ksanders
Moderator Emeritus
I've never sewn...Not in my entire mid 50 something years on this planet.
I don't have anything against sewing, its just not something I ever really thought of doing.
A few weeks ago that changed for me. I saw a thread here on TF where guys were displaying their canvas projects. That made me remember the $10,000 quote I got last year just to do the cockpit enclosure on my boat.
So... I thought, possibly I could do my own canvas work as well. I don't remember who referred me to the web site of a company called Sailrite (Sailrite - Fabric, Canvas, and Sewing Machines Since 1969) But I found myself watching their video series that documents step by step how to make an aft enclosure on a boat. Then I did some quick calculations of how much materials would cost to build my aft enclosure (they sell all the stuff on their web site.) Well, using the best sunbrella, and the best clear stratoglass I couldn't find a way to make the materials cost even approach $1,000.
The Sailrite folks even have their own brand of sewing machines, and the one in the videos is called the Ultrafeed, at a cost of about a thousand bucks. So I took a chance... Since I know nothing about sewing machines I clicked on the most expensive one at $1250, then clicked on some sunbrella, and a host of other tools and supplies. Well, yesterday all my stuff arrived.![Smile :) :)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
I found the handy dandy set up guide, and went through the process of getting my new sewing machine unpacked. I followed their instructions, then watched a video describing how to set up their wiz bang ultrafeed sewing machine. Before long I was winding bobbins, and threading the needle... I was all ready to start sewing! Yippee!!!
More videos (Sailrite has videos on everything) and some of my Sunbrella fabric and low and behold I was making seams, and hems, and all sorts of cool sewing stuff.
Tonight was stage two... I decided to make a little sunbrella bag to hold some of my goodies. So I drew the bag out on paper, thinking about the seams, and the hems, and how to sew ther Velcro on and gave it a whirl.![Blush :blush: :blush:](https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/images/trawler/smilies/sk/blush.gif)
Well, a couple hours later I had in my hands a spiffy bag that I made with my own hands.![Smile :) :)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
It isn't perfect of course. sewing is something I am learning after all, but it is a Great start. Tomorrow night I'll probably make something else, but for tonight I am happy that I was able to actually sew something.![Big grin :D :D](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
A couple months of little projects and I'll be ready to taske on that aft enclosure.
I don't have anything against sewing, its just not something I ever really thought of doing.
A few weeks ago that changed for me. I saw a thread here on TF where guys were displaying their canvas projects. That made me remember the $10,000 quote I got last year just to do the cockpit enclosure on my boat.
So... I thought, possibly I could do my own canvas work as well. I don't remember who referred me to the web site of a company called Sailrite (Sailrite - Fabric, Canvas, and Sewing Machines Since 1969) But I found myself watching their video series that documents step by step how to make an aft enclosure on a boat. Then I did some quick calculations of how much materials would cost to build my aft enclosure (they sell all the stuff on their web site.) Well, using the best sunbrella, and the best clear stratoglass I couldn't find a way to make the materials cost even approach $1,000.
The Sailrite folks even have their own brand of sewing machines, and the one in the videos is called the Ultrafeed, at a cost of about a thousand bucks. So I took a chance... Since I know nothing about sewing machines I clicked on the most expensive one at $1250, then clicked on some sunbrella, and a host of other tools and supplies. Well, yesterday all my stuff arrived.
I found the handy dandy set up guide, and went through the process of getting my new sewing machine unpacked. I followed their instructions, then watched a video describing how to set up their wiz bang ultrafeed sewing machine. Before long I was winding bobbins, and threading the needle... I was all ready to start sewing! Yippee!!!
More videos (Sailrite has videos on everything) and some of my Sunbrella fabric and low and behold I was making seams, and hems, and all sorts of cool sewing stuff.
Tonight was stage two... I decided to make a little sunbrella bag to hold some of my goodies. So I drew the bag out on paper, thinking about the seams, and the hems, and how to sew ther Velcro on and gave it a whirl.
![Blush :blush: :blush:](https://www.trawlerforum.com/forums/images/trawler/smilies/sk/blush.gif)
Well, a couple hours later I had in my hands a spiffy bag that I made with my own hands.
It isn't perfect of course. sewing is something I am learning after all, but it is a Great start. Tomorrow night I'll probably make something else, but for tonight I am happy that I was able to actually sew something.
A couple months of little projects and I'll be ready to taske on that aft enclosure.