Hiya Jen,
I am addressing this thread to you because I remember you mentioning you sewed before you became a carpenter…me too! After all, construction is construction, just different material. I haven’t really sewn in years, aside from the occasional school play/halloween costume.
Anyway, 2 years ago we moved into a house that had a serious lack of shade in the back yard (hot, hot, hot!). So as a temporary solution, we bought one of those $200 10×10 metal gazebos from Target. So here we are 2 years later…the nylon cover it came with was torn to shreds from sun and wind exposure and the velco thingys that attach it to the frame had ripped off, but the frame is still in good shape.
So, I decided to try to sew a new cover for it.
I found some sturdy outdoor fabric at the fabric store, thank goodness it was on sale @ 40% off. I was looking for fabric that had either a stripe or a plaid to make the “cutting-straight” part easier. Unfortunately, they only had ten yards of that, so I had to supplement with a coordinating floral.
(I failed to take a decent “before” picture of the frame with the ripped up cover, but here is the frame.)
Replies
As you know, fabric off the bolt is full of wrinkles (unlike wood, lol). After spreading the 30 feet of farbic throughout the house, I put my iron on an extension cord and crawled around on my hands and knees ironing.
Then, I cut out one section of the original cover to use as a pattern. Good thing that I decided not to rely soley on this pattern, because I would have been short! I measured the frame itself, which was 1" bigger. Fabric is wobbily, warpier and more flexible than wood.
(IroningandCutting) Excuse my messy diningroom table, school project in prosess...lol.
Lacking the industrial-type sewing machine usually used to sew this type of very thick fabric, I put my "little workhorse" to task (vintage Singer Featherweight).
Sewing and ironing the huge bulk of fabric was kind of difficult. I sewed each seam twice for strength.
I tried it on for size before hemming the bottom edge... amazingly, not a bad fit...
Now to hem it. Hemming involves folding the raw edge over twice, ironing each time, then sewing. Ironing the 80 feet of this huge bulk was awkward, at best.
Initially, I thought I would attach it to the frame using velcro-type tabs like the original cover, but decided to sew some real tie-downs instead.
The next step was to sew the cupola part.
As I mentioned before, the fabric store did not have enough of the blue fabric so I resorted to using a coordinating floral fabric.
Again, I used the original as a pattern, but measured the frame to ensure it would fit properly...good thing I did, as it would have been too small. It must be the difference the "give" of the original nylon fabric, and the thickness (less "give") of the replacement fabric.
Finally, the finished product:
The project costed about $70 to complete + some of my time. It was fun to do some sewing.
Excellent stitching! I used to make money sewing in a past life, as well.I have to tackle my glider now...
Thanks splinty.
I have to tackle my glider now...
My next project might be the bimini cover on the boat!
Boats in bikinis...oh, my...i can't think of any modes of transportation inland here that we dress up in beach attire.;^)
Pretty sweet.
Almost bought an industrial sewing machine once with canvas on my mind.
How long you think that cover will last?
be a new meaning to the word thread.
At Cambridge College the mere rent of a student's room, which is only a little larger than my own, is thirty dollars each year, though the corporation had the advantage of building thirty-two side by side and under one roof, and the occupant suffers the inconvenience of many and noisy neighbors, and perhaps a residence in the fourth story. I cannot but think that if we had more true wisdom in these respects, not only less education would be needed, because, forsooth, more would already have been acquired, but the pecuniary expense of getting an education would in a great measure vanish.-Thoreau's Walden
Thanks, rez.
The fabric was pretty thick...like sewing denim. It's specifically made for outdoor use, so I am guessing it will last at least 5 years or more. The original cover was a much-thinner nylon and it lasted two years. We will spray it with Scotchguard before our rains start in the fall, or maybe take it down this winter.
We plan to build a REAL patio cover later on this summer on the other end of the patio. It will have be detached according to code, but we plan to make temporary attachments to the house for the wind-factor.