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Which needle is best? Any other Gotchas? (Moderated by Deepika)
Posted on: 12/15/13 8:01 AM ET
I have a client who wants advice on sewing for his sailboat.
He's making some kind of cover out of ripstop nylon. He will be using flat felled seams.
Which needle is best?
Are there any techniques I need to be aware of?
I assume a regular cotton poly thread will be good?
The only thing I can imagine is the fabric snagging if I don't use the right needle. Maybe there is more to look out for.
Please give me your thoughts.
Thanks,
Maripat
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He's making some kind of cover out of ripstop nylon. He will be using flat felled seams.
Which needle is best?
Are there any techniques I need to be aware of?
I assume a regular cotton poly thread will be good?
The only thing I can imagine is the fabric snagging if I don't use the right needle. Maybe there is more to look out for.
Please give me your thoughts.
Thanks,
Maripat
------
"You are in charge of your own ride!"
Learning-Alterations.com
Learning-Alterations.com
Posted on: 12/15/13 8:35 AM ET
In reply to Maripat
Hi, here are a couple of suggestions: only use synthetic thread on synthetic fabrics, otherwise the fabric might cut through the thread fibers. Plus, cotton will rot. Use Microtex needles on lighter fabric and Jeans/Denim for heavy fabric and with thick intersections of the flat felled seams. The best thing to do with needle choice is to sew a couple of test seams first. This Sailrite website might help:
Website discussing threads for outdoor use
Website discussing threads for outdoor use
Posted on: 12/15/13 1:10 PM ET
DeJa Vu all over again!
I went through this with a first time sew-er last summer.
Ask him to buy his supplies at Sailrite. They have the correct weight of nylon, the right type of thread for exposure to rain and sun, seam tape, and grommets along with a cutter and setter. You cannot just go into a fabric or hardware store and find the right composition for grommets for sail boat accessories.
Take a look at the site as well and their video tutorials.
You will need a lot of room for the layout and support for the fabric when sewing - this will eliminate drag and resistance.
You will also need a walking foot and TITANIUM coated sewing machine needles. I used size 14.
The Salirite machines have a walking/even feed foot and they use silicon to keep the needles from gumming up as the heat of the needle softens the seam tape and gums up the needle and thread. The Titanium coated needles stay cool and there is no gummy, sticky mess to deal with.
Maintaining a sail boat is expensive and your customer should already be aware of this.
I used his old, ripped up and patched with duct tape cover for my pattern.
-- Edited on 12/15/13 1:12 PM --
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I went through this with a first time sew-er last summer.
Ask him to buy his supplies at Sailrite. They have the correct weight of nylon, the right type of thread for exposure to rain and sun, seam tape, and grommets along with a cutter and setter. You cannot just go into a fabric or hardware store and find the right composition for grommets for sail boat accessories.
Take a look at the site as well and their video tutorials.
You will need a lot of room for the layout and support for the fabric when sewing - this will eliminate drag and resistance.
You will also need a walking foot and TITANIUM coated sewing machine needles. I used size 14.
The Salirite machines have a walking/even feed foot and they use silicon to keep the needles from gumming up as the heat of the needle softens the seam tape and gums up the needle and thread. The Titanium coated needles stay cool and there is no gummy, sticky mess to deal with.
Maintaining a sail boat is expensive and your customer should already be aware of this.
I used his old, ripped up and patched with duct tape cover for my pattern.
-- Edited on 12/15/13 1:12 PM --
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OLD CHINESE PROVERB: I HEAR & I FORGET; I SEE & I REMEMBER; I DO & I UNDERSTAND.
Posted on: 12/15/13 1:31 PM ET
I like to use a microtex needle, and if the ripstop is coated, you might need a foot to help it glide. teflon or roller.
It's very easy to sew, I've made lots of drill team flags and windsocks with it.Sometimes it will try to pucker, but you can adjust your sewing machine settings.
Also you can cut it out with a hot knife (wood burning too) and that will sear the edges so they don't ravel.
I did buy UV resistant thread at Joanns, I used it when I was making Sunbrella cushions for patio furniture.
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It's very easy to sew, I've made lots of drill team flags and windsocks with it.Sometimes it will try to pucker, but you can adjust your sewing machine settings.
Also you can cut it out with a hot knife (wood burning too) and that will sear the edges so they don't ravel.
I did buy UV resistant thread at Joanns, I used it when I was making Sunbrella cushions for patio furniture.
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My grandmother taught me to sew when I was 10, and I've been sewing ever since.
Posted on: 12/15/13 5:21 PM ET
In reply to Maripat
I don't think I would want to try to do a flat fell seam in thin rip stop nylon myself. I think if all edges not sealed up it might ravel away, before I could ever get those sewn into it. Also kind of thin and slippery to try to even get going though any kind of more generic binder attachment. Unless you smashed all those metal curls in one down a whole bunch just right. And if you tried to fold all that in by hand instead, you could not even get more a more helpful crease to stay in it, since you could not iron that in, as it would melt even your fabric to do that.
I've sewn a few smaller truck or small thing kind of covers of it, (like for a leaf and branch chipping machine and such) and because the things it was on, were really sitting in the shade all the time, all year around and actually under some very big tree's and I only wanted the covers to keep out leaf debrie and actually very much pass air through them too, and since I got my rip stop at Walmart on some sale table for like $1 a yard, I just used more garment weight Coats and Clark cotton covered polyester garment weight thread even. And a size 9 needle. I liked the toothy-ness of the cotton on the outside of the thread and having the thread not be slick and slippery at all for my purposes. But I needed no UV protection at all either as everything sitting in the shade under big tree's all the time. Done that way, even my Coats and Clark cotton covered polyester core thread on there is still just fine 4 or 5 years later or so, and has not deteriorated or rotted out, or anything like that yet. Also no salt around either and even my cheapie $1 a yard, nylon rip stop had nothing special UV coating it at all either. If they were going to be sitting in the sun 24/7, or even way much less, then I think I might have done some stuff different possibly though. And not even used that rip stop nylon or that thread maybe.
I've sewn a few smaller truck or small thing kind of covers of it, (like for a leaf and branch chipping machine and such) and because the things it was on, were really sitting in the shade all the time, all year around and actually under some very big tree's and I only wanted the covers to keep out leaf debrie and actually very much pass air through them too, and since I got my rip stop at Walmart on some sale table for like $1 a yard, I just used more garment weight Coats and Clark cotton covered polyester garment weight thread even. And a size 9 needle. I liked the toothy-ness of the cotton on the outside of the thread and having the thread not be slick and slippery at all for my purposes. But I needed no UV protection at all either as everything sitting in the shade under big tree's all the time. Done that way, even my Coats and Clark cotton covered polyester core thread on there is still just fine 4 or 5 years later or so, and has not deteriorated or rotted out, or anything like that yet. Also no salt around either and even my cheapie $1 a yard, nylon rip stop had nothing special UV coating it at all either. If they were going to be sitting in the sun 24/7, or even way much less, then I think I might have done some stuff different possibly though. And not even used that rip stop nylon or that thread maybe.
Posted on: 12/16/13 1:06 AM ET
In reply to Maripat
You've gotten good advice on needles and thread already, but I'd like to include a cutting tip. Use a hot knife to cut any nylon and it will seal the end and not ravel at all. I have used this for the repairs I have done on my husband's ski wear (he is on a ski patrol so things get some abuse) and it works great. Also great for cutting ribbon, cording, etc. Basically anything that ravels or frays and is synthetic. You can get a basic one with replacement tips at most craft stores for not too much. If you have a Joann's near by they have them in the wood burning/crafting section and you can use the coupons.
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Baby Lock Ellure Plus (BLR3), Brother 1034D Serger, Brother 2340CV Coverstitch, Singer Rocketeer 500J
"A woman is like a tea bag- you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water." Eleanor Roosevelt
"Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people." Eleanor Roosevelt
"A woman is like a tea bag- you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water." Eleanor Roosevelt
"Great minds discuss ideas; Average minds discuss events; Small minds discuss people." Eleanor Roosevelt
Posted on: 12/16/13 8:43 AM ET
In reply to Maripat
When I repair or make outdoor covers, I use a synthetic UV-type thread.
Posted on: 12/16/13 11:46 AM ET
My goodness you guys have a lot to offer.
He is coming shortly and I will assemble all of this knowledge and present it to him.
We'll play around and practice a bit, as he is also new to his machine.
I'll let you know my results and see if I have any more question.
As for the flat felled seam, is there a trick to making it work smoothly? After reading above, I'm now wondering if I can get that to look professional. I'm off to view the videos.
Maripat
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He is coming shortly and I will assemble all of this knowledge and present it to him.
We'll play around and practice a bit, as he is also new to his machine.
I'll let you know my results and see if I have any more question.
As for the flat felled seam, is there a trick to making it work smoothly? After reading above, I'm now wondering if I can get that to look professional. I'm off to view the videos.
Maripat
------
"You are in charge of your own ride!"
Learning-Alterations.com
Learning-Alterations.com
Posted on: 12/16/13 4:35 PM ET
In reply to Maripat
I think it's really bad fabric properties to try to do it (flat fell seam) with, and tiny short edges of it there, just because it's so thin and slippery and won't hold a crease even. Also if someone does not even know how to sew at all, and new to a machine, I would be thinking the last thing they want to do, is be learning or struggling with at all, is with how to be folding and manipulating a bunch of real flat fell seams in anything and great lengths of them, in particular in a fabric like that. It might even put you off sewing for a while. I think it's way enough to just do a regular old straight seam and get that down instead really. If it's on a long finished salvage edge, it can't ravel anyway.
If he saw flat fell "that look" someplace on something, and really wants to replicate it, and in that fabric, just because of that, maybe just fake the look instead. As to actually make more a "French Seam" instead. My feeling is that would be a whole lot more easy and way less frustrating. So your edges would still all be enclosed. And just let that part be on the good, and top outside portion of it. And then just fold it to one side with your fingers (as you can't iron it as fabric would melt) and then after folding that to one side, top stitch over it maybe. Once or twice but I think the less holes in the fabric would be better as I don't think tons of needle holes make anything "stronger there" at all. That's what I would be going for, if I wanted it to even look that way, I think.
Also, why does anyone want to put a real flat fell seam in some thin slippery rip stop nylon anyways? That kind of makes no sense to me right there even. What could even be the advantage to it at all? That is what I would be asking actually. Also when I buy a down jacket of it, or maybe have "stuff bag" of it for a down sleeping bag, the last thing I want on something like that is a bunch of metal grommets on or in it, as that is always the weakest place on it then, and where it's going to pull out and have a fabric failure first even I think. So, in the stores, if wanting camping stuff of it or such, I look for things made of it, that would not even have that in them myself.
-- Edited on 12/16/13 4:51 PM --
If he saw flat fell "that look" someplace on something, and really wants to replicate it, and in that fabric, just because of that, maybe just fake the look instead. As to actually make more a "French Seam" instead. My feeling is that would be a whole lot more easy and way less frustrating. So your edges would still all be enclosed. And just let that part be on the good, and top outside portion of it. And then just fold it to one side with your fingers (as you can't iron it as fabric would melt) and then after folding that to one side, top stitch over it maybe. Once or twice but I think the less holes in the fabric would be better as I don't think tons of needle holes make anything "stronger there" at all. That's what I would be going for, if I wanted it to even look that way, I think.

Also, why does anyone want to put a real flat fell seam in some thin slippery rip stop nylon anyways? That kind of makes no sense to me right there even. What could even be the advantage to it at all? That is what I would be asking actually. Also when I buy a down jacket of it, or maybe have "stuff bag" of it for a down sleeping bag, the last thing I want on something like that is a bunch of metal grommets on or in it, as that is always the weakest place on it then, and where it's going to pull out and have a fabric failure first even I think. So, in the stores, if wanting camping stuff of it or such, I look for things made of it, that would not even have that in them myself.
-- Edited on 12/16/13 4:51 PM --
Posted on: 12/16/13 5:12 PM ET
Go through the tutorials at Sailrite. Most of the sewing is a long zig-zag stitch.
They also have a book detailing measurements and supplies for sails and accessories.
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They also have a book detailing measurements and supplies for sails and accessories.
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OLD CHINESE PROVERB: I HEAR & I FORGET; I SEE & I REMEMBER; I DO & I UNDERSTAND.
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