Need fabric recommendation for lawn targets - Page 2

> On Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:31:32 +0100, Kate XXXXXX
>
>> BEI Design wrote:
>>> Square Peg wrote:
>>>> I would like to make several targets for practicing golf
>>>> shots. These would be circles of various sizes from from
>>>> about a 1-yard radius up to a 5-yard radius -- possibly a
>>>> bit larger.
>>> 36" radius = 72" circles. That could be cut from a single
>>> width of "double wide" fabric, but I don't know if canvas or
>>> ripstop nylon (or ballistric nylon) comes that wide.
>> They usually come about 60" wide.
>
> Yep, that's what the canvas shop said.
>
>>> 5 yard radius = 360" diameter. You would first have to join
>>> several 10 yard long lengths of fabric side-by-side, than
>>> cut the circle. Or a whole bunch of pie-shaped pieces and
>>> join them.
>>> Are you planning on leaving these out in the weather or
>>> packing them away every day?
>>>> I have been using rope, which works fairly well, but it's
>>>> difficult to lay out the rope in a nice circle and keep
>>>> it that way. It occurred to me that if I could make
>>>> circles out of some heavy fabric like a canvas, it might
>>>> retain the circle shape a little better.
>>> It would retain its shape until a stiff wind blows... or
>>> someone walks on it... or......
>> Weight pockets would solve this. Just slip the weights in round the edge.
>
> Brilliant. That's just what I need. I can probably find small pieces
> on metal bars or rods, cut them to the width of the ring, and sew
> little pockets for them. In the meantime, I can just lay them on top
> of the targets to get a sense of how many I need.
>
> Thank you for that suggestion.
>
>>>> My plan is be to get a piece of fabric, cut the fabric
>>>> into arcs of the correct radius, then sew then together
>>>> into a circle.
>>> I don't understand what you mean by "...cut the fabric
>>>> into arcs of the correct radius...", so I don't know if
>>>> yur plan would work or not. I'm not a mathmatician. :-}
>>>> I would appreciate comments or suggestions on:
>>>> 1. What's the best fabric to get? My first thought was
>>>> canvas. There is a canvas shop near here that makes tents
>>>> and awnings. I was in there several years ago. They have
>>>> lots of canvas. I plan to go ask them what they
>>>> recommend. Is there another fabric I should consider?
>>> Sunbrella, ripstop nylon, ballistic nylon... Se Penny's
>>> site for other outdoor fabrics:
>>> http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/about/whatis.asp
>>>> 2. Will my wife's sewing machine handle the canvas?
>> Depends what she has, and the weight of the canvas.
>
> She has a Singer 9110. I think it's 25-30 years old. The guy at the
> cancas store said that many of their awning fabrics can be sewn on a
> home machine.
>
>>>> 3. What's the best way to connect the arcs? I was just
>>>> going to overlap them about an inch and sew along both
>>>> edges, maybe using a zig-zag stitch that goes over the
>>>> edge.
>> Personally I'd use a felled seam. Or turn the edge under, glue it down
>> with basting glue, and lap over the under fabric. Gives a neater edge.
>> You wouldn't need to fell coated ripstop as it doesn't fray much.
>
> Like this: http://www.sewneau.com/how.to/flat.felled.seam.html?
>
>>>> 4. How do I finish the edges? Do I fold the edge over and
>>>> sew it down or sew to edge tape (bias tape?)?
>> Face it with 3" wide arcs of fabric, and form weight pockets (see above)
>> in the facing.
>>>> 5. How wide whould the strips be? I was thinking 2-3" for
>>>> the smaller circles and maybe 1" wider for each yard of
>>>> radius.
>> Are you trying to make roundels, like on military aircraft, or archery
>> targets? I should go for 6" bands of colour, whatever size your
>> finished target, or you'll be sewing forever!
>
> I didn't explain myself very well. I am NOT making complete circles
> (disks). I am making rings -- just the outer edge of the circle, about
> 3-4" wide. The center will be open.
>
>>>> Anything else I should know about or think about?
>> Rip-stop nylon is slippery as hell. Canvass blunts nedles fairly
>> quickly (use jeans needles), and large acreages of cloth are heavy and
>> will need lots of support. Two tables in an L shape with you in the
>> corner with the machine will help to support the cloth.
>
> I won't have acreage of material for sewing -- just the arcs.

>Square Peg wrote:
>> On Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:31:32 +0100, Kate XXXXXX
>>
>>> BEI Design wrote:
>>>> Square Peg wrote:
>>>>> I would like to make several targets for practicing golf
>>>>> shots. These would be circles of various sizes from from
>>>>> about a 1-yard radius up to a 5-yard radius -- possibly a
>>>>> bit larger.
>>>> 36" radius = 72" circles. That could be cut from a single
>>>> width of "double wide" fabric, but I don't know if canvas or
>>>> ripstop nylon (or ballistric nylon) comes that wide.
>>> They usually come about 60" wide.
>>
>> Yep, that's what the canvas shop said.
>>
>>>> 5 yard radius = 360" diameter. You would first have to join
>>>> several 10 yard long lengths of fabric side-by-side, than
>>>> cut the circle. Or a whole bunch of pie-shaped pieces and
>>>> join them.
>>>> Are you planning on leaving these out in the weather or
>>>> packing them away every day?
>>>>> I have been using rope, which works fairly well, but it's
>>>>> difficult to lay out the rope in a nice circle and keep
>>>>> it that way. It occurred to me that if I could make
>>>>> circles out of some heavy fabric like a canvas, it might
>>>>> retain the circle shape a little better.
>>>> It would retain its shape until a stiff wind blows... or
>>>> someone walks on it... or......
>>> Weight pockets would solve this. Just slip the weights in round the edge.
>>
>> Brilliant. That's just what I need. I can probably find small pieces
>> on metal bars or rods, cut them to the width of the ring, and sew
>> little pockets for them. In the meantime, I can just lay them on top
>> of the targets to get a sense of how many I need.
>>
>> Thank you for that suggestion.
>>
>>>>> My plan is be to get a piece of fabric, cut the fabric
>>>>> into arcs of the correct radius, then sew then together
>>>>> into a circle.
>>>> I don't understand what you mean by "...cut the fabric
>>>>> into arcs of the correct radius...", so I don't know if
>>>>> yur plan would work or not. I'm not a mathmatician. :-}
>>>>> I would appreciate comments or suggestions on:
>>>>> 1. What's the best fabric to get? My first thought was
>>>>> canvas. There is a canvas shop near here that makes tents
>>>>> and awnings. I was in there several years ago. They have
>>>>> lots of canvas. I plan to go ask them what they
>>>>> recommend. Is there another fabric I should consider?
>>>> Sunbrella, ripstop nylon, ballistic nylon... Se Penny's
>>>> site for other outdoor fabrics:
>>>> http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/about/whatis.asp
>>>>> 2. Will my wife's sewing machine handle the canvas?
>>> Depends what she has, and the weight of the canvas.
>>
>> She has a Singer 9110. I think it's 25-30 years old. The guy at the
>> cancas store said that many of their awning fabrics can be sewn on a
>> home machine.
>>
>>>>> 3. What's the best way to connect the arcs? I was just
>>>>> going to overlap them about an inch and sew along both
>>>>> edges, maybe using a zig-zag stitch that goes over the
>>>>> edge.
>>> Personally I'd use a felled seam. Or turn the edge under, glue it down
>>> with basting glue, and lap over the under fabric. Gives a neater edge.
>>> You wouldn't need to fell coated ripstop as it doesn't fray much.
>>
>> Like this: http://www.sewneau.com/how.to/flat.felled.seam.html?
>>
>>>>> 4. How do I finish the edges? Do I fold the edge over and
>>>>> sew it down or sew to edge tape (bias tape?)?
>>> Face it with 3" wide arcs of fabric, and form weight pockets (see above)
>>> in the facing.
>>>>> 5. How wide whould the strips be? I was thinking 2-3" for
>>>>> the smaller circles and maybe 1" wider for each yard of
>>>>> radius.
>>> Are you trying to make roundels, like on military aircraft, or archery
>>> targets? I should go for 6" bands of colour, whatever size your
>>> finished target, or you'll be sewing forever!
>>
>> I didn't explain myself very well. I am NOT making complete circles
>> (disks). I am making rings -- just the outer edge of the circle, about
>> 3-4" wide. The center will be open.
>>
>>>>> Anything else I should know about or think about?
>>> Rip-stop nylon is slippery as hell. Canvass blunts nedles fairly
>>> quickly (use jeans needles), and large acreages of cloth are heavy and
>>> will need lots of support. Two tables in an L shape with you in the
>>> corner with the machine will help to support the cloth.
>>
>> I won't have acreage of material for sewing -- just the arcs.
>OK - Polo mints rather than carpets! ;) I get it...

>OK, just make the whole thing double: sandwich your flat weights between
>the two layers and sew them in. You might need 4 for the smaller
>circles and 6-8 for the larger.
>Cut your arcs and join them to make two circles... Lay them right sides
>together and sew the INNER circle seam. Clip the seam allowance from
>the cut edge almost to the stitching line... Turn through to the right
>way out. Topstitch.
>Turn under and baste or glue (Elmers will do, but allow it to dry!) a
>half inch hem on the outside edge of each circle, turning the hem into
>the middle of the sandwich, as it were.
>Decide where you want the weight pockets and draw a line from the inner
>edge to the outer edge at each side of the pocket. Sew along the lines.
> Slip the weights in, and then just topstitch the whole thing closed
>all round the edge.

> On Thu, 30 Apr 2009 01:21:01 +0100, Kate XXXXXX
>
>> Square Peg wrote:
>>> On Wed, 29 Apr 2009 09:31:32 +0100, Kate XXXXXX
>>>> BEI Design wrote:
>>>>> Square Peg wrote:
>>>>>> I would like to make several targets for practicing golf
>>>>>> shots. These would be circles of various sizes from from
>>>>>> about a 1-yard radius up to a 5-yard radius -- possibly a
>>>>>> bit larger.
>>>>> 36" radius = 72" circles. That could be cut from a single
>>>>> width of "double wide" fabric, but I don't know if canvas or
>>>>> ripstop nylon (or ballistric nylon) comes that wide.
>>>> They usually come about 60" wide.
>>> Yep, that's what the canvas shop said.
>>>>> 5 yard radius = 360" diameter. You would first have to join
>>>>> several 10 yard long lengths of fabric side-by-side, than
>>>>> cut the circle. Or a whole bunch of pie-shaped pieces and
>>>>> join them.
>>>>> Are you planning on leaving these out in the weather or
>>>>> packing them away every day?
>>>>>> I have been using rope, which works fairly well, but it's
>>>>>> difficult to lay out the rope in a nice circle and keep
>>>>>> it that way. It occurred to me that if I could make
>>>>>> circles out of some heavy fabric like a canvas, it might
>>>>>> retain the circle shape a little better.
>>>>> It would retain its shape until a stiff wind blows... or
>>>>> someone walks on it... or......
>>>> Weight pockets would solve this. Just slip the weights in round the edge.
>>> Brilliant. That's just what I need. I can probably find small pieces
>>> on metal bars or rods, cut them to the width of the ring, and sew
>>> little pockets for them. In the meantime, I can just lay them on top
>>> of the targets to get a sense of how many I need.
>>> Thank you for that suggestion.
>>>>>> My plan is be to get a piece of fabric, cut the fabric
>>>>>> into arcs of the correct radius, then sew then together
>>>>>> into a circle.
>>>>> I don't understand what you mean by "...cut the fabric
>>>>>> into arcs of the correct radius...", so I don't know if
>>>>>> yur plan would work or not. I'm not a mathmatician. :-}
>>>>>> I would appreciate comments or suggestions on:
>>>>>> 1. What's the best fabric to get? My first thought was
>>>>>> canvas. There is a canvas shop near here that makes tents
>>>>>> and awnings. I was in there several years ago. They have
>>>>>> lots of canvas. I plan to go ask them what they
>>>>>> recommend. Is there another fabric I should consider?
>>>>> Sunbrella, ripstop nylon, ballistic nylon... Se Penny's
>>>>> site for other outdoor fabrics:
>>>>> http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/about/whatis.asp
>>>>>> 2. Will my wife's sewing machine handle the canvas?
>>>> Depends what she has, and the weight of the canvas.
>>> She has a Singer 9110. I think it's 25-30 years old. The guy at the
>>> cancas store said that many of their awning fabrics can be sewn on a
>>> home machine.
>>>>>> 3. What's the best way to connect the arcs? I was just
>>>>>> going to overlap them about an inch and sew along both
>>>>>> edges, maybe using a zig-zag stitch that goes over the
>>>>>> edge.
>>>> Personally I'd use a felled seam. Or turn the edge under, glue it down
>>>> with basting glue, and lap over the under fabric. Gives a neater edge.
>>>> You wouldn't need to fell coated ripstop as it doesn't fray much.
>>> Like this: http://www.sewneau.com/how.to/flat.felled.seam.html?
>>>>>> 4. How do I finish the edges? Do I fold the edge over and
>>>>>> sew it down or sew to edge tape (bias tape?)?
>>>> Face it with 3" wide arcs of fabric, and form weight pockets (see above)
>>>> in the facing.
>>>>>> 5. How wide whould the strips be? I was thinking 2-3" for
>>>>>> the smaller circles and maybe 1" wider for each yard of
>>>>>> radius.
>>>> Are you trying to make roundels, like on military aircraft, or archery
>>>> targets? I should go for 6" bands of colour, whatever size your
>>>> finished target, or you'll be sewing forever!
>>> I didn't explain myself very well. I am NOT making complete circles
>>> (disks). I am making rings -- just the outer edge of the circle, about
>>> 3-4" wide. The center will be open.
>>>>>> Anything else I should know about or think about?
>>>> Rip-stop nylon is slippery as hell. Canvass blunts nedles fairly
>>>> quickly (use jeans needles), and large acreages of cloth are heavy and
>>>> will need lots of support. Two tables in an L shape with you in the
>>>> corner with the machine will help to support the cloth.
>>> I won't have acreage of material for sewing -- just the arcs.
>> OK - Polo mints rather than carpets! ;) I get it...
>
> I see that you are in the UK. We call them Life Savers over here.
>
>> OK, just make the whole thing double: sandwich your flat weights between
>> the two layers and sew them in. You might need 4 for the smaller
>> circles and 6-8 for the larger.
>> Cut your arcs and join them to make two circles... Lay them right sides
>> together and sew the INNER circle seam. Clip the seam allowance from
>> the cut edge almost to the stitching line... Turn through to the right
>> way out. Topstitch.
>> Turn under and baste or glue (Elmers will do, but allow it to dry!) a
>> half inch hem on the outside edge of each circle, turning the hem into
>> the middle of the sandwich, as it were.
>> Decide where you want the weight pockets and draw a line from the inner
>> edge to the outer edge at each side of the pocket. Sew along the lines.
>> Slip the weights in, and then just topstitch the whole thing closed
>> all round the edge.
>
> I'll have to study these instructions a bit and probably screw it up a
> few times. I've done a little sewing, but have no real experience.
>
> You have an interesting website. It looks like you are up for all
> kinds of curious projects. Would this be something you might be
> willing to do?
>
> I'm going to call a couple of local shops and also talk to some tent
> makers. But, if I can't find someone local, this can be done at a
> distance. I'm happy to make the templates for the pieces.
>
> Thanks for the help.

>Square Peg wrote:
>> I would like to make several targets for practicing golf
>> shots. These would be circles of various sizes from from
>> about a 1-yard radius up to a 5-yard radius -- possibly a
>> bit larger.
>36" radius = 72" circles. That could be cut from a single
>width of "double wide" fabric, but I don't know if canvas or
>ripstop nylon (or ballistric nylon) comes that wide.
>5 yard radius = 360" diameter. You would first have to join
>several 10 yard long lengths of fabric side-by-side, than
>cut the circle. Or a whole bunch of pie-shaped pieces and
>join them.

>Are you planning on leaving these out in the weather or
>packing them away every day?

>> I have been using rope, which works fairly well, but it's
>> difficult to lay out the rope in a nice circle and keep
>> it that way. It occurred to me that if I could make
>> circles out of some heavy fabric like a canvas, it might
>> retain the circle shape a little better.
>It would retain its shape until a stiff wind blows... or
>someone walks on it... or......
>> My plan is be to get a piece of fabric, cut the fabric
>> into arcs of the correct radius, then sew then together
>> into a circle.
>I don't understand what you mean by "...cut the fabric
>> into arcs of the correct radius...", so I don't know if
>> yur plan would work or not. I'm not a mathmatician. :-}

> I called a canvas store. Most canvas material comes in rolls that are
> 5 yards (60") wide. Here's where the mathematics comes in. ;-)