I heat seal any cut edges but the frayed/unfinshed edge that's on most fabrics when you get them I just leave.
I heat seal any cut edges but the frayed/unfinshed edge that's on most fabrics when you get them I just leave.
“Light thinks it travels faster than anything but it is wrong. No matter how fast light travels, it finds the darkness has always got there first, and is waiting for it." -Terry Pratchett
That depends on what you're making...for some things, you don't want to use the selvedge - it's not as strong usually. On my tarps, for instance, I cut it off so I'm using nothing but "good" material in the ridge seam. Ed's black sil, just as a side note, doesn't have noticeable selvedge. His grey does.
"Physics is the only true science. All else is stamp collecting." - J. J. Thompson
ok you have trimed the frayed edges off. You now have a nice edge to put a hem on. If your gonna make a 1/2" hem do you fold the edge of the material back say 3/4" and pin it then run you thread 1/2" from the folded edge. I hope that makes sense.
Not following you on this one. Here is what I do.
I make 3/4" seams (no good reason, just like the way they look). I fold the heat sealed end over 3/4", then fold that under itself 3/4". I then add a pin in the middle of this. I put 2 rows of stitches in this. One 1/4" from each side. This way there is 3 layers of fabric in the entire hem. There is also 3 layers of fabric in each row of stiches. I think this gives you the strongest hem.
Is that too much to ask? Girls with frikkin' lasers on their heads?
The hanger formly known as "hammock engineer".
that must take a while to fold,pin and sew it twice
It did at first, now after I few hammocks and a couple hundred feet of sewing I can do it without pinning the entire length. I usually just measure and pin the end, then use the marks on the machine plate and fold as I do. It took awhile and a couple failed hammocks for me to get to this point. Right now I only pin the entire length of things I have a lot of time or money in. My hammocks only run $4, so messing one up is not a big deal.
Is that too much to ask? Girls with frikkin' lasers on their heads?
The hanger formly known as "hammock engineer".
Folding twice is necessary on most things - it's called a rolled hem. This way, the cut edge is completely hidden. Pinning and sewing each time is time consuming, but until you're comfortable with the mechanics of sewing it keeps things a lot straighter. I hardly pin anything anymore. If I need a hem or seam to be really nice and straight I might pin it once (fold it twice first, then pin), but usually I just fold in 6-8" increments as I sew.
"Physics is the only true science. All else is stamp collecting." - J. J. Thompson
I should add that the lines of the ripstop in the fabric are really helpful guides. But they will strech. So if the material is pulled alot they may not be straight. It is helpful for me in making straight cuts and stitch lines, but use at your own risk.
Is that too much to ask? Girls with frikkin' lasers on their heads?
The hanger formly known as "hammock engineer".
Bookmarks