Originally Posted by cabinfever
Originally Posted by miriam
Originally Posted by cabinfever
I'm curious what type of grommet you must put in for the tent top corners? Do you Double or Triple the seam reinforcement for the corners?
I use a Consew walking foot sewing machine to sew. I use professional grade grommets put in with a professional grade grommet setter. I got them from Miami Rubber in Cincinnati, OH. The reinforcement on the corners is 3 or 4 layers. If you get fabric too thick the grommets won't stick. Seams are sewn then sewn over unless they have raw edges - then flat felled. The tent in the picture has been through 80 mph winds in Florida a couple times. It amazes me how strong fabric really is. I've done quite a few different tents. I usually start with the doors on a wedge or wall tent. Once I make the doors I do the walls. If it is a marquee tent I do the top first. I always start with the angled parts. Easier for me I guess. The tent in the pic is 5 or 6 years old now. I made a pattern out of 3X5 cards then built the tent. There is always something to do different for the next one.
I think there is a thread on here about jeans and what to do with them. I found some really cool stuff.
Thanks for all the info. on both the tents & jeans. My machine probably wouldn't be good on 4 layers of canvas...yet maybe my Singer 401 could handle it.
A 401 is a tough machine and with out a doubt can do the layers. It won't make long enough stitches though. I have a Singer 401 and a 403 and love them too much to sew anything that heavy - I don't mean the fabric itself. I have bent the needle shaft before on a commercial Pfaff sewing machine - too much weight pulling through. Even though I prefer to sew small tents the walking foot is the only way to go. You can sometimes get one on CL - they are in a commercial table and tricky to learn to use but wow - they are awesome! I use it for jeans stuff too. I use the 403 to piece and decorate the pieces I insert into the jeans skirts. If it isn't too heavy I can sew the pieces in on the 403 but a lot of times I just use the Consew. It sews through a lot of layers - not much stops it.