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neo
01-18-2005, 22:59
i bought a brother sewing machine almost 3 years ago,i never could get it to work,i stuck it in my closet,been there ever since,i am an ultralite backpacker,most of my gear is made by ultraliter hikers,they make excellent gear
problem is,they only make certain things,so now it is time for me to take sewing lessons,i looked in the yellow pages today,found a sew school,100.00 bucks
for 4 three hour sewing class,shewill teach me how to set up my machine,plus a few things come with the school,sew ing kit,lady is going to mail me some info
:sun neo

hikerjohnd
01-18-2005, 23:28
Try looking into your local community college if this class doesn't pan out - they usually offer simialr classes for probably less money. Our classes here run about $75 for an 8 week course (2-3 hrs a week)

Hammock Hanger
01-19-2005, 08:57
Do you have a JoAnne Fabrics in you area?? They usually have some basic sewing classes. Sue/HH

9 Mules
01-19-2005, 09:45
Neo, Do you have the owner's manual, if not get that it should have your set up.
I've an old Viking made in Sweden by Husqavarna, same folks that make the chain saws.
Set up is universal for most machines, then you've got to marry-up the right size needle and thread for the material you wish to sew.
The folks at Wal-Mart helped me on that one.
Get a scrap piece of material and just start playing with the adjustments. You 'll always forward/reverse, stitch pattern and length of stitch pattern.
There's a Kevlar thread that I've always been interested in trying...same stuff they use for bullet proof jackets.
Good Luck.

Bolo
01-19-2005, 10:48
Geez, Neo.....I coulda taught you how to sew for $10 bucks and a couple of beers! Maybe this is an untapped market? Sewing Lessons for the Ultralight Hiker? :-?

Bolo

hungryhowie
01-19-2005, 11:37
Neo,

the owners manual should show you how to thread the machine. The only stitches you should ever need to know are forward, reverse, and an occasional zigzag.

This may be a silly question, but have you checked the workshop articles on thru-hiker.com? AYCE has several great articles on checking tension, and basic seam construction.

I'd recommend becoming a haunt at Wal*Mart until you can score about 10-15 yards of silnylon seconds for $1/yd and make a few things just to practice. Start with stuff sacs (easy as pie, AYCE has instructions on his website) and move your way toward what you really want to sew. If you can master silnylon, you can master any fabric.

At least try it before you shell out $100 for sewing lessons. We'll be happy to help as best we can.

-howie

The Old Fhart
01-19-2005, 12:17
I have my own sewing machine I bought for $10 at a yard sale (so I don’t have to continually change the settings on my wife’s machine) and have sewn a lot of my own gear. One thing to remember is that, unlike carpentry where everything has to be exact and square, clothing is somewhat amorphous so minor sewing mistakes won’t bother the function. I’ve made fleece jackets, wind pants with full side zips, stuff sacks, etc., without too much cursing. The big advantage, other than saving money, is you can tailor fit (pun) stuff to your liking. I’ve got coated nylon raincoats at the Salvation Army or Goodwill stores for next to nothing and got enough fabric to make many stuff sacks. I use nylon thread of the same color that is strong and won’t rot if it gets wet.

Most fabric stores will have beginner books showing how to do basic stitches and I did see one book some time ago on making outdoor stuff. Start out with thicker fabric rather than the lightweight silnylon (that can be difficult) until you master the techniques. If you have an old worn out pair of pants you liked and would like to replace them, take the seams out and use the pieces for patterns for a new pair. Experiment, it’s sew easy. :)

Footslogger
01-19-2005, 13:29
If you have an old worn out pair of pants you liked and would like to replace them, take the seams out and use the pieces for patterns for a new pair. :)=======================================
Yeah ...aside from the basic operation of the machine (operator manual or lessons) I agree that the fastest and easiest way to get started is by using a "pattern" made from an old/worn out clothing item.

'Slogger
AT 2003

neo
01-19-2005, 19:23
i never could get it to work been in my closet for 3 years,i believe 100 buck is worth learning it:sun neo

cupcake
01-22-2005, 15:08
i support taking the sewing lesson. i know a lot of hikers are on a budget, but a lesson on the basics, whether sewing or skiing, can get you a lot of mileage. it also helps to have a buddy, be it a he or she buddy, that sews. i taught a guy friend of mine how to use my machine (a bernina), and before i knew it, he was adding velcro tabs to his gear, and making alterations. i repaired some of his gortex pants not too long ago --- i did a serious 'dirty' patch job where his crampons ripped the fabric, and he thought it was the BEST repair job he'd ever seen.
and do take the advice of hungryhowie ---- they (thru-hiker.com) have a great forum on sewing your own gear.
it's cheaper and you get exactly what you want, and it fits :)
yippy! another sewer!!!