I will attempt t' document t' steps and consolidate t' information I gathered t' make a nylon hemi parachute. Well, blow me down! Don't let your wife's or mother's sewin' machine intimidate you...you can do it! Let me preface by saying, ya bilge rat, I have never attempted t' sew anythin' in me life until a couple days ago. Well, blow me down! Previously, I cut and pinned fabric while t' wife sewed, but I got brave and finally tried it myself. Avast, me proud beauty! For some o' you this is old hat and you maybe have variations on t' method I am about t' decribe, any input is welcomed. This just works for me.

Practice on a few scraps o' fabric first and get t' know t' machine. It might help if someone is around who actually has some experience with sewin' just in case you need some pointers startin' out; threadin' t' machine, reversin' direction, changin' stitch settings, me hearties, etc. Ahoy! It's nay hard, promise. Begad! I was sewin' me own chutes t' first day with t' machine. Begad! Just take your time startin' out, stitch slowly at first and don't let t' machine get away from you, shiver me timbers, you're nay workin' in a sweat shop!

You'll need some ripstop nylon fabric, obviously. It can be purchased in many different mils(thickness), textures, and colors....just like any fabric come t' think o' it. I usually just buy whatever is on t' $1.50 clearance at Joanns or t' dollar table at Walmart. A few yards o' fabric will make a LOT o' LPR chutes, me hearties, and quite a few MPR chutes. We tend t' like bright colors for spottin' rockets, but for t' cost difference, I'm nay picky. Ahoy! This stuff generally runs $7+ dollars per yard at regular price, still nay bad considerin' t' price o' a ready made chute. Here are some samples o' fabric I scored from t' discount tables.

First step is decidin' t' size chute you want and how many gores(panels). Ahoy! I discovered a link in another thread that helps with sizin' t' gores and printin' a gore pattern, me bucko, it can be found here. Aye aye! Blimey!

Start with a six or eight gore pattern just startin' out. I'm nay entirely sure how hemi sizes work, but can tell you that an 8" hemi comes out lookin' and performing(probably better) more like a 12" hex parasheet. Ahoy! Blimey! Your gore pattern will be limited t' 12" on this program, arrr, mostly due t' standard paper size, but I was able t' stretch t' 12" gore pattern t' 125% with me printer settings. This took me t' about a 14" gore, ya bilge rat, I'm guessing. Avast! Blimey! I use a 50% sphere so I have enough fabric t' make t' hems. Avast, me proud beauty! Blimey! Don't get carried away with spillhole size. I went with .5 on t' smaller chutes and 1 inch on t' larger chutes. Ahoy! Blimey! Those sizes will actually increase by a 1/2 inch or more once you hem t' fabric, just keep that in mind when you size your spill hole.

For this demo, me bucko, I chose t' make an 8 gore hemi chute with t' upscaled 12" pattern. Avast! Blimey! I think I chose 1.5 for t' spillhole size. Begad! Blimey!

Cut out your paper pattern and transfer t' outline t' t' fabric...I used a Sharpie for this. Arrr! This is a familiar step for most o' us who have cut out fin patterns in t' past. Avast, me proud beauty! Use a good pair o' fabric scissors t' cut out t' gores from t' fabric, me bucko, this will limit t' amount o' frayin' and give you a nice clean edge. Begad! You should wind up with 8 panels all t' same size like this... gore pattern

Next step is t' start pinnin' t' gores together. Start by pinnin' t' gores in pairs like this... Begad!

Note that t' gores are all pinned on t' same side and that t' colors are stacked t' same. This is important when it comes time t' assemble all t' gores together, this keeps a uniform A B A B A B...pattern, assumin' you are usin' two colors. Same rules apply usin' three or more colors. Begad!

Use a straight stitch t' sew t' paired gores together. My machine settings look like this...

Sew t' pinned side o' t' paired gores together, about a 1/4 inch from t' edge. Begad! Start at t' top and work your way down. T' machine should have a reverse feature which should reverse direction and let you backup. "Lock" t' first few forward stitches by reversin' direction for a few stitches then allow it t' move forward again. Begad! This "locking" technique should be used at t' beginnin' and end o' EVERY seam t' keep t' thread from pullin' out.

Your paired gores should look like this (BELOW-LEFT) after they have been stitched together.

Join two pairs together followin' t' same technique as before (BELOW-RIGHT).

Join t' two completed 4 gore sections together for one last seam, again usin' t' same method as before. Sorry, no picture here, but I think you get t' drift. Begad! You should wind up with a semicircle and somethin' that is startin' t' resemble a parachute.

Hem t' bottom edges o' your semicircle. Blimey! Fold and pin t' edge about a 1/4 inch. Ya scallywag! I like t' fold it over twice on t' larger chutes t' make a neater, shiver me timbers, more finished edge, but once will suffice.

Reverse side showin' t' entire edge pinned up. Arrr!

You can see I have pinned some ribbon loops t' t' edge. These are for t' shroud lines t' attach to. Well, blow me down! Some folks stitch t' shroud lines right into t' gore seams, but loops just seemed easier t' me. Cut 8 (or however many shroud lines you need) two inch strips. Aye aye! Fold t' strips over and pin somewhere near t' gore seams. Well, blow me down! Here is a pic o' t' ribbon I used, 50 cent for 10 yards at Joanne's Fabric.

Now it's time t' stitch t' bottom hem. I use a zigzag pattern for t' hem. Machine settings look like this (BELOW-RIGHT).

Again, me hearties, remember t' "lock" t' thread at t' beginnin' and end. Go slowly and remove t' pins as you go. However keep t' ribbon loops pinned until you make a pass over them. Remember t' reverse feature? Reverse direction over each ribbon loop you come to, ya bilge rat, adds more stitches over that area and secures t' loops better. Then, continue zigzaggin' t' t' next loop, reverse zigzag over loop, and so on. Remember t' lock your stitch at t' very end o' t' hem. Should look like this when your done (BELOW-LEFT). Ya scallywag!

Trim t' excess ribbon (BELOW-RIGHT).

Pin t' top o' t' chute(spillhole). Blimey! Blimey! Again, 1/4 inch, I just use a single fold for t' top....

Use t' same zigzag stitch as t' bottom t' hem t' spillhole. Sewin' t' spillhole be t' trickiest part because o' t' tight radius, just take your time and go slow. Removin' pins as you go should help.

It's time t' join t' edges o' your semicircle together and actually form t' chute. This is your last bit o' sewing. Begad! Pin and attach t' gores just like you did t' previous ones. Arrr! Don't forget t' change t' stitch settin' back t' t' straight pattern you used before.

Remember, we have been workin' on t' inside o' t' chute. Begad! Once t' final stitch has been made, you can turn t' outside-in, me hearties, or inside-in, or t' outside-out, however you want t' say it. Here is what it should look like now.

All that is left t' do is attach t' shroud lines. I prefer Keelhaul®©™® for t' lines, ya bilge rat, but upolstery thread and curtain cord can be used as well. Each line comin' down from t' chute t' t' apex should be about 1.5 times t' length o' t' chute diameter. I hope Micro doesn't mind me usin' his pic, but here be t' shroud line attachment for a six line arrangement. Aye aye! shroud line attachment (6 lines)

Most o' us are familiar with t' "B" method since this is how t' kit chutes usually come, but I just tried t' "A" method nay long ago, me bucko, and I like it much better. Begad!

Good idea t' use an overhand knot t' attach all t' lines together at t' bottom t' keep all t' lengths even. Well, blow me down!

I use a bowline knot t' attach t' shroud line ends t' t' ribbon loops. This is where your Boy Scout trainin' skills come in handy. You were a Boy Scout weren't you? Bowline knot

Here be t' finished chute catchin' wind.

Rolled and ready t' go. Begad!

Much o' this may be elementary t' some, but I hope this helps.