After working on several small sewing projects for Mystique, my 1966 Islander 29, I decided it was time to take on something bigger: a new mainsail cover.

I had been using my mom's old Singer, but I realized for this and future jobs – sails, Lord willing – I needed a heavy-duty machine. So, with a little help, I headed over to the new Sailrite store in Annapolis and walked out with 50 pounds of serious sewing power. (For more on this hefty purchase, see yesterday's story.)

I decided on the LSZ-I machine because it can sew zigzag as well as straight stitches, a feature I would need when I made new sails. I had to make one other important decision, though: Would I order a kit from Sailrite, or would I build the cover from scratch? I decide on the latter, for the experience. The savings would be minimal.

CLAUDIA DEANEWorking with the new machine.TRIALS AND ERRORS

To get acquainted with the new machine, I sewed a ditty bag for my four-year-old, a quick and dirty job that turned up some potential problems. To sew through multiple layers of canvas, you have to adjust the upper and lower tension settings rather high, so when the two threads cross – one from the needle above, one from the bobbin below – they get embedded in the fabric. This higher tension setting makes the thread going through the needle slip when you start stitching, but you're supposed to prevent that from happening when you start each run. I thought preventing that slip meant not letting it move at all – and that made things go terribly wrong inside the machine.

I heard all sorts of metal scraping sounds that resulted in the "bobbin cage foot" falling off. I also broke several needles. I brought the machine back, got some parts and pointers from Dan Smith, the sales representative at the Sailrite store, at no charge. It turns out you need to apply some pressure to keep the thread from getting tangled up, but not so much that it won't move under your finger. Over time I was able to develop just the right touch to make the machine behave.

ADAM GONZALEZThe completed sail cover, mast end.Shortly after this brief setback, I received an e-mail with video from sailrite.com about how to make a sail cover. The video is divided into six parts, each outlining specific jobs and special tips to make sure each step goes smoothly. When I felt familiar with the various steps, I rolled out the new material on the floor in my studio and laid the old sail cover on top of it. I started marking up the new material with my daughter's watercolor pencils. Remembering the old cover was not wide enough, I added an additional 10 inches to the bottom edge to wrap around the boom. (This turned out to be inadequate at the thickest part of the sail, but more about that later.) I also added five inches at the boom end for shrinkage, per Smith's instructions. In short order, I had the pattern drawn out on the material.

MEASURE TWICE

It was time to cut out the main part of the cover. I used some good sewing shears, but the fabric began to fray almost immediately. I looked in the Sailrite catalog and found many options for cutting and sealing the edges of the canvas. I chose a $9 fitting that screws onto the end of a soldering iron. When it arrived, I did many test cuts on scraps until I felt comfortable with the technique. I also discovered the fabric cuts better on glass, so I used a pane of glass from an old poster frame.

ADAM GONZALEZHere's a close-up look at the reinforcement patch, the triangular insert in the cover.After cutting, I sewed the hems along the bottom of the cover. This was my first chance to see how smoothly the machine worked. Straight, uniform stitches, and the mechanical walking presser foot made 14 feet of heavy Sunbrella fabric march along smartly. Next came the zippers, the job that took the most time to go from concept to reality. I watched the video several times, and even made a paper mockup of the cover to ensure I knew to which side I should sew the zippers. When purchasing the machine, I opted for the Monster II Balance Wheel, which came in handy at this point. I could sew slowly, turning the crank on the heavy flywheel by hand to make the stitches nice and straight.

Then I stitched the spine of the cover together, making the two halves into one. Now it was really starting to look like a sail cover.

ONE LAST ERROR

At this point I took the cover to the boat to make sure it fit correctly, and discovered my first real design flaw. In the area where the sail flakes the most, about six to10 inches back from the mast, there wasn't enough material to join the two halves together under the boom. I wasn't sure how to make up the additional volume needed.

Enter my hero, my mother-in-law, who just happened to be visiting from Tampa. While at the boat for a family picnic, she and I converged on the cover, taking measurements and discussing strategies, and came up with a good solution. When we got home, we inserted an 8-eight- by 10-inch diamond panel in just the right place, and voila –the two halves joined underneath, with just enough room to spare. Were I to do this project again, I would be far more generous with these measurements in the design stage. Live and learn.

Next I sewed in the mast collar, added some Velcro, and hemmed off the boom end of the cover. I was not happy with the point between the two halves of the cover where it joins the collar, so I added a small, triangular piece to reinforce it. Of course, I had to tear out and re-stitch several times before getting a satisfying result.

ADAM GONZALEZSome of the tools the author used to make his sail cover.I attached the "Common Sense Fasteners," fittings that look like a snap on one side and a twist fastener on the other, along the bottom of the cover. This was the most time-consuming part of the project. I had to first lay out, then mark the placement of each fitting. Next, I had to cut holes for the hardware, which I accomplished with the hot knife. Then I had to attach both sides of the fitting with a hammer and a snap-fastener installation tool, much like hammering home brass grommets.

To finish, I stitched in some cord to tie the cover off at the back of the boom, and the job was complete. It was exciting (to me, anyway) to see the old cover come off and the new one go on. Perfectly fitted, matching the other canvas, it made the boat look like a classic yacht.

People have always noticed Mystique's lines, but matching canvas dressed those lines elegantly, like finding just the right cut of suit or the best pair of jeans to show you at your best. Satisfying indeed.