Joined in 2023 
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63 About this deal
Once you are happy with the tension of your elastic on the guard you need to join the two ends together. If you are using wider elastic you could use the machine but as mine was only 1/4 inch I hand sewed the ends securely together The Grime Guard has a handy tray that catches all the dirty oil and cleaner, it protects flooring, paving, carpet, and the health of your grass! Now you sew close the edge so that you are sewing through the smaller enclosed fold to secure that and also leave enough room to thread your elastic through. Sew around the circle but DO NOT completely close the loop, leave about 2cm gap in your stitches - this is where you will thread the elastic into the guard Now you need to create a hem on either side that is wide enough for you to thread the elastic through later. Fold a small hem over followed by a larger one (about 1 cm) and iron these flat. Having the additional fold inside your hem will prevent fraying of the fabric over time as you are using the guard. You can then pin the two hems in place while you sew. NOTE: always place your pins at a 90 degree angle to the direction in which you will be sewing so that they are easy to remove later and also prevents damage to the machine needle. So for my 11 x 11 frame I would cut two length of elastic that measure 24 inches Dimensions for Q-snap sizes / combinations (all sizes in inches)
I will be using an 11”x11” q-snap for this example. The strip of fabric should measure 46”x6”. I happened to have a yard and a half of fabric so I was able to cut one strip. If you have a flexible tape measure you can measure the circumference of your hoop. Or, we can do some math. Multiply the diameter by pi and that will give you the circumference. Put a safety pin on one end. The safety pin will make it easier to push the elastic. This will take some time and patience. In doing this you not only remove the risk of contaminating disk brakes and braking surfaces with oil but lengthen the time between needing to take your wheel off and doing a really detailed, big clean. Resulting in smoother gear shifting with every ride, and your expensive components lasting longer. If you are working with smaller pieces of fabric, you may need to sew multiple strips together. You will also need to add additional seam allowances. 3. Create a Loop
Overlap the ends by an inch and zigzag stitch them in place. You’ll want this to be extra secure so I would go over it a few times. Nearly double the lifespan of chains and rings for dry, dusty or gravel conditions compared to other brands. For example I am making a guard for my 11 x 11 Q-snap, so the length needed is 11 x 4 + 2 = 46 inches Dimensions for Q-snap sizes / combinations (all sizes in inches) In addition, I like to wash my hands every time I start stitching and after intervals of stitching time. I have really oily skin so keeping my hands clean is important to me. The grime guard acts as a barrier between your hands and the fabric. For a rectangular frame you would take the length of two sides and add 2 inches, such as 8 + 11 + 2 = 21 inches
You know how when you take the hoop off of your project and you notice stains from the oils of your hands? The grime guard prevents that. It gives your hands a place to hold the hoop or frame and keeps your cloth clean. What are the Different Uses for Grime Guards? Keeping Your Fabric Clean It is best practice to keep your fabric as clean as possible during the stitching process. Use Your Grime Guard as a Needle Holder I will be using my 20” EZ Stitch scroll rods as an example. The reason I mention this brand is because the scroll rods are thinner at ⅝”. Therefore, you may want to not have as much fabric width. I was always a die-hard hoop stitcher but recently starting using Q-snap’s and am now completely converted! Q-snap covers or “Grime Guards” as many people call them are useful for protecting and keeping your fabric clean while working on a project and also holding the excess fabric on a larger project out of the way. I recently bought one that was Q-snap’s own brand and although it works it was a little too snug and so did not hold the excess fabric easily so I decided to try making my own while I was visiting my mum (and her sewing machine!). They are actually very easy to make as it is only a seam and two long hems. Personally, I do not enjoy stitching this way so I always fold my fabric over the normal way. It takes a little bit of getting use to and comes down to preference.
However, if you don’t have a needle minder handy and need a place to store your needle, you can weave the needle into the grime guard.
The length of the elastic will be roughly half of the fabric length. Then add 2 inches to sew a 1″ overlap. We need 2 pieces of elastic. Combine this with Monkey Juice Gel Bike Cleaner is a specifically formulated degreaser designed to instantly lift and remove stubborn dirt and grime generated from riding. Cut 2 pieces of elastic. For my 20” scroll rods the length of elastic came to 30”. This took some trial and error. You want the elastic to be tight on the frame but not so tight that it’s a struggle to get it on.Add 2 inches for the overlap. If you don’t mind seeing the raw edge of your fabric, fold over once and adjust your measurements accordingly.
\n\t\t\tTru-Tension Cycle Grime Guard
It’s no fun constantly fighting with your fabric to cooperate and maybe accidentally stitching through the additional cloth.
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