Injected my first stitches

**nomoore** · 03-04-2011, 09:27

Yay, I'm excited!!! I've been wanting to buy some ripstop and start making my own hammock for a month or two now. But I've been afraid

of the machine, not that I would break it or that it would hurt me, but rather that I would end up messing up and wasting money or just find out that I can't s... uh... inject thread.

Well anyway, I've been watching Ramblinrev's instructional videos and doing supplemental research and last night I finally had enough confidence and motivation to try the thread injector. I started with a lightweight cotton material that my wife gave to me to try. She let me use the machine and I started with a straight hem. Then I folded it and turned it into a rolled hem. Next I made a french seam and then a flat felled seam (using instructions I found on some female oriented "thread injecting" website).

When I was done I showed it to my wife and she said "you're a better seamstress than me". I thought she was joking until she showed me one of the skirts she made for herself (not that she has done many) and she was right, my stitching was better. Woo Hoo! I guess I'm a natural. The stitches aren't as straight as something expensive from the store but I'm sure I'll get better with practice. Now I just need to save up for the supplies to actually make my first hammock.

WV · 03-04-2011, 09:55

Congrats! You'll find that DIY can be so (sew) rewarding that it will take time away from getting out in the woods.

You can save a smidgen of time when you post about it by using the approved HF abbreviation for the equipment: PTI = Powered Thread Injector.

(Don't shorten it to TI - that's titanium.)

Hmmm. My wife's old "portable" PTI is so well built that it leaves bruises on my shins and threatens to dislocate my shoulder every time I move it. I wonder if there's a TI PTI?

**nomoore** · 03-04-2011, 13:14

As if there aren't enough abbreviations on this forum already.

Well if we keep this up we will have our own language. Maybe we could call it Hammock Forum English (or HFE,

). So yeah, PTI is one I haven't seen yet or didn't understand when I did see it.

It's funny this thread was moved to the DIY forum. I thought hard about creating it there but decided not to since it wasn't specifically asking a question or showing someone how to do something. Oh well.

**Shug** · 03-04-2011, 13:20

You have now empowered your-self ....and family will start to bring over trousers for alteration!
A right goodie to you.
Shug

**Shoreborn** · 03-04-2011, 14:32

Congrats! I recently finished my first DIY hammock. Like you I was a bit intimidated by the whole thing, but then I watched one of Creative Kayt's videos where her philosophy was "so what it is just a few dollars worth of material". My seams aren't straight, but they're strong. Go for it!

**grich9860** · 03-04-2011, 20:53

way to go. i had the same feelings when i first started with my hammock project. now that i some skills my wife wants me to make her curtains. lol

**nomoore** · 03-04-2011, 23:41

Originally Posted by grich9860

way to go. i had the same feelings when i first started with my hammock project. now that i some skills my wife wants me to make her curtains. lol

Hmmm... We need some blackout curtains in our bedroom. Maybe I should put that on the project list after the hammocks.

**Ramblinrev** · 03-05-2011, 07:05

Originally Posted by nomoore

Hmmm... We need some blackout curtains in our bedroom. Maybe I should put that on the project list after the hammocks.

Easy there sparky...

It is of course up to you. But perhaps you should wait until the request is made. Depends on which approach seems to provide the best leverage for future gear projects. This is a unique situation. Make sure you wait for the most opportune moment...

**nomoore** · 03-05-2011, 08:59

Originally Posted by Ramblinrev

Easy there sparky...

It is of course up to you. But perhaps you should wait until the request is made. Depends on which approach seems to provide the best leverage for future gear projects. This is a unique situation. Make sure you wait for the most opportune moment...

Hmmm... Something to think about. Thanks for the suggestion.

**KerMegan** · 03-05-2011, 16:33

I will point out here that curtains are simpler then hammocks- only 1 channel, but 3 hems, and your stitches rarely have to bear any appreciable weight.