I've started making gear!!

[Riddick]

This could be fun. I ordered a stuff sack kit from Thru-Hiker to see if I would enjoy sewing some stuff and it's way cool. The first one looks pretty funny, but the next two look pretty good. Not professional or anything, but you can tell what it is from 10 feet away!

First impressions:
Silnylon is slick
Needles are sharp and hurt somewhat
Dogs don't particularly care for a sewing machine

I'll make a top quilt (synthetic) next after a few more sacks and maybe a few other cheap projects, then who knows what.

-Riddick

[neo]

This could be fun. I ordered a stuff sack kit from Thru-Hiker to see if I would enjoy sewing some stuff and it's way cool. The first one looks pretty funny, but the next two look pretty good. Not professional or anything, but you can tell what it is from 10 feet away!

First impressions:
Silnylon is slick
Needles are sharp and hurt somewhat
Dogs don't particularly care for a sewing machine

I'll make a top quilt (synthetic) next after a few more sacks and maybe a few other cheap projects, then who knows what.

-Riddick

good for you,i still have a sewing machine i never could figure out how to in my closet i bought 4 years ago neo

[Just Jeff]

Careful...it's addictive. Like crack.

[Max Power]

Where do you get patterns for this stuff? Or do you just make it up?

[Just Jeff]

Both. Thru-hiker.com sells kits with materials and patterns for lots of things. Speer does the same for hammocks and tarps. With the right materials, you can use lots of off-the-shelf patterns for rain pants, wind shells and such.

Or download patterns from the internet, like at www.makegear.com.

Or just look at a stuff sack - not too tough to figure that one out. Tarps, too. And hammocks, quilts, waterbags, etc.

Or make it up from scratch. Once you figure out how a few simple seams work, the designs will start swimming around in your head and keeping you up at night...

[Big Dawg]

Once you figure out how a few simple seams work, the designs will start swimming around in your head and keeping you up at night...

Yea, no kidding......

[Marta]

Dogs don't particularly care for a sewing machine
-Riddick

Cats really enjoy helping on a good sewing project, though.

[general]

Careful...it's addictive. Like crack.

yep. next thing you know your selling off your possessions to buy thread, and the little old lady's in the fabric store will talk behind your back about the 20 or 30 needles your buying.

[general]

Where do you get patterns for this stuff? Or do you just make it up?

www.thegreenchili.com has a bunch of patterns for clothes and outer wear. some packs and stuff like that too.

[Doctari]

www.thegreenchili.com has a bunch of patterns for clothes and outer wear. some packs and stuff like that too.

I couldn't find/access the link, Is it entered correctly?

Thanks!

Doctari

[Turtle2]

I made my first pair of sil-nylon mittens last week. I think they will work fine for the rainy days. I also made some fleece mittens and a balaclava. The fleece stuff cost me $2.00 in materials and the sil-nylon was leftover. Can't beat the price.

[Blister]

Once you master it - you can save lots of $$$$$
When I hiked the pct a few years back I made my own fleece top and bottoms for under 10 bucks. I picked the gaudiest fabric - you could see me crossing snow fields from miles away.

[general]

I couldn't find/access the link, Is it entered correctly?

Thanks!

Doctari

hell no.

ok, really this one's good

www.thegreenpepper.com

sorry bout' that

[hammock engineer]

Just used my sewing machine for the first time. I think this will be addictive.

[Nightwalker]

Or make it up from scratch. Once you figure out how a few simple seams work, the designs will start swimming around in your head and keeping you up at night...

My first homemade sack was to go around my tent and Thermarest. Measured around them, added 2 inches and went from there.

Everything worked, and I was hooked!

[Nightwalker]

Or download patterns from the internet, like at www.makegear.com.

Not there!

[Just Jeff]

Yep. It was a trick and obviously you fell for it. I'm so sneaky.

http://www.backpacking.net/makegear.html

[stupe]

When you have made all the gear you need, you can start making quilts out of your old shirts, or fleece blankets from yard goods. Free yourself from the tyranny of Bed,Bath and Beyond.

[timhines]

I've never made equipment. But I would like to see someone try to make a "quilt" with a silnylon outer with an inside made of a space blanket.

I think it would work if you slept on it, but if you put it on top of you it might get condensation and soak the fabric.

[skylark]

I'm going to try to make a Zhammock, snakeskins and TravelPod tomorrow. Actually SWMBO won't let me touch her sewing machine so I will be sitting next to her while she does it. We'll see how far we get.