Sewing a hem , whats wrong ?

**Buckaroo** · 08-06-2018, 20:20

I finished sewing my first tarp , as usual I always jump in over my head and sewed a 12 foot winter tarp

I have 2 questions

What did I do wrong that caused these wrinkles in the hem ? I did not get it in all of the hem. About 3/4 of the tarp hem looks wrinkled , it looks OK under tension. Once a wrinkle started I just could not get it to stop. this hem in the picture is about a 1/4 hem.

Second question is I see pictures of the doors on the winter tarps that have some type of closure devices. what types do people use ? simple ties, clips ?

**Bolting Carcass** · 08-06-2018, 20:26

I can't comment on the sewing part. I can sew on buttons. That's about it. For the closures, I have seen snaps recently and really like the idea.

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**boulderv7** · 08-06-2018, 20:43

Is that hem on a cat cut? If so it happens because the edge of the fabric is curved and the folded hem typically isn't. You can prevent this from occuring by clipping the seam allowance every few centimeters so it can overlap itself as the hem is folded. It's purely cosmetic though and will not affect function.

If it's not on a cat cut, it happens from not being consistent on the width of your hem. Also cosmetic and does not affect function.

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**boulderv7** · 08-06-2018, 20:46

It also looks like the fabric was not fed consistently, especially on the last picture. You can see varying widths of stitches....So the top fabric may be feeding a bit slower or faster, also resulting in a twisted hem. Let the machine feed the fabric and try not to pull it or push it through....Can be tricky with silnylon or silpoly but with practice it will come.

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**SavageX89** · 08-06-2018, 21:08

On a straight cut, that happens when your hem isn't lined up straight with iteslf. For example, the small rolled bit got fest faster than the main portion of the fabric at one point, this causing the wrinkles. I've found the best way to keep your hem clean and straight is to pinch the fabric on the UN sewn side, about 6 inches from the foot of the machine, hold that pinch as I feed it in. Once I can no longer hold on, stop, repinch and start feeding again. Every time I feed fabric, I have a hand behind the machine gently pulling the fabric. Making sure everything feeds thru smoothly.
With slippery fabric like we all use for hammock stuffs, you can't trust the teeth to grab all layers consistently on its own. You need to help it our a bit.
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**JustChuck** · 08-06-2018, 21:13

Could be that you are holding the fabric tight as you feed it (one hand in front and one behind the presser foot).
More than likely, from my almost non-existent experience, it looks like the fabric is dragging on the foot, causing it to "angle" slightly. Or you're pulling on the hem as it feeds causing the outside (bottom) to feed faster than the inside (top).

**MAD777** · 08-06-2018, 23:42

Just cosmetic, it will function fine for the reasons Boikder7 listed in post #3.

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**MikekiM** · 08-07-2018, 05:22

All the above...

Let the fabric feed itself.

Unrelated... first picture looks like you need to adjust the tension. I see the lower thread pulling through to the top..

**hutzelbein** · 08-07-2018, 05:39

In addition to what has already been said, I find it helpful to pin seams before I start sewing. If you pin the middle part first and work your way outward, the twisting is more even.