sewing the end channel on a hammock

[Ramblinrev]

In this instance, straight stitch is better than zigzag. Zigzag stitches are used to allow movement in the fabric. In effect, a poor man's stretch stitch. It has longer segments of thread exposed. The longer the segment, the more likely to break. Having said that, I don't think you need to redo the stitching. You should be fine.

IMO the stitch lines do very little to provide strength. The strength of the piece comes from the durability and strength of the fabric. The stitch lines keep everything in place. Multiple stitch lines provide redundancy so if the closest line fails others are there to keep things in place. In theory, one line is all that is _needed_ but more than one provides backup.

[sploiz]

super useful info. thanks guys. i never knew 1 row of stitches would be so strong. i thought that the zig zag was overkill, but it was fun trying to do long straight stitches and failing.

the hammock turned out really comfortable. one end is whipped and the other end is through the channel, its an abomination. i used extra fabric so i could chop off the end channel if things didn't work out so it ended up being 11.5' long. it is too long to properly hang in my room.

[Junebugdawn]

Unlike several in HF, I think there is nothing special about Gutterman thread. Thread makers around the world spin as good or better. What matters is picking the right ones and using them correctly.

The reason I like Gutterman thread is because it doesn't shred much in my machine. In the town I live, I am limited in the brands of threads and most are not very good quality. Ordering Gutterman thread with my fabric order is more economical, also. I get a lot more thread for the money.

[DemostiX]

The reason I like Gutterman thread is because it doesn't shred much in my machine. In the town I live, I am limited in the brands of threads and most are not very good quality. Ordering Gutterman thread with my fabric order is more economical, also. I get a lot more thread for the money.

Well, the particular Gutterman you are supplied works well for you. If thread from a major maker shreds, the sewist is using the wrong needle. I can and do shred bonded thread in needles with too small an eye, (or with too much tension -- I am not sure I have it figured out).*

I don't want to thread-hijack, but I'll just repeat: The right thread used correctly can matter. Anyone who believes the tens of millions of car and truck seats and millions of upholstered cushions sold annually are all stitched with Guttermans is mistaken. It is a tough, competitive market for thread, a mature industry, and there are many good makes. Even more than one with a German name.

*I've also shredded thread with crude and certainly counterfeit Organ needles. Here, too, I am not enough of a sewist to understand how these could be used in home-production environment, as unpolished as the eyes seemed to be. Maybe they were made for sewing with very little tension. Or, maybe needles rejected by quality control were collected from trash and sold. I read in an old document that one of the major needle makers rejected during QC about 80% of the needles they manufactured.)

[sploiz]

when would be the appropriate time to use the zig zag stitch?

[Brute1100]

when would be the appropriate time to use the zig zag stitch?

When you want stretch in the stitch... Like for athletic stretch wear... Where the fabric can stretch quite a bit... Everything else a straight stitch will work fine..