How to sew outdoor fabrics with a rolled hem foot, including lightweight and waterproof fabrics

The double-rolled hem is the preferred method for finishing single-layer fabric edges on outdoor fabrics.  I have heard some complaints on Hammock Forums that the rolled hem foot is problematic for these applications, leading to inconsistent results and big headaches.  Instead, DIYers are resorting to using hundreds of pins to secure the edges of hand-rolled hems.

In this video I troubleshoot the problems and show you how to sew outdoor fabrics using a rolled hem foot, including challenging fabrics, such as very lightweight (1 oz Hyper D ripstop nylon, 0.66 membrane taffeta) and waterproof (1.1 oz silpoly), using a rolled hem foot.

You can put a rolled hem on your tarps, underquilt protectors, and other outdoor fabric projects without needing a thousand pins. 

You can roll a hem on fabric cut with a catenary curve, or on the bias of the fabric.

The trick is to use a strip of tissue paper beneath the fabric to provide traction between the feed dogs and the fabric, and to pre-fold and guide the fabric into the foot while sewing.  If sewing a straight seam (not a zig-zag), the tissue paper will easily tear away when you are done sewing, and your rolled hem seam will be straight and true.

If you are new to the rolled hem foot, I suggest you practice your skills on scrap fabric first.

Good

Sleep Report: clew underquilt (with troubleshooting)

After a solstice underquilt fail, last night I had my first successful night in the hammock with the clew suspension underquilt.  Watch the video to see how the underquilt performs (thanks to my husband for being a model). 

I also had to do some troubleshooting on the length of the quilt.  I figured out that when a total length for the quilt + suspension = 87.5% of the length of my hammock, I got a pretty snug fit without gaping, but I had to thread my hammock suspension directly through the descending ring.  This worked for me, but I can see myself shortening it up a little more in the future, especially if my shock cord starts to lose its stretch.  I suggest taking the length of the suspension + underquilt down to 85% and then putting a durable extender on each end so that it is adjustable in the field.

The University's weather station is pretty close to where I live, and they are reporting that the temperature got down to 28 degrees early this morning.  While I was comfortable last night, I think that this is probably the lower end of what would be comfortable for me in a 6 oz climashield apex underquilt.  I am a cold sleeper and I would not want to sleep in lower temperatures without more insulation.

Overall, I am pleased with the clew suspension.  While it is a little more complicated to make, it is quite easy to hang (once you figure out the proper 87.5% length), and it worked just great. No CBS (Cold Butt Syndrome).

Thanks to Leiavoia for the great idea.

More videos about my homemade hammock setup:

• DIY weave a clue suspension for an underquilt https://youtu.be/Qx8aYo-1U0I
• DIY 11' hammock with stretchable footbox and knotty mod https://youtu.be/xExXE648aIs
• Detailed sewing instructions for DIY hammock with stretchable footbox and knotty mod
• https://youtu.be/Fo86snPA_oc