TARP - which seam to sew first ????

[MAD777]

OK, I just finished my very first tarp! Almost perfect, but then, I'm biased

I know it's a little late, but I have one question. Do you sew the ridgeline first, then the perimeter rolled seams - or the other way around?

Please help a novice

[Big Jim Mac]

OK, I just finished my very first tarp! Almost perfect, but then, I'm biased

I know it's a little late, but I have one question. Do you sew the ridgeline first, then the perimeter rolled seams - or the other way around?

Please help a novice

Plans I am using say to sew the ridgeline first, guess that makes it easier to get the hems to match on the sides. But sure seems like a lot of material to be moving around.

[gargoyle]

I would sew the ridgeline first. That's what I do.
That way your outside hems will line up nice.
If you did the outside hems first and were of just a little the ridge would not align.

[MAD777]

Ding - ding - ding ... We have TWO winners ... Big Jim & Gargoyle!!!

That's what I thought (after doing the opposite)
My logic for sewing the edges first was, just like Jim said, I didn't want to handle all that material. But, when I got to the ridgeline, just like Gargoyle said, I was off a little and the ridgeline edges didn't line up!

I realized my problem when only a foot away from the end of sewing the ridgeline. So, I had to make an adjustment by curving one piece toward the other so that they ended at the same spot.

I cut my fabric with a catenary curved ridgeline ,so maybe that will compensate somewhat.

But, now I have a CATenary curve with a DOG leg at the end

[Big Jim Mac]

I'm glad you posted this, was just about to do this on mine and was thinking of going your route. Instead, I did the ridge first and that was the way to go. At first I rolled up the extra material like the plan says but after awhile I just let it go, it slid out from under the clothes pins anyway. Now just have to hem the edges and add the tie outs and it's a tarp.

[Busky2]

Big Jim, If you don't mind I would appreciate your sharing/telling which plans you are using for your tarp. I am always interested in what going on in the DIY world.

[MAD777]

I learned two additional lessons after I pitched the tarp for seam sealing.
1. Make the catenary cut 1" to the foot of length. I made mine 1" to te yard: not enough.
2. I made an assymetrical diamond such that the side tie-outs were positioned at the 1/3 points relative to the ridgeline. I think this is too drastic. Maybe 40-45% of the ridgeline would give a tighter setup.