How to Repair a Tent With a Sewing Awl
The smallest of tears in a camping tent can cause disaster in the great outdoors. A torn tent is unable to keep out cold, moisture or insects, and any of these factors can ruin a perfectly good camping excursion. While you can repair a tent with a simple needle and thread, a sewing awl is a much sturdier tool that is designed to take on tougher materials like leather and canvas.
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Instructions
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Thread the sewing awl with strong thread as you would a regular sewing needle. Your thread should be about twice as long as the tear in the tent so that you have plenty of thread to tie off at the end.
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Sew the two edges of the tear together completely, and then cut and tie off the thread.
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Attach the two patches to your tent. The patches should be waterproof and composed of the same material as your tent. The patches should also be large enough to cover the damage to your tent, and at least one inch in all directions around the tear to ensure the damage does not spread.
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Coat the back of the first patch, and the area around the tear, with adhesive. If you can, use an adhesive specific to your material; for instance, many outdoor specialty stores sell canvas cement. If you do not have a specific product, all-purpose cement will hold the patches in place.
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Adhere the patches to the front and back of the damaged area. Smooth the glued patches over the area and wipe away any extra adhesive from the edges with a towel. Allow the glue to dry completely before continuing; consult specific product instructions for drying time.
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Re-thread the sewing awl with enough thread to sew all the way around all sides of the patches. Sew the patches into place; essentially, you are sewing the patches to each other, with the damage being covered in the middle.
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Coat each of the seams on both patches with seam sealer. This will strengthen the thread even more, and make your repair work weatherproof. Allow the seam sealer to dry completely before using the tent again.
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Tips & Warnings
Supplies such as the sewing awl, thread, patches and seam sealer are available at outdoor specialty stores or crafting stores.
