SEWING MACHINE WITH FABRIC-RETAINING BED AND METHOD FOR SEWING FABRIC

摘要

A sewing machine for sewing large work pieces such as sails or tarps, has a sewing bed with a large trough, the axis of which is perpendicular to the ax is of the sewing head support arm. Fabric is held within the trough, either by being folded, bunched or rolled, with fabric being either fed into the trough as stitching progresses, or is drawn out of the trough during stitching. The fabric may b e rolled, bunched or folded within the trough. The trough may be selectively covered with a removable cover plate, to provide an entirely flat sewing bed for sewing of smaller pieces of fabric.