Eyelets you can install it yourself, both manually and using special tools. There are several methods of fastening, rings are divided into types, and for working with different materials there are certain algorithms of actions, which you can read about further in the article.
Where are eyelets used?
Eyelets are needed to make a smooth hole in any material and protect the cut edges from fraying.In 1901, the fittings were invented for fastening ship sails, over time, eyelets began to be used in sewing clothes, belts, curtains, and also for collecting documents or other papers in ring binders.
Small eyelets are installed on almost all models of sports shoes, for example, on sneakers. Laces are passed through metal rings. Thanks to this fitting, the item will last longer, the cord will not fray, and the material from which the shoes are made will not deform.
Advantages and disadvantages of application
Why eyelets are considered a good invention:
- Curtains with eyelets slide well by a special round curtain. They open silently and easily. The same can be said about paper with eyelets. Such sheets are easy to turn over in a folder.
- Reliable fastening. If curtains on hooks can be accidentally caught and the loops torn off, then eyelets will withstand such a load.
- Aesthetic appearance. Thanks to the fittings, the holes look neat. You can choose eyelets by color, to match the product, and also choose an unusual shape.
- Clothes and curtains are machine washable without removing the fittings.
The only drawback is that the material on which the eyelets will be installed must be chosen correctly. Many fabrics shrink after washing, as a result of which the hole is deformed, and threads or the edge of the cut material come out from under the fastening of the fittings.
Types and materials
Eyelets can be classified according to several characteristics.
The table describes in detail the types of fittings and their characteristics:
| Distinctive features | Description |
| Size | From 4 mm to 8 cm in diameter. Small eyelets (up to 2 cm) are used for sewing clothes, for making shoes, and also in office supplies. Large rings are installed on curtains and awnings. |
| Form | The outer edges can be of unusual shapes. For example, for children's rooms and bathrooms, you can buy fittings in the form of flowers or animals. For living rooms, triangular and square eyelets are sold. For ribbons and flat laces, you can buy oval eyelets. |
| Material | The fittings are made of metal, wood or plastic. |
| Color | The rings should match the shade of the product they will be attached to. You can buy matte or chrome metal eyelets. A special coating protects the metal from corrosion. Plastic fittings have a wide range of bright colors, and wooden rings are dark and light, usually covered with a layer of varnish to ensure good sliding along the curtain. |
It is important to select not only curtains by size and color, but also cords or ribbons. For example, shoe fittings should either match the main material or be the same color as the laces.
How to choose a mounting option
You can install eyelets yourself only if they are plastic or wooden rings. Such products are intended for manual installation. The bushings are easy to unfasten and, conversely, snap in. Metal fittings are fastened with special tools.
The choice of the type of eyelets depends on the material they will be attached to. Plastic rings are suitable for light and elastic fabrics. They can also be used to attach paper and laces to summer shoes.
Wooden fittings are installed on thick materials, such as cardboard, leatherette, or medium-thickness curtains. Metal eyelets are used to decorate openings in rough and thick materials, such as leather, jeans, or tarpaulin, as well as for thick, light-proof curtains.
Self-installation without special tools
You can install eyelets yourself, without any special tools. It is important to smooth out the material well before installation.
What else will you need:
- sewing threads that match the tone of the base material;
- sewing needle;
- scissors;
- a piece of chalk or soap for marking;
- roulette.
Algorithm of actions:
- Measure down about 3 cm from the top edge of the curtains. Make markings (you can read further in the article how to determine the optimal distance between fittings) with chalk or soap.
- Attach the eyelets to the fabric and trace around the inner diameter.
- Use scissors to carefully cut out the holes.
- Remove all protruding threads and fabric fibers.
- Any fraying material can be carefully sewn back on.
- Place the lower parts of the fittings under the canvas and place the upper parts on top. Press your fingers on the ring until you hear a light click. Repeat with all the holes.
To ensure that the curtains slide well, the eyelets should be at least 1.5 cm wider than the rod. The staples of the paper folder, cords and ribbons, on the contrary, should be narrower than the holes in the rings.
Calculating the distance between eyelets
The distance between the rings depends on the texture of the material they will be attached to. The thicker the fabric, the further apart the rings are placed.. The exception is paper. Here the distance between the eyelets depends on the location of the staples in the folder that will pass through the hole.
For attaching eyelets to tulle or other thin fabric, a distance of about 16 cm is considered optimal. On coarse and dense material, the gap should be about 20 cm. Particular attention should be paid to the rule for calculating the distance between the rings when installing them on thick curtains.
The same spacing will help to form even and beautiful folds on the curtains.
It is also important to calculate how many rings will need to be installed.
To do this, you need to use the formula A = (b - 2x) : 18 + 1, where:
- A – number of holes;
- b – curtain width;
- x – the distance between the center of the first or last eyelet and the edge of the curtain.
It is recommended to place the outer rings 3-7 cm from the edge of the curtain. This way they will look beautiful, and the fabric will form an even wave.
Using eyelet tape
Eyelet tape is needed to strengthen thin fabrics in places where rings are fixed. If the base material is dense enough, then eyelets can be attached without sealing.
The tape is a fabric strip with processed edges. One or both sides are impregnated with a special glue, the fixing properties of which are activated at high temperatures.
How to attach tape to a curtain:
- Measure the width of the tape and mark a point down from the top edge of the curtain, doubling the measurement result.
- Fold this piece of material in half, wrong side in, and iron well.
- Apply the tape to the edge of the resulting fold, with the glue side down.
- Iron.
- Wait until the fabric cools down, cut off the excess tape on the sides.
- Stitch the top edge of the tape with a sewing machine to secure it more securely.
For curtains that cannot be ironed, you can buy a grommet tape of a matching color and simply sew it to the top edge of the curtain. Transparent but thick tapes are sold for tulle.
Installation using specialized tools
You can install eyelets yourself if you have special tools. Metal fittings are harder to secure, and your hand strength is not enough to snap the eyelets into place. Much depends on the width of the ring.
For heavy and thick fabrics, rings with a thick stem are used. In this case, the pressure on the eyelet must be very large.
Installing eyelets with clamps
There is a type of metal eyelets with clips that can be installed by hand using a small hammer. The disadvantage of such rings is the presence of a front and back side. They are usually installed on bags and shoes.
Algorithm of actions:
- Press the ring onto the material so that an indentation remains.
- Using the extruded lines as a guide, cut out the hole.
- Place a part of the eyelet with clips under the material.
- Place a ring with notches on top.
- Bend the clamps with a hammer.
Then you need to remove any protruding threads and fibers from the material.
Installing eyelets with pliers
In specialized stores, you can buy pliers for installing eyelets. The tool resembles pliers. The kit includes removable attachments of different sizes. They are called punches and matrices.
How to install eyelets with pliers:
- Reinforce the material with eyelet tape.
- Attach the required size nozzle to the pliers and punch a hole.
- Insert the part of the ring with the leg from below.
- Close the top half of the ring.
- Place the ring closing attachment into the pliers.
- Place the grommet between the closing parts of the pliers and press them slowly.
It should be taken into account that such eyelets also have a front and back side. It is important to correctly position them relative to the sides of the material.
Press installation
You can install eyelets yourself using a special press. This tool has a lever and a pressure plane. It is used for eyelets with a short and long leg. The kit includes punches and dies for rings of different diameters.
How to use the press:
- Reinforce the material with tape or fold it in half.
- Select a punch of the required size and make a hole.
- Place the part of the ring with the leg under the material.
- Place a washer on top.
- Place the required die into the press and gently press the lever.
It is important to ensure that the washer does not slip or shift, otherwise the eyelet will be installed crookedly. You will have to remove it and install a new one.
Installation technique for curtains or tulle
Before purchasing fabric and curtain rings, it is necessary to correctly calculate the material consumption. Considering the fact that when installing eyelets the fabric will not hang evenly, but will become wavy, you will need more fabric than the width of the window.
Since the standard distance between eyelets on thin fabrics is about 15 cm, to calculate the width of the tulle, you need to multiply the result of measuring the width of the window by 3. A narrow and often repeating wave hides a lot of material.
Thick curtains will require less fabric because the eyelets will be far apart, the wave will remain large and sparse. The window width should be multiplied by 2.
Further procedure:
- Calculate the required number of rings.
- Install eyelet tape if the fabric is not stiff enough.
- Punch holes and install eyelets.
- Pass the curtain rod through the holes.
If the curtain or tulle fabric is elastic, but you don't have a grommet tape at hand, you can install the rings without it. You should make the holes slightly smaller than necessary, then the fittings will not fall out.
Installation on leather materials, shoes
When fixing eyelets on rings, it is better to use pliers or a press. It is important that the hole is even, so it should be punched with a special nozzle. It will not be possible to cut it out neatly with scissors, as creases and cracks will appear on the leather.
Algorithm of actions:
- Strengthen the hardware installation area by folding the material in half, wrong sides facing each other.
- Mark the location of the rings with a marker.
- Select a punch of the appropriate size and make a hole.
- Insert the matrix tool of the required diameter, place the eyelet and secure it.
You should only work with leather on a hard and flat surface so that the material does not deform and the fittings are fixed correctly.
Installation on paper products
The easiest way to install eyelets yourself is on paper or cardboard. For those who have never installed such fittings, it is recommended to practice on paper before attaching the ring to fabric or leather.
Algorithm of actions:
- Use a ruler to measure the distance between the staples that will pass through the holes. According to the result, mark the location of the rings on the paper.
- Use a hole punch to punch holes in the sheet. If the hole punch blade is too narrow, you can widen the hole by twisting the tip of a stationery knife in it. The excess paper should be cut off.
- Insert the fittings with the leg on the wrong side. Cover with a washer on top.
- Secure the eyelet with pliers or a press.
Since the small paper rings are made of thin metal, they can be attached by hand. To do this, you will need some cone-shaped object, such as a nail. It should be of a suitable diameter. You can attach the eyelet with a small hammer. However, you will have to get the hang of it. The first attempts may be unsuccessful.
Tips for installing grommets on a canvas awning
The tools you will need to install the grommet on the tarpaulin manually are:
- hammer;
- bump stop;
- pencil;
- roulette.
Algorithm of actions:
- Make markings to determine the optimal distance between the rings.
- Use a punching attachment and a hammer to make holes.
- Place the eyelet parts with the foot under the material. Place the washer on top.
- Use a hammer to secure the eyelets to the awning.
It is advisable to fold the tarpaulin in half at the place where the fittings are installed so that the fastening is secure.
Awnings require rings made of durable material. Eyelets should be chromed or galvanized.so that the quality of the fastening is not affected by aggressive weather conditions.
In addition, a special coating makes it easier for the awning to slide along the rod. You can buy plastic rings. They are easier to install and are not subject to corrosion. The main thing is to buy special eyelets for heavy materials so that they are well attached and made of thick, wear-resistant plastic.
The manual installation method is suitable for those who have experience working with eyelets. The rest are recommended to use professional equipment that reliably solders the parts of the rings together. Flaring and hole punching attachments are often used to attach fittings to a tarpaulin awning.
Different types of rings are processed using appropriate rollers. If it is not possible to install the fittings professionally, you can use a hand press. This tool always comes with different dies and punches, so it will not be difficult to select attachments for a certain ring size.
If the awning is intended for frequent use and will be subject to heavy loads, such as shelter from rain and wind during a hike, then the eyelets will need to be reinforced.
To make them hold even more securely and not come off in a strong gust of wind, a lining made of rough fabric is needed. It is inserted between the 2 halves of the ring before snapping them together. You can buy reinforcing tape for eyelets in specialized stores. It is sold in rolls of 5-15 m. You can choose the desired color and width.
It is possible to install eyelets on any material yourself. The main thing is to choose the right rings and auxiliary tools.
However, the manual installation method is suitable in cases where the fittings have to be inserted 1-2 times; for constant work with eyelets, for example, when sewing bags or clothes, professional tools will be required.
Video on the topic: how to install eyelets yourself
How to install eyelets without special tools: