Frustration - Making Double-Layer Tablecloth Hammock

[SilvrSurfr]

Getting ready for my 3rd Annual Lake Lila Canoe/Camping trip with my sons in less than two weeks. I've been sewing a lot of things, but all of a sudden, about a week ago, the machine wouldn't cooperate. All the thread was bunching up underneath the fabric. I tried every setting known to man, putzing with bobbin tension, thread tension, pressure. I tried different threads and fabrics, with the same result. I read hundreds of web pages, watched YouTube videos - nothing worked.

I was finally ready to take desperate measures:

1) Asking my 82-year-old mother-in-law for help.
2) Posting for help on Hammock Forums.
3) If all else failed, taking the machine in for service.

None of these options appealed to me (after all, this is DIY). I remembered reading a post that Brian from Buttinasling had the same machine as me, a Singer Fashion Mate 237. I called him and he gave me some tips, most of which I had read about, but just talking to someone as supportive as Brian was extremely encouraging. He convinced me I could get this darned machine working. One tip he gave me was that I needed a felt donut thingie on the thread spool, and that I could make one from one of those felt thingies that go on the legs of furniture.

So off to JoAnn's Fabrics I went for the last straw: I bought two rolls of Gutermann thread (extremely bright colors to help with my poor vision), and some new needles.

Back to the sewing machine. I put on the felt thingie, changed the needle and thread: same results. This time though, I took my time, making incremental adjustments to bobbin & thread tension, and the pressure knob. Once I could sew a straight stitch, I was ready to tackle a double-layer tablecloth hammock, purple and black.

I know what you're thinking: that thing is gonna weigh a ton - 32 oz. I believe. But I need another double-layer for my trip, and it's a canoe trip so weight is not much of an issue. Double layer hammocks rock if you're using a pad.

I'm almost done with the hammock. I've sewn the two layers together, leaving a 28-inch opening on the side for a pad. I sewed one channel when the bobbin ran out. I'm taking a little break right now because my back hurts, and my eyes really are fatigued. I wish I had taken a course on thread injectors - this method of learning tries my patience.

The purple and black fabric with bright orange stitching looks awesome to me. The stitching is fairly straight for a blind man. I even tried zig-zag stitching and backstitching. I didn't even know what backstitching was, but the manual recommended it. I stared at the stitch length selector for a while - there was a setting that said Reverse. Gee, I thought. Does it really mean the machine goes backwards? I set it on reverse, ran the fabric backwards, and sure as hell, it stitched backwards! Yee-hah! I can backstitch!

As soon as I finish the other channel, I'm gonna make some continuous loops to run through the channels and hang the hammock in the backyard for his photo session.

Thanks for the tips and encouragement, Jbrianb. It got me over the hump in my darkest hour.

[WetRivrRat]

{...}felt donut thingie {...}

I think you should trademark that!

[SilvrSurfr]

When I went to Joann's Fabrics, I asked the lady if they sold felt thingies. She says, "No we don't, but I just make my own from a felt thingie that goes on the legs of furniture."

Thanks for the tip! I already heard that one.

[SilvrSurfr]

I ran a continuous loop through each channel and tested the hammock out in my office. Man, is this beast really comfy! I'm going to sleep in it tonight.

I'm guessing this beast probably could hold 600 to 700 lbs. of human (or farm animal) easy. I think I will call it the Rush Limbaugh, or maybe the Chaz Bono. Or it could be the Marlon Brando, or the Jack Kerouac.

[jbrianb]

When I went to Joann's Fabrics, I asked the lady if they sold felt thingies. She says, "No we don't, but I just make my own from a felt thingie that goes on the legs of furniture."

Thanks for the tip! I already heard that one.

That one sounds familiar! Glad you got it up and churning. Troubleshooting a thread injector is not fun!

[SilvrSurfr]

That one sounds familiar! Glad you got it up and churning. Troubleshooting a thread injector is not fun!

When I used to be a computer help desk Tier 3 specialist, we used to describe some computer problems as "spacing" problems - the space between the back of the chair and the keyboard. It seemed that 99% of all computer problems were caused by the operator.

In this case, I think most of my problems were spacing - the space between the back of the chair and the thread injector. I was seriously frustrated, just spinning the settings frantically on the bobbin, thread, and pressure thingie so everything was out of whack.

I got so desperate I asked my wife for help. That conversation went downhill quickly. "Can you sew?" I asked her. She said, "Of course I can - I'm an excellent seamstress. Why, what do you wanna sew?" When I told her it was a hammock, she went ballistic.

"Another hammock? How many hammocks do you have? Are you gonna sell some of the old hammocks you never use to finance the new hammocks? How many hammocks is enough?"

Scratch her off the list as a last resort. No way I could listen to that noise trying to troubleshoot a thread injector and sew a double-layer tablecloth hammock. I have my limits.

[jbrianb]

When I used to be a computer help desk Tier 3 specialist, we used to describe some computer problems as "spacing" problems - the space between the back of the chair and the keyboard. It seemed that 99% of all computer problems were caused by the operator.

In this case, I think most of my problems were spacing - the space between the back of the chair and the thread injector. I was seriously frustrated, just spinning the settings frantically on the bobbin, thread, and pressure thingie so everything was out of whack.

I got so desperate I asked my wife for help. That conversation went downhill quickly. "Can you sew?" I asked her. She said, "Of course I can - I'm an excellent seamstress. Why, what do you wanna sew?" When I told her it was a hammock, she went ballistic.

"Another hammock? How many hammocks do you have? Are you gonna sell some of the old hammocks you never use to finance the new hammocks? How many hammocks is enough?"

Scratch her off the list as a last resort. No way I could listen to that noise trying to troubleshoot a thread injector and sew a double-layer tablecloth hammock. I have my limits.

We've touched on this before (by "we" I mean the Hammock Forum community, because it was another posted who said it) in the thread about your donating to a despised political candidate to get your wife's ire up, but you should probably half your hammock/travel budget and invest in some family counseling. And if your counselor proves to be good, shoot me his/her name and number

My conversations go like this:

Wife: What did you buy at (Amazon, Cabela's, REI, Academy, some cottage vendor)?
Me: Stuff. Geez, are you checking my credit card and bank account every 15 minutes?
Wife: Oh change the subject, then. What kind of crap did you buy this time?
Me: Stuff.
Wife: Maybe you can get "stuff" to cook dinner, fold your clothes and take your kids to school.
Me: So they're not your kids? If you'll put that in writing for my attorney, it really will make the whole custody thing go faster when I file for divorce, which sounds like a good idea about now.
Wife: ARRGH!!! (storms off mad, which is a good thing. I never answered the question and have successfully diverted the conversation away from the gear purchase because THAT fight would be even worse. Sadly, she usually beats me to the mailbox, so the elation is short-lived).

[Moondoggy]

I feel ya I live on double secret gear suspension! I only own 3 hammocks but to her it's a whole stores worth of junk ( as she calls it ) ! Fight the power my brother !

[lattie11581]

Getting ready for my 3rd Annual Lake Lila Canoe/Camping trip with my sons in less than two weeks.

I know what you're thinking: that thing is gonna weigh a ton - 32 oz. I believe. But I need another double-layer for my trip, and it's a canoe trip so weight is not much of an issue

Thanks for the tips and encouragement, Jbrianb. It got me over the hump in my darkest hour.

"MOSTLY" a canoe trip. I carried in a ton of gear on that trail into Lila a few years ago in a down pour.. I pack much lighter now as a result. (My father and his friend have injuries that limit how much they can carry... however..... they haven't got used to not bringing ALL of there old camping stuf *1970's* car camping stoves, tents, bags, cast frying pan.. you get the picture hahaha )
Im glad you got your injecter issue worked out.
I'll be waiting for your youtube vid on the lake


Enjoy your trip I'm jealous
Jason

[cwciwatch]

I was having the same problem with my old machine, it was bunching the thread underneath and skipping stitches. I tried all the settings and nothing made any difference. I had been using the machine for weeks and it had been working fine until this problem began. After asking several people for advice and contemplating bringing it in for service my mother in law stopped by for a visit (which is never my favorite thing), she looked at the machine, and asked me how well the machine worked, I said "terrible" and went on with my attempts to repair it. She then said "it would probably work better if you didn't have the needle in backwards". I said "you can't put the needle in backwards, it has a flat on it" sarcastically of course. She shrugged her shoulders and walked away. I pulled the needle out, turned it around, and put it in the other way............................ CRAP!!! SHE WAS RIGHT! The machine sews perfectly now. I can't believe I didn't notice that. The worst part was she heard me sewing and saw that I turned the needle around, she just smiled that evil "my daughter should have married a doctor grin" and walked away.

Lesson learned, make sure your mother in law has left before trying any of her advice. And check the needle.