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

Reply to
gdh
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Reply to
Pat in Virginia

gdh wrote: Also I was wondering

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

Sarah

Reply to
Sarah Dale

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

Reply to
kkl

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?

Reply to
reply

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 ....

Reply to
She who would like to be obeye

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.
Reply to
Kate Dicey

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

Penny S

Reply to
small change

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