Tag Archives: hot knife

Sailrite

Tools of the Trade or What Every Seamless Sailor Wants for the Holidays

Do you have what you need to get your project started and completed?  Here's a list of the items I use most. (Elves:  does your Seamless Sailor have these tools?!) Tools Hot knife or soldering tool - Essential for finishing the ends of Sunbrella to prohibit raveling.  Don't forget a safe surface to use it on.  See secret trick. Heavy-duty scissors, fabric shears and small thread cutter - Like knives to a chef, scissors are to the Seamless Sailor. Measuring tools, "L" and "T" shaped measuring tools - These measures are great for making patterns.  Also need a short measure for at the sewing machine and metal yard stick. Marking pens - light and dark.  The washable ones work well as do the soapstone.  Get extras. Heavy" T" pins or Read more [...]

Fun with Fender Covers

We’ve done a man overboard drill with a fender that accidentally went overboard in the Charleston Harbor and lost one in a Gulf Stream crossing.  Fun with fenders.  For all the pounding they take protecting our boat hull from those pilings, piers,  and other  boats we should treat them well.  Sew fender covers for them! I’ve seen a variety of fender covers for sale from about $15 to $100 (engraved with your boat name!).  To save money, I’ve made fender covers from fleece purchased at the local fabric store for under $10 per yard (JoAnn Fabric had it on sale for $4/yard).  It takes about a yard to make a fender cover (less if it's 60" width fabric).  And it is really a beginner project that any Seamless Sailor can whip out Read more [...]

You Can Make an Easy Hatch Cover

Hatch covers add a nice protective layer to your expensive overhead hatches.  They keep out sun or star light and might even help a bit deterring a little leak.  Lexan polycarbonate windows are expensive and can be damaged if not cared for.  A cover is a good way to help preserve these windows.  Unfortunately,  we seem to lose one or two covers a season to a bad storm or rotting shock cord.  You can make an easy hatch cover in just a few hours.   I remade an old hatch cover previously and wrote about how I did it and resources I used here.  This blog is about making a hatch cover from scratch.  I've included the sizes I used  for our hatches.  You can adapt your hatch cover easily based on these sizes and proportions.  Read more [...]

Pillows

Pillows are an easy sewing project.  They can be very simple or dressed up a bit.  Where would you want to add a bit of color and comfort? Start with your pillow form. What size do you want?  14" is small but cute.  20" is a good larger size. Maybe you want some in between or odd sizes? Joanne's Fabrics and Sailrite offer nice pillow forms.  Do you have serviceable pillows you could recover?  Or do you want a pillow sham that you can stuff with extra linens or clothes?  The captain requested one pillow cover for storing his down coat. What about a pillow made of old sailcloth for cockpit lounging? Are you going to sew in the pillow form or make a cover that you can take off easily?  You can easily make an envelope-style pillow Read more [...]

Sunbrella – Grade A

Marine canvas use isn't all the same.  So when you are looking at prices online be sure you are looking at the same fabric before you decide you have the best deal.  You also want the right fabric for the right job for the best performance and durability with exposure to the sun, wind and rain.  Most of us sailors use Sunbrella because, well,  it just works.  It is tough enough for our marine environment, but offers a variety of color and style choices.  It is fairly forgiving and easy to sew.  While there are other outdoor fabric brands to consider, we'll save that comparison for a future post. Here are some points to consider regarding the grades of Sunbrella most likely to be used aboard: Sunbrella Marine grade - This is Read more [...]