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Member since 2/17/07
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Posted on: 6/8/08 0:30 AM ET
My son has a "little" project for me. Seems a recent strong wind ripped the roof of his gazebo to shreds. There's about enough left to use as a pattern to make a new one. I'm going to use some stuff called Surlast 600, which is a woven 7.5 oz polyester with a polyurethane coating on one side. It should be quite stable, and not have a tendency to pull diagonally.

Here's the thing: this is going to be 10 feet square, and pyramid shaped, with a 25" square opening in the top. Just about the whole width of the 60" fabric is used up going from the lowest edge to the edge of the center opening. I will have four reeeeally long seams that I want to keep straight. What's a good way to mark and cut the fabric so those long edges stay straight? I could use a carpenter's chalk line, or fold and cut along the fold, or what else?

This will definitely be my largest project to date!

Thanks in advance for all ideas!

Al
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A sewing machine is just a welder for textiles.
  
Member since 8/31/03
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Posted on: 6/8/08 2:15 AM ET
How about masking tape to mark your line, although a chalk line sounds pretty good on something that big that's going to be outside anyway. I think the main thing is going to be making sure you have it laid out perfectly evenly before you mark. Sounds like a job for the floor, or even the driveway if it's clean.

I think your son is going to owe you a big favor for this!
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Member since 6/24/07
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Posted on: 6/8/08 2:24 AM ET
I vote masking tape because if you lay it half an inch back from the cutting edge, you can leave it in place while you stitch, so lessening the tendency for stretching. I use this tech a lot on short diagonals, mainly V neck edges, where it works well. Good luck, er.. how about enlisting help for crawling round the floor cutting out?
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Member since 12/3/06
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Posted on: 6/8/08 8:46 AM ET
In reply to Al Johnson
Not so sure tape will stick to fabric that has been treated for outdoor use.

If you are cutting a straight line selvage to selvage, fold one selvage diagonally to the opposite side and you will have a straight line, or use a carpenter's metal t-square and rotary cutter.

I used this method to make side "curtains" for my deck awning.
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OLD CHINESE PROVERB: I HEAR & I FORGET; I SEE & I REMEMBER; I DO & I UNDERSTAND.
  
Member since 7/23/07
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Posted on: 6/8/08 11:32 AM ET
My first thought was that I would borrow my friend's sail making loft for sewing this. The machinists sit in a pit and the sail spreads out over a huge floor. I'll be interested to hear how this turns out...
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Member since 2/17/07
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Posted on: 6/15/08 0:24 AM ET
Finally got this started. Brought the roll of 14 yards of fabric in to work, and laid it out on a parachute packing table. 60" wide and about 80' long, so perfect width an plenty long. I used a carpenter's steel tape measure and a 6' long aluminum straightedge to measure and mark up the cut lines, and cut with my good Mundial 8" shears. edit: I used a Sharpy marker to mark my cut lines. None of them will show, as the edges are all going to be turned under or zigzagged and will be inside.

It was a wonderful thing! All went according to plan. The cutting took about one hour all told, so it's a good thing I went in on Saturday and wasn't in anybody's way.

Now we shall see how the sewing part goes, tomorrow!


-- Edited on 6/15/08 0:26 AM --
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A sewing machine is just a welder for textiles.
  
Member since 7/23/07
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Posted on: 6/15/08 12:12 PM ET
I had no idea there was such a thing as a parachute packing table. Brilliant!
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http://bgballroom.wordpress.com to follow the progress on my next ballgown.
  
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Posted on: 6/15/08 4:39 PM ET
In reply to tourist
Quote: tourist
I had no idea there was such a thing as a parachute packing table. Brilliant!

Well, I know nothing about sailmaking lofts, either. I've worked in some odd industries...


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A sewing machine is just a welder for textiles.
  
Member since 10/27/06
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Posted on: 6/16/08 2:32 PM ET
Thanks for Al's messsage. I have the same situation. My gazebo cover tore from the winds, but the main cover is intact There is a pyramid with a center hole, and the 'spoke' ( a rod from the center hole to the outer border measures 60 inches front to back, and 56 inches from center to the side. I bought some outdoor fabric, about 5 yards long and 54 in wide and tried to drape it over the gazebo top. It seems to be a little short on length. However, when I match it up with the original cover piece( a grey , non stretchy square piece, my fabric seems more than enough.
I thought I could just cut my fabric in half, seam it together, add to and finish the edges. Will this work, or do I need to cut on the bias? Like most sewists, I am tight on time, with a full time job, and so was looking for an easy solution, and an excuse to sew!
Thanks a lot for any suggestion. sgopalan
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usis
  
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Posted on: 6/29/08 10:29 PM ET
I finally finished this project, so I wrote my first review on it.
Here's the address of the review, in case anybody would like to see the finished product.
https://sewing.patternreview.com/cgi-bin/readreview.pl?readreview=1&reviewnum=30019

Thanks to everybody for the help!

Al
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A sewing machine is just a welder for textiles.
  
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