{"id":908,"date":"2019-08-16T08:00:31","date_gmt":"2019-08-16T12:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/?p=908"},"modified":"2023-02-03T13:25:09","modified_gmt":"2023-02-03T18:25:09","slug":"diy-awning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.sailrite.com\/meet-our-customers\/outdoor-living\/diy-awning\/","title":{"rendered":"Outdoor Awnings: A Dream Home DIY"},"content":{"rendered":"

Debra Brown is well acquainted with the world of sewing, having started her first project as a teenager. But what began as a fun, sporadic hobby turned into necessity years later when Debra and her husband moved to Portland, Oregon, and purchased a beautiful Cape Cod home built in 1937. After moving in, they quickly noticed their dream home was not without flaws. \u201cThe back of the house faces west and the August sun in Portland can be brutal. The house came with seasonal awnings for each window to mitigate the heat, but unfortunately, they were old and tattered. The awning company wanted $4,000 to remake them \u2014 seven in all!\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bolstered by her \u201ccan do\u201d attitude and sewing skill set, Debra set off to find a way to perfect her new home by creating her own awnings. This would prove to be her greatest sewing adventure yet, and would eventually lead her to Sailrite\u2019s tools and supplies. We\u2019re happy to have been a part of the journey, and Debra was kind enough to share her success story with us.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Q: What\u2019s your history like with sewing? How long have you been doing it and how did you learn?<\/b><\/p>\n

I learned to sew in middle school and still recall my very first projects as a 14-year-old \u2014 a simple gym bag and a dirndl skirt. Since then, over the years I\u2019ve enjoyed sewing clothing and simple home d\u00e9cor items. When my husband and I moved to Portland, Oregon, and bought an 80-year-old house, my brother, Jesse, encouraged me to take on more ambitious sewing projects including draperies, duvet covers and Roman Shades. Jesse had been sewing custom home d\u00e9cor items for decades and taught me everything I know about sewing with heavier weight fabrics. He had also loaned me one of his industrial sewing machines to complete my projects in the past.<\/span><\/p>\n

Q: What was the process like of creating your awnings?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

When I decided to try making new awnings for our house, I knew it would be challenging. I had no idea what types of fabric were available, or what tools and notions I\u2019d need. I began by taking apart one of the old awnings and documenting each step so I\u2019d know how to construct a new one. My brother suggested I visit the Sailrite website to learn about appropriate fabrics and thread. I was amazed by the selection available and settled on Sunbrella\u00ae Marine Grade Fabric, based on Sailrite\u2019s recommendations for awning construction.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I ordered just enough fabric to complete the first awning, as it would be a test as to whether or not I could really do this. Next, I needed the right tools. My best friends turned out to be the Sailrite\u00ae Edge Hotknife and Seamstick Basting Tape. I could never have managed the Sunbrella without these two lifesavers. Construction of the first awning was slow going. I borrowed two different sewing machines from Jesse just to get started.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It took me two entire days to create the test awning. I made lots of mistakes but also learned a lot about working with large pieces of Sunbrella. Sailrite\u2019s videos on sewing flat-felled seams<\/a><\/strong><\/span> were incredibly helpful and helped me gain confidence in my abilities. I knew that if I was going to proceed with constructing six more awnings, I\u2019d need a lot more fabric. But most importantly, I knew I\u2019d need a heavy duty walking foot sewing machine that could handle the project, and that I could easily set up and move around in my sewing area.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Sailrite Edge Hotknife was an invaluable tool for cutting Sunbrella.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Q: How did you decide on selecting a Sailrite Ultrafeed<\/b>\u00ae<\/span> Sewing Machine? What are your thoughts on the machine so far?<\/b><\/p>\n

I spent a lot of time on Sailrite\u2019s website researching machines and watching videos on working with Sunbrella Marine Grade Fabric. I decided on Sailrite\u2019s Ultrafeed LS machine. I was not disappointed. The day my machine arrived, I spent time watching Sailrite\u2019s assembly video and videos on winding bobbins, threading the machine, and sewing basic seams. Without these videos, I would not have felt comfortable setting up my machine and getting started sewing. They were incredibly helpful.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After completing six more awnings \u2014 the last one in a record time of three hours \u2014 I can say with confidence that the Ultrafeed LS is an elegant workhorse that seems to have been made for my project. The machine easily handled multiple layers of Sunbrella fabric. I never experienced stuck fabric, the machine losing its timing, or any of the other issues that I had with the borrowed sewing machines I\u2019d used in the past.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Working with layers of thick Sunbrella required the Ultrafeed LS.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Q: Do you plan to sew other projects using the Ultrafeed?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Now that I\u2019ve finished the awnings, I\u2019m excited to try other projects that utilize Sunbrella, such as patio cushions or maybe a heavy duty tent for my husband\u2019s hunting trips. He\u2019s already asked me to do some repairs on one of his canvas backpacks. Now that I have the experience, the tools and the Ultrafeed LS machine, I\u2019m thinking the sky\u2019s the limit!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Q: What was the most rewarding, and most challenging, part of constructing this project?<\/b><\/p>\n

One of the most rewarding parts of the project was simply the realization that I could recreate a large custom item from scratch if I invested in the right tools and materials. The other big rewards are the energy savings on the second floor of my house, which, in the absence of awnings, can be very hot in the summer, not to mention saving over $2,500 by making the awnings myself. That\u2019s even after my investment in the LS, the fabric, and the tools and supplies needed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The greatest challenge was not having an existing pattern or sewing instructions for these custom awnings. Sailrite made the sewing easy. It was the cognitive piece \u2014\u00a0<\/span>thinking through the steps involved \u2014 that was the most challenging.<\/span><\/p>\n

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