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Posted by Square Peg on April 29, 2009, 3:05 pm
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.
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