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layfin

Active Member

• Jan 27, 2019

• #1

Hi.
The full length hood on my 109 FFR is torn at a few places along the seams which I was going to try and re-stitch, however, my main problem is that the canvas is no longer very pliable, in fact it is more like leather. Is it possible to soften the canvas prior to stitching.
Regards.
Chris.

 

dag019

Well-Known Member

• Jan 27, 2019

• #2

layfin said:

Hi.
The full length hood on my 109 FFR is torn at a few places along the seams which I was going to try and re-stitch, however, my main problem is that the canvas is no longer very pliable, in fact it is more like leather. Is it possible to soften the canvas prior to stitching.
Regards.
Chris.

Click to expand...

I cannot help you with softeneing the canvas but when mine needed some repairs I took it to the local equestrian place which was used for repairing the horse rugs. They had the old fashioned heavy duty sewing machine and it cost virtually nothing to have them repair it. They did a much better job than I could have done.

 

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layfin

Active Member

• Jan 28, 2019

• #3

Thanks. Could try that, however, I think that the material would need to be softened in order to be able to handle it better with any ease.

 

Shippers

Well-Known Member

• Jan 28, 2019

• #4

IF you want to stitch yourself this tool is handy about 15€ on Amazon...

 

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John S

Well-Known Member

• Jan 28, 2019

• #5

X1 on a saddle or horse blanket repairer. Back in the day there must have been places that did canvas? Yacht chandlers?

 

offshoretitan

Member

• Jan 29, 2019

• #6

We soften lines for the boat, which get very hard and stiff from long exposure to salt water and sun by washing them and using Downy Fabric Softener. They go from stiff as a board to soft as a wet noodle. Is it possible for you to put your hood in a child's plastic wading pool or something of that nature and first wash it, rinse it and then give it a treatment with the fabric softener? I've obviously never heard of something like this being done to a canvas product...but given our experience with the boat lines I'm betting it would make a very noticeable difference. You could then treat it with waterproofing once the repairs were sewn.

 

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suburban

Well-Known Member

• Jan 29, 2019

• #7

iirc the canvas new Zealand rug I had for me orse back in the day was similar to a landy tilt in thickness etc so I would guess an outfit that repairs equestrian rugs should have no problem.

 

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rob1miles

Well-Known Member

• Jan 30, 2019

• #8

I had a similar problem with my Dormobile roof fabric, its some kind of plastic coated stuff but it was stiff as a board after 10 years stored outside and liable to tear (replacments are £350!) so I got it off carefully and put it in a hot bath with lots of detergent and softener. Made a huge difference but no way of using the bath unitl it had drained enough to carry though the house!

 

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layfin

Active Member

• Feb 1, 2019

• #9

Was thinking of trying that but doubt if the wife would be as patient.

 

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layfin

Active Member

• Feb 1, 2019

• #10

Just got one of these tools from Amazon.

 

Shippers

Well-Known Member

• Feb 1, 2019

• #11

layfin said:

Just got one of these tools from Amazon.

Click to expand...

The Speedy Stitcher?...suggest try on some scrap material first instructions on mine were not great but now mastered it very easy on the hands no pain!...