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Posted by Square Peg on April 29, 2009, 1:31 am
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.
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.
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 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?
2. Will my wife's sewing machine handle the canvas?
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.
4. How do I finish the edges? Do I fold the edge over and sew it down
or sew to edge tape (bias tape?)?
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.
Anything else I should know about or think about?
Thanks
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Posted by BEI Design on April 29, 2009, 3:12 am
Square Peg wrote:
show/hide quoted text
> 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?
show/hide quoted text
> 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......
show/hide quoted text
> 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
show/hide quoted text
> into arcs of the correct radius...", so I don't know if
> yur plan would work or not. I'm not a mathmatician. :-}
show/hide quoted text
> 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
show/hide quoted text
> 2. Will my wife's sewing machine handle the canvas?
show/hide quoted text
> 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.
> 4. How do I finish the edges? Do I fold the edge over and
> sew it down or sew to edge tape (bias tape?)?
> 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.
> Anything else I should know about or think about?
> Thanks
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Posted by BEI Design on April 29, 2009, 3:18 am
BEI Design wrote:
Sorry, my finger slipped. But most of what I was going to
write is included in my message, I just failed to run spell
check.
I really do recommend you peruse Penny's site:
http://www.specialtyoutdoors.com/about/whatis.asp
she's the outdoor fabric expert.
--
Beverly E. Ickes
BEI Designs
http://ickes.us/default.aspx
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Posted by Kate XXXXXX on April 29, 2009, 4:31 am
BEI Design wrote:
show/hide quoted text
> 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.
show/hide quoted text
>
> 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.
show/hide quoted text
>
>> 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.
show/hide quoted text
>
>
>> 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.
show/hide quoted text
>> 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.
show/hide quoted text
>> 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!
show/hide quoted text
>> 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.
--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.katedicey.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!
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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
show/hide quoted text
>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.
show/hide quoted text
>> 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.
show/hide quoted text
>>> 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.
show/hide quoted text
>>> 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?
show/hide quoted text
>>> 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.
show/hide quoted text
>>> 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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> 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.