The Saga of my awning with the weather this summer

well, I must tell the story of my awning. I sewed a massive awning for our back deck this year. final measurements 15' x 25'. Took 7 sections of Sunbrella fabric, 15 feet long and sewed together using a "full flat felled seam" that makes for waterproof seams.

This is designed to be "portable" and only up during NON SNOW MONTHS.





My first attempt did not reinforce the edges enough and I put in tiny grommets. The first big wind ripped it right off the house.

I used thin webbing and tiny grommets



First attempt - see how much slack there is?


After consulting with actual sail makers at sailrite.com, I added nylon webbing in the edges and used bigger grommets that have spurs and added dacron in corners with two additional layers of sunbrella for strength and added deep hollows in sides of awning to pull it tight. I also added 2x4's attached to house at every stud and then mounted the hooks for the grommets (before hooks were just screwed into siding). My new motto "if it's worth doing, it's worth OVER doing"



see the hollows in the sides? see how much tighter it is pulled?



reinforced corners


new spurred grommets with fabric folded over 3 times with strong nylon webbing INSIDE the hem (protect it from sun)

check it out in the high winds we've had

[youtube:26fbrgo1][/youtube:26fbrgo1]

It is waterproof and has shown that it is holding up well to hail, winds and hard rains. It hooks onto house and the front hooks onto spreader bars that are attached by cable to stakes in the hillside above the backyard. So far, I am very pleased!

Nice work handy lady.

and it sounds WONDERFUL out there in the rain, like being in a tent. I have a table with a propane fireplace in it, so turn that on, climb in the hammock under a soft blankie and enjoy. Last time I was out there, a great horned owl swooped out of the trees and through the backyard about 6 feet off the ground with a couple of evening grossbeaks chasing it. Now, that's living, in my book.

very good.

I'm impressed that your sewing machine matched the material . . . :woo hoo:

hee hee heee.... that was a simple coincidence, but I am very partial to orange

Great work! :thumbsup:

I am still of the opinion that after all that went into this awning (and she's only given us the Reader's Digest version here), it is now a sentient being and deserves and name. I suggest Baloo or Yogi, since it was a bear to get done and will hibernate in the winter.

Thats our Ang for you
her massive projects have inspired me into all kinds of trouble