Seal your tent's mesh panels

Step 2 Materials and Procedure

I chose to sew the cover by hand with a coarse stitch. I chose a coarse stitch to make the project go faster and to reduce the number of holes created in my tent. I chose a large diameter UV-resistant thread based upon recommendations from several kite-making forums.

Materials:
- Ripstop Nylon: A few yards of bland grey ripstop nylon from Jo-Anne Fabric store.
- Thread: 1 Roll Coats & Clark, Outdoor, UV-Resistant, 100% polyester, T67 diameter, 200 yards.
- Needle (to fit)
- Brass thimbles (to protect fingers)
- Small buttons (optional)
- Big pink rubber eraser (optional)

Personnel Tips:
- Enlist a helper. Sewing goes faster with one person inside and one person outside. A friend or family member is recommended. A spouse is not recommended.
- Obtain a stool or pillow for the inside person to sit or kneel upon.
- Play soft pleasant music. No house. No techno.
- Practice patience. Your helper will not have the same quality standards as you.
- Prepare foregiveness. Your helper will stick the needle into your fingers.
- Do the work in short sessions. There is a learning curve.

Sewing Tips:
- Set up and work on the tent indoors.
- Sew the cover on with the tent assembled. The tent may not stand up right if you sew the cover on with the tent disassembled.
- Where possible, sew through the tent's seam flaps (folds of tent wall material stitched together) rather than through plain tent wall surfaces. Too many holes will weaken the tent walls.
- Use a big pink rubber eraser as a 'backstop' when pushing the needle through. The backstop will help the fabric layers stay properly aligned when the needle is pushed, and the rubber will 'catch' the needle and protect your fingers.
- Sew a pair of small buttons back-to-back on either side of the cover and tent to act as a strain relief wherever you envision weak spots.

Details:
The photos are self-explanatory. Good luck with your project.