Frustration is setting in...

[streamslave]

I have been searching for a teal replacement fabric for my awning for 3 months now.
I tried my dead level best to at least accomplish one thing without asking question after question but I just cannot find anyone to help me out.
I have a dometic 8500 that is 17' long. The only material my wife likes comes from sunbrella. The only way they sell it is 46" widths. I cannot sew. I would rather not have a seam. Can anyone please help me to find someone to make the awning I'm looking for? I don't mind at all to pay someone to farm this job out for me as I obviously do not know what I'm doing.
It seems as though everytime I ask questions to venders there is always a " we can't do that" or " that's impossible".
I will say the fine folks at camping world tried to help the most, but the color was off.
Thank you for your replies.
Jerry

[Nomad518]

Do you have anyone in your area that makes awnings for commercial buildings and homes? They typically have wide rolls of Sunbrella fabric for that purpose. I had a pinhole in my awning and checked with a local awning fabricator for a patch. They gave me a big piece of leftover fabric. But, when I was in their fabricating room with them, I could see they had big rolls of the fabric in stock (probably 8 feet wide). Something like that might work well for you.

[Protagonist]

A quick Internet search (less than a minute) yielded Memphis Delta Tent and Awning (Memphis Delta Tent & Awning Co - Downtown - Memphis, TN | Yelp). That may be too far from Gatlinburg for you, but they ARE a licensed Sunbrella distributor.

[SteveH]

I understand it is a later model, but when I needed to replace the fabric on our slide-out awning, I went to the manufacturer of the awning, Zip-Dee, and got the awning material already sewn up for a perfect fit, with the original material.

I seriously doubt you will find anyone to make you an awning 17' long with no seams, unless it is less than 8' wide and the fabric is one solid color.

[Foiled Again]

Oh, now it all makes sense.

I don't think the awning IS more than 8 feet wide from the roofline to the roller. The scalloped edge hanging down is a separate piece on the big awnings, don't know about the small window awnings. I never thought about it before but I have a 25' with a 14' or 15' seamless awning..... so they put the fabric on SIDEWAYS eh? OK, makes sense. With natural fibers warp and weft are very important for strength of fabric, because the fibers strung ON the loom have to be strong, while the cross weaving threads can be very weak. With synthetics both can be equal. My streams have always had sold color awnings, but the classics with stripes... the stripes are part of the weaving process.

As a kid I wanted to learn the old fashioned craft of hand weaving - until I tried it one time. Talk about a workout! It is darned hard physical labor, and you can work for hours to weave 1 linear yard of fabric. Made me really start to appreciate the industrial revolution!

Paula

[streamslave]

Thanks you so much! This will give me some more options.

[Nomad518]

Check for Tent and Awning firms in Knoxville (as Protagonist suggested). Knoxville's pretty close to you and should have several businesses that provide those types of services.

PS: You live in a beautiful area. Years ago, several buddies and I backpacked the Appalachian Tail through the Smoky Mountains.

[streamslave]

Thank you Nomad.Kelli & I found a pretty close match to the fabric here locally.
We are planning our maiden voyage to Cloudland Canyon the first of next month.
Thank you for the compliment of my home. I've lived here all my life just like all my forefathers did. (All of them worked for Little River Sawmill)
I have a pay stub stating my papaw worked 42 hrs & owed them a nickel!
The AT through the Smokies is beautiful this time of year!

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by streamslave

Thank you for the compliment of my home. I've lived here all my life just like all my forefathers did.

I can't even imagine having roots like that. I find that kind of family history very impressive.

In my family, not a single one of them on either side ever died in the same town they were born in, as far back as I can trace my geneology— Every one of my great-grandparents was an immigrant to the US from somewhere in Europe, so I'm only fourth-generation American along any branch of my family tree.

My dad's last residence was in a town just six miles from where he was born, but for most of them, the last town they lived in was hundreds or thousands of miles from where they were born. We're a great clan of wanderers, with no roots anywhere. But that also means we never really get sentimental about places we've been.

[Melody Ranch]

I replaced the UGLY (personal opinion) awning material on my Clouds' A&E . I went to EBAY and bought Sunbrella, took it and the old awning fabric to the Tarp Company...in two days I had a new awning. By the way...if your new at this, awning work is very dangerous if your not familiar and careful with the roller.

[Florida 55]

When I purchased my Airstream three years ago there was a small tear in the awning fabric. The prior owner agreed to take care of the problem. He took the trailer to a local marine dealer whose workshop repairs boat canvas. They secured the Sunbrella fabric and it was an exact match. Plus the sewing was superb. You can't tell an entire section of fabric was replaced. I also once used a boat canvas repair shop to replace a canvas convertible top on a car. They did a super job.

There are several boat canvas repair shops in the Knoxville area. Here is a link to some resources:

Knoxville Yellow Pages Boat Canvas Repair

Chilhowee RV in the metro Knoxville area is the closest Airstream dealer to Gatlinburg. The service department at Chilhowee may be able to recommend a local resource. Here is a toll free number: 800-423-9580.

Glen Raven Mills, in Glen Raven, NC is the manufacturer of Sunbrella fabric. The telephone number of the corporate office is: 336.227.6211. They may be able to direct you to authorized dealers who can supply the fabric and perform the work. Glen Raven is a high quality and very innovative American company. It is good to see ZipDee and Airstream using their products.

[streamslave]

That awning is beautiful Ms. Ranch!

Thank you for the marine-fabric idea! Florida55

Protagonist, if I wanted to leave my hometown I could not.
I don't think I could make a living anywhere else!