Need Advice on Binding

[Mojo]

On some of the awnings I make I have to create a valance. The cheaper ones are done with a scallop and zigzag stitched along the bottom. I personally do not like the look of them and many of my customers do not like them either. So I make my valance straight across and then bind the edges with 1 " acrylic binding.

I recently got an order for several window awnings and a huge patio awning for a motorcoach. The customer ordered a goofy colored tweed and I for the life of me cannot find an acrylic binding that comes close to matching the tweed colors.

My questions is should I fold the edge over and sew it ? I do not have a ZigZag machine so that's out of the question. What do you guys and gals do on these edges ? Have you ever folded and sewn the edge ?

Chris

[Clearly]

Perhaps you could use a complimentary or contrasting binding color and bind it the way you usually do. Just finished a couple scalloped awnings and had the same issue. I used a binding that was a darker shade that made the edge stand out a little more.

Regards, Carl

[Mojo]

Carl:

The color of this tweed fabric is so crazy that I cannot find even a contrasting color that will match. :)

I found one color that would work but they do not make it in an acrylic binding, only in a fabric.

Chris

[Clearly]

While I haven't done it, I can't think of any reason you couldn't just put a hem in it.

Carl

[Grebo]

I actually prefer a turned hem to binding, I find a lot of the time the binding shrinks or fades long before the canvas, so stays looking good for longer.
You don't need a zig zag for hemming  ??? Either cut the edge with the hot knife & turn once or turn twice if the edge is going to unravel.

But then I don't do awnings, mine is on marine stuff. Don't know if that makes a difference or not .


Suzi

[fragged8]

hiya

the advantage of a hem is it doesn't collect water and then go green,

one of my customers who is a boat builder won't let me use binding
on covers for him.

Rich

[Mike]

Chris whe ive fdone a CDs awnings  with a scolloped vallanece with i  charge more for due to the extraa work i like to highligh the scollop with a contrasting color its you cantr find a color thats close why not black? many time i see a canvas with just black binding  or white but white gets dirty  but if the cancas was paaacific blue of red i think white make a nice contrast in the right aplication.

[bobbin]

We routinely finish the lower edge of a straight valence with a neatly folded hem.  Depending on the depth of the valence we use a double 1"-2" hem. 

I think bias binding or the woven awning braid is the way to go when you're dealing with a shaped valence.  Most of the awning binding is 100% solution dyed acrylic, too, and it's manufactured to coordinate with the awning acrylics.  The beauty of the proper binding is that it will negotiate curves with ease (provided you have the correct binding set up!!) and while it will "fail" before the fabric it's easy to cut off and rebind (good money maker, BTW). 

[Grebo]

I had a nosy around an awning making factory some time ago & while they had real state of the art computer controlled machines to sew huge lengths together. They still do all the binding by hand with a normal zig zag machine & binder attachment.  ???

Suzi

[Qwerty27807]

Could you make your own bias binding using the crazy fabric and charge accordingly for the wasted material?

[Mojo]

I am meeting with the customer this weekend and am going to try and talk them into letting me do a simple hem. They make one contrasting color fabric that would work perfect but they do not make it in a binding. I do not have enough margin in this job to buy the folder and make the binding myself so will pass on that idea.

Thanks everyone for your input.

Chris

[Grebo]

Could you make your own bias binding using the crazy fabric and charge accordingly for the wasted material?

I got one of those  ;D    Have you tried making binding up with sunbrella (or similar) with it ?
That's what I bought it for but haven't gotem round to tying it yet  :-[

Suzi

[Mike]

Wouldn't making a hem be next to impossible of any width on a curvedscolloped edge?

[Mojo]

I am sure it would Mike. I wouldn't want to try it. I use straight edges on all of my valances. My customers prefer them over the scallops.

Alot of the million dollar buses have straight edges. That is where I got the idea from. Some of the high end buses do not even have valances. :)

Chris

[Mike]

My mistake I though I read they wanted a scroll oped   alliance.
Kinda hokey to me