attaching velcro to canvas

I'm new at this posting, and not sure this is the right place to post. I am
trying to attach velcro to the canvas top on my boat. When we sleep in the
boat we always end up using clamp and clothes pins to attach a fabric over
the plastic windows for privacy. My idea is to use something like a tag gun
to attach velcro to the canvas and then sew the other half to the curtain.
During the day we will want to take the curtains down while we fish, but
then put them back up at night. The tag guns I have seen all use a 1" long
tag which would make it too long. I remember seeing on TV guns to replace
buttons, but I can't find anything with a shorter tag. Also I was wondering
if the hand held sewing machine would work. Any suggestions would be
greatly appreciated.

Gary

How about using a strong adhesive to attach the
Velcro (tm) instead of the tag gun? I think there
is some Velcro (tm) (NAYY) that already has an
adhesive backing. Either way would be easier and
not puncture holes in the cover, as the gun would.
If you really want to use the gun, go ask at a
small retail store if you can buy some of their
short tags. Of course you will have your own gun
to verify the fit. HTH. PAT

gdh wrote:

I'm new at this posting, and not sure this is the right place to post. I am
trying to attach velcro to the canvas top on my boat. When we sleep in the
boat we always end up using clamp and clothes pins to attach a fabric over
the plastic windows for privacy. My idea is to use something like a tag gun
to attach velcro to the canvas and then sew the other half to the curtain.
During the day we will want to take the curtains down while we fish, but
then put them back up at night. The tag guns I have seen all use a 1" long
tag which would make it too long. I remember seeing on TV guns to replace
buttons, but I can't find anything with a shorter tag. Also I was wondering
if the hand held sewing machine would work. Any suggestions would be
greatly appreciated.

Gary

gdh wrote:
Also I was wondering
if the hand held sewing machine would work. Any suggestions would be
greatly appreciated.

Extremely unlikely Gary. The hand held machines are generally judged to
be useless, and certainly for light usage only.

Sarah

What about tacking with needle and thread of whatever weights are
appropriate?
Karen

On Sun, 8 May 2005 22:28:14 -0800, "gdh" wrote:

I remember seeing on TV guns to replace
buttons, but I can't find anything with a shorter tag. Also I was wondering
if the hand held sewing machine would work. Any suggestions would be
greatly appreciated.

Gary

The only name I can recall is "dennison buttoneer", probably a little
pricey for your application.

Have you considered using magnets sewn into pockets on the canvas?

There was a Ronco Buttoneer went on Ebay a few days ago. Now, funnily
enough, I happen to have one of those that came from an auction years
ago ... perhaps I should list mine ....

In article , of Bell
Sympatico uttered
On Sun, 8 May 2005 22:28:14 -0800, "gdh" wrote:

I remember seeing on TV guns to replace
buttons, but I can't find anything with a shorter tag. Also I was wondering
if the hand held sewing machine would work. Any suggestions would be
greatly appreciated.

Gary

The only name I can recall is "dennison buttoneer", probably a little
pricey for your application.

Have you considered using magnets sewn into pockets on the canvas?



--
AJH
no email address supplied

Gary asked:

I'm probably going to look stupid here, but what is tacking?

Karen replied:

Stupid is pretending to understand. In this case, not bringing the bow
across the wind, but sewing a few stitches at points of strain. Perhaps
just at the corners of the velcro, or every inch or so along its length, as
there won't be much strain on it. HTH

gdh wrote:
I'm new at this posting, and not sure this is the right place to post. I am
trying to attach velcro to the canvas top on my boat. When we sleep in the
boat we always end up using clamp and clothes pins to attach a fabric over
the plastic windows for privacy. My idea is to use something like a tag gun
to attach velcro to the canvas and then sew the other half to the curtain.
During the day we will want to take the curtains down while we fish, but
then put them back up at night. The tag guns I have seen all use a 1" long
tag which would make it too long. I remember seeing on TV guns to replace
buttons, but I can't find anything with a shorter tag. Also I was wondering
if the hand held sewing machine would work. Any suggestions would be
greatly appreciated.

Gary


Best way to stitch Velcro on an application like this is with good
quality poly thread, a size 90 Jeans needle, and tighten the top tension
until the loops on the back flatten out. Try only to stitch in the
narrow woven edge rather than through the loopy fluffy stuff or the
hooks. You can sew small tabs of Velcro at intervals. If you contact
the outdoors gear and sailing groups, you will find excellent advice
about sun and sea resistant threads and fabrics for this application.

Hm... Thinks... Last time I sewed Velcro to canvas was a looooooong
time ago! 'Bout 30 years! I put a new clear PVC 'window' into a cover
for a Land Rover. The cover was made out of an old lorry canvas: we
wanted a 'curtain' to shield the LR contents from prying and acquisitive
eyes when it was parked up for a stop on journeys into the hills. It
tended to be filled with huge mounds of climbing boots, tents, the odd
kayak... I did the sewing on my old Spinning Jenny, that you can see in
the sewing machines section of my web site (URL below - I sell nothing
through the site): she's a 1923 hand crank Singer 66 that I have had
since 1976!

Last time I sewed Velcro to SOMETHING was a few weeks back: I sewed it
to curtain voile this time, mostly with a 1953 Featherweight and
el-cheapo poly thread (hey - it works!), but the technique is the same!

The tags used by tag guns for quilting have short tags. They are called
basting guns, but the nylon tags will go brittle eventually, and they
are really only designed for short term use anyway, rather than
permanent attachment. Constant pulling the 'curtains' off would fatigue
them quicker...

Those hand held 'sewing machines' are a waste of money: for the same
price you can buy a well used older hand crank or motorised Singer 66 or
99 that you will leave to your grandchildren still in good working order
that will do this job and many others.

--
Kate XXXXXX R.C.T.Q Madame Chef des Trolls
Lady Catherine, Wardrobe Mistress of the Chocolate Buttons
http://www.diceyhome.free-online.co.uk
Click on Kate's Pages and explore!

gdh wrote:
I'm new at this posting, and not sure this is the right place to
post. I am trying to attach velcro to the canvas top on my boat. When we
sleep in the boat we always end up using clamp and clothes
pins to attach a fabric over the plastic windows for privacy. My
idea is to use something like a tag gun to attach velcro to the
canvas and then sew the other half to the curtain. During the day we
will want to take the curtains down while we fish, but then put them
back up at night. The tag guns I have seen all use a 1" long tag
which would make it too long. I remember seeing on TV guns to
replace buttons, but I can't find anything with a shorter tag. Also
I was wondering if the hand held sewing machine would work. Any
suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Gary

you can buy adhesive backed velcro. If you buy it at someplace like Home
Depot you can get construction grade adhesive.

Penny S