection. There are options in all this and you need to understand what they are and what the tradeoffs are.

[Hawk-eye]

....except for that time I sat in my UQ instead of my hammock... ...

Ha ... did that exact same thing last year with my first UQ on the second time using it ... ya go down really fast!

[Albert Skye]

I neglected to give credit for the link...came out of Albert Skye's article on tree huggers. My bad. Sorry, Albert.

No worries; credit should go to those good authors anyway, and to caves.org for keeping it online.

By the way, I've noticed that industrial slings tend to be sewn that way.

[HCH]

Use strong thread. Box stitches and X stitches is what I am using

[MacEntyre]

I use polyester UV protected 92 weight thread. I make a bar tack at each end of the folded webbing to be stitched, then run 6 or 8 longitudinal stitchings between the bar tacks. I copied the method from what I have seen on safety harness. The longitudinal stitches are the strongest.

[Ramblinrev]

I use polyester UV protected 92 weight thread. I make a bar tack at each end of the folded webbing to be stitched, then run 6 or 8 longitudinal stitchings between the bar tacks. I copied the method from what I have seen on safety harness. The longitudinal stitches are the strongest.

That's essentially what I do. If I am feeling OCD I'll do the "x" but I'm not convinced it is needed.

[oreana]

Pages 12-15 of this link will tell you more than most people want to know about stitching loops in webbing.

http://www.caves.org/section/vertical/nhback/NH03.pdf

Thank You for this report. This type of testing is more relevant than opinion. I will adopt this pattern for sewing nylon tubing on the offshore harnesses I sew.

[GregB]

Make some bar tacks which is nothing more than going back and forth 4 or 5 times. But some X's between them. $ bar tacks or more should be plenty. Here's how I did mine and I've had no movement or loosening of the seams at all.