Sewing machine cratch cover repair

[Karen Lea Rainey]

My cratch cover zip is pulling away from the plastic cratch material, would a normal sewing machine needle be strong enough to punch it's way through the zip and cover to repair it or should I get a sail type needle and do it by hand, has anyone tried either way with success, I need to stitch about 18 " worth of cover to repair the gap. Currently I have about 4 safety pins holding it together but would like to make it look good again.

[Jennifer McM]

I'd try it! Use the strongest machine needle you can (think it's a 16 in a domestic machine). Use good strong thread, and one that UV stable.

 

Have a go.... and take it slow 

 

Just to add, if the material sticks, smear the sewing area with a few drops of sewing machine oil - it'll lubricate and help glide the machine's foot.

 

 

 

Edited July 3, 2019 by Jennifer McM

[BEngo]

If the pulling away is because the thread has failed then a sailmakers needle and palm will easily do the job, using the original thread holes.  This is reasonably easy and you may even get away without a palm.

  If stitching into virgin material because the zip has torn away the cloth you are best to make new holes with a pricker or bodkin, then sew into them with  needle and palm. This method works, but is slow.  You will  need the palm, and most probably some small pliers for pulling the needle eye and thread through the last bit, unless you have iron fingers.

 

I think most cratch covers  will laugh at a domestic sewing machine, even with a max size canvas needle.  The machine should be OK but needle consumption will be large.

N

[Jennifer McM]

1 minute ago, BEngo said:

 

I think most cratch covers  will laugh at a domestic sewing machine, even with a max size canvas needle.  The machine should be OK but needle consumption will be large.

N

Recycling a newish canvas/plastic tonneau cover (was on the stern of a semi-trad) which wasn't needed anymore, I cut it up and made a dodger (think that's what it's called) for the back of the boat. I didn't have a problem using my domestic Singer. 

[David Schweizer]

1 hour ago, Karen Lea Rainey said:

My cratch cover zip is pulling away from the plastic cratch material, would a normal sewing machine needle be strong enough to punch it's way through the zip and cover to repair it or should I get a sail type needle and do it by hand, has anyone tried either way with success, I need to stitch about 18 " worth of cover to repair the gap. Currently I have about 4 safety pins holding it together but would like to make it look good again.

By all means try, but I suspect that it would be very unlikely. What you really need is an industrial sewing machine, which has a more powerful motor and much heavier needles. Using a standard domestic machine could put excessive strain on the motor, and would almost certainly break the needle, given the number of layers involved. It is possible that a traditional boot repairer could do the job, or if you are in the Midlands give AJ Canopies at Braunston a ring, they wouild be able to do it and probably reinforce the seam at the same time.

 

 

Edited July 3, 2019 by David Schweizer

[dccruiser]

2 hours ago, Karen Lea Rainey said:

My cratch cover zip is pulling away from the plastic cratch material, would a normal sewing machine needle be strong enough to punch it's way through the zip and cover to repair it or should I get a sail type needle and do it by hand, has anyone tried either way with success, I need to stitch about 18 " worth of cover to repair the gap. Currently I have about 4 safety pins holding it together but would like to make it look good again.

I use an old singer and an old pfaff machine for canopy repairs and am currently making new cratch and pram hood covers from pvc coated acrylic canvas  , so long as the machine is an old one with metal gears they will go through most things.... both of my machines will do 8+ layers of canvas, the singer cost 20 quid and the pfaff 30 of a local sales site .... I use SCHMETZ 130/705H (110/18) Needles and V92 Thread as it is UV Resistant and also doesnt allow leaks through the stitch holes ... my first project was replacing the zips in a cratch cover on a neighbours boat, I also had to add a new strip of material to the cover before i could install the zips as it was badly ripped, the singer did it without breaking a sweat and they commented it was as good as any professional repair and I had never used a machine before just taught myself with a few old pairs of jeans, so definitely go for it and do it yourself !  IF you have any questions please feel free to PM me for advice.

Rick

 

[David Schweizer]

7 hours ago, dccruiser said:

I use an old singer and an old pfaff machine for canopy repairs and am currently making new cratch and pram hood covers from pvc coated acrylic canvas  , so long as the machine is an old one with metal gears they will go through most things.... both of my machines will do 8+ layers of canvas, the singer cost 20 quid and the pfaff 30 of a local sales site .... I use SCHMETZ 130/705H (110/18) Needles and V92 Thread as it is UV Resistant and also doesnt allow leaks through the stitch holes ... my first project was replacing the zips in a cratch cover on a neighbours boat, I also had to add a new strip of material to the cover before i could install the zips as it was badly ripped, the singer did it without breaking a sweat and they commented it was as good as any professional repair and I had never used a machine before just taught myself with a few old pairs of jeans, so definitely go for it and do it yourself !  IF you have any questions please feel free to PM me for advice.

Rick

 

If you have an old Pfaff machine, you will be ok, their domestic machines were far more robust than most of the competition at the time. My father was in the leather and textiles sewing business and he only ever used Pfaff machines.

[dccruiser]

1 minute ago, David Schweizer said:

If you have an old Pfaff machine, you will be ok, their domestic machines were far more robust than most of the competition at the time. My father was in the leather and textiles sewing business and he only ever used Pfaff machines.

Although i Have the Pfaff I have only set it up to see what it will do , but it did come out of a company that made leather satchels so i have no doubts about its ability, all of my sewing so far has actually been with the singer as I bought that first, i just bought the Pfaff in case the singer struggled, but so far its been brilliant and weighs half as much as the Pfaff so far easier to transport, my singer incidentally is a Samba6 , not one of the antique types.

Rick

 

[David Schweizer]

4 hours ago, dccruiser said:

Although i Have the Pfaff I have only set it up to see what it will do , but it did come out of a company that made leather satchels so i have no doubts about its ability, all of my sewing so far has actually been with the singer as I bought that first, i just bought the Pfaff in case the singer struggled, but so far its been brilliant and weighs half as much as the Pfaff so far easier to transport, my singer incidentally is a Samba6 , not one of the antique types.

Rick

 

If it was used to sew leather bags, it will undoubtabky be one of their industrial models, the weight is also a good indication of it's commercial purpose

[Mike Tee]

If its only 18" I'd use a hand sewing awl - a bit fiddly but once you get the hang of it, it works fine. I used one to repair my cratch and providing you use good thread, it will be as good as the original machined bits.  Its quite a handy bit of kit to keep on board - takes up very little room, and if the cratch splits, its ideal to bung in a couple of emergency stitches to stop it going any further.