11 ms·

Learn to sew your own outdoor gear

748 points by almog 4y ago

tppiotrowski 4y ago
This is great. I think the $20 ask for the shorts pattern is a bit high since already made shorts can be bought for twice that. I wish the patterns were free and all revenue could come from affiliate marketing commissions from the fabric/materials suppliers.
- bennylope 4y ago
  The patterns aren't licensed for a single pair of shorts.
- justusthane 4y ago
  $20 is a pretty typical price for sewing patterns. They’re a lot of work to create, and you can use them as many times as you want.
  - blip54321 4y ago
    For me, it's not so much about price but about freedom. I'd like to be able to modify them, create derivative works, and otherwise. I'd also like others to be able to do the same, so I can get their modified versions. Usually, someone else will solve my problem. I don't mind $20, but I do mind needing to pay $20. There are lots of companies who make great patterns. I'm not sure what makes this any different.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- slingnow 4y ago
  I hope you realize the pattern doesn't self-destruct after you complete one pair of shorts with it.
chrisseaton 4y ago
In the British Army every subunit is entitled to train someone in sewing and using sewing machines so that they can repair the subunit’s clothes and webbing equipment, including in the field. It’s a very creative course and people come back able to build you all kinds of rigs and pouches and things like this from webbing and Cordura that are extremely robust. The soldiers are all super keen to get on the course and to learn to sew.
- musingsole 4y ago
  Sewing was a skill I picked up in a Home Economics course I filled an empty middle school schedule slot with. Next to programming, it's probably one of the most helpful things I learned in school.
  - nonrandomstring 4y ago
    Edit: I just remembered something more HN relevant. At one of the London hackspaces there was a machine, maybe a Roland IIRC, that you could program to do really intricate embroidery. TBH it looked like a real hassle to set the thing up with different bobbins of thread and whatnot. "Home Economics", was a thing at my school too, then we did sewing again in scouts and cadets, as the GP says make-and-mend is considered an essential survival skill. Thing is, I'm rubbish at it and usually stab my finger with a needle, but to this day I still pack a mini sew-kit wherever I travel.
    - ghaff 4y ago
      >I'm rubbish at it and usually stab my finger with a needle, but to this day I still pack a mini sew-kit wherever I travel Even if I'm rubbish at it and take forever to thread a needle, I've still made field repairs to gear while traveling that were a lot better than having no repair at all.
      - dividedbyzero 4y ago
        If you add a length of thin wire from a crafts store, the kind that feels like a stiff thread, and a slightly bigger needle, you can even temporarily reattach backpack straps and securely mend rips in suitcase fabric for the flight home.
neilv 4y ago
I wish I'd seen this before I recently bought a sewing machine: https://learnmyog.com/zerotohero.html#tools https://learnmyog.com/zerotohero.html#tools (I simply guessed at what features I'd need, and then went with a non-bottom-end Singer, on the guess that I'd be less likely to have headaches for reasons other than my lack of sewing experience.)
franga2000 4y ago
Didn't expect to see sewing patterns on HN, but not complaining, this looks really cool! While on the topic, my girlfriend recently showed me this site: https://freesewing.org https://freesewing.org . It's fully open source and all the patterns are actually parametric, meaning you can customize the patterns to exact body measurements. Their custom JS framework for designing patters as well as the rest of the platform is MIT licensed [0] and the patterns are all Creative Commons. [0] https://github.com/freesewing/ https://github.com/freesewing/
- ArekDymalski 4y ago
  >Didn't expect to see sewing patterns on HN, but not complaining, this looks really cool! Yeah, this page is great example for all those people who despise the role of marketing. The wording, info structure, photos a d so long are making it really appealing. Awesome execution.
  - nicbou 4y ago
    I found it a bit hard to understand what the website is about. The community is obviously proud of their approach, but it slightly overshadows the main purpose. Of course I'm just nitpicking, because I love everything about people who build such things. If you're working hard to be as nice as feasible, it's really hard not to advertise it.
    - joostdecock 4y ago
      Thank you for your input. One thing we struggle with is that people have become distrusting of things that are 'free' on the internet (for good reason. So if we're putting a lot of emphasis on how nice we try to play, that's because we have that initial distrust to overcome. Your criticism is valid, I'm merely trying to clarifying why we are putting the communal aspects front and center. If you have suggestions for how we could improve, please share them Joost -- FreeSewing maintainer
      - zucked 4y ago
jlack 4y ago
I've made his 'fastpack' a couple times and really like how it turned out! I will say, I found the written instructions difficult to follow(for me) and stuck pretty much exclusively to his videos that accompany the pattern which were much better.
akavel 4y ago
Recently I was trying to buy a shoulder/messenger bag made from Cordura with molle/pals webbing, but was unable to find one with specific features and dimensions that I want. I'm thus increasingly pondering going on some sewing course. This makes me interested in the linked website in theory, but after a first glance, I seem to find it lacking in a number of ways: - For starters, the "zero to hero" path outlined does not seem to bring me all the way to customizing and then hopefully designing my own gear (they don't have a pattern for a messenger bag as far as I can see). I can see a set of pre-made designs that I would need to buy (at prices that seem steep to me, when compared to actual off-the-shelf non-DIY products), but I'm not sure what I'll learn from them and how far it will get me (even if I were ready to invest) if what I'm interested is doing what would be actually my own gear (and not just reproductions of pre-made designs). - In the materials page I don't seem to see an entry for "Cordura", although I noticed they mentioned using "Cordura" in at least one of the designs (a backpack). That seems internally inconsistent, and especially as someone who'd be learning from scratch, I know nothing at all, so need explanations for everything. This immediately makes me worried what other places in the website may have other knowledge holes I wouldn't be able to overcome. A forum/community could possibly help me ask around when I'm struggling, but I don't seem to see one mentioned. - I found a list of webbing methods, but molle/pals seems not there, which is surprising to me again. Not being from the US, does anyone know of an online resource/community where I could try and learn enough to design my own messenger bag with molle/pals webbing and sew it from Cordura?
- richiebful1 4y ago
  My recommendation for a beginner would be to buy a backpack you like and sew the webbing on. Get a bunch of nylon webbing and sew a bunch of bar tacks to create attachment points. Edit: I've done this by hand sewing hard points onto a canvas bag. Ymmv with a machine or other material
- chrisseaton 4y ago
  Cordura is really hard to sew with (it can break a lower-end machine), and also surprisingly expensive even as plain cloth, so I wouldn't normally recommend it to beginners, which is what this site is about.
almog 4y ago
I'm not associated with learnmyog.com, but have been wanting to get into MYOG pretty much since I learned of ultralight backpacking and people who were making their own packs, tarps, quilts etc. So in 2015 I've bought an old (as in 70 years old) Singer 201-1 which only* sew straight stitch, but it does so beautifully, is easy to learn, to maintain and should probably outlast me, but by the time it has arrived I've been off to a long hike, and when I returned I told myself I was too busy to find the time (and "courage") to get started learning to use a sewing machine. Then in 2020, an awful need to procrastinate over work lead me to finally learn how to thread it, the to take it apart for cleaning/oiling and finally I managed to half ass a face mask (and few other items including garments I ended up using on long-ish distance trails). I then went back to BPL's MYOG⁽¹⁾ forum and r/myog ⁽²⁾, both super useful resources that have been helping gear makers for many years. I think it was on r/myog that I learned of Tim's learnmyong.com, which has since then grew into one of the best resources for (hiking gear related) patterns and educational videos (some patters are free, others can be purchased, all the ones that I've tried are of excellent quality IMO). I've also had good results with Green Pepper patterns. * Zig zag as well as button-hole attachments do exist though (and they work surprisingly well) ⁽¹⁾ https://backpackinglight.com/forums/forum/gear/make-your-own-gear/ https://backpackinglight.com/forums/forum/gear/make-your-own... ⁽²⁾ https://www.reddit.com/r/myog/ https://www.reddit.com/r/myog/
- mauvehaus 4y ago
  I have a 15-90 and a zigzag attachment. I would note that the trick to the attachment is that it works by shifting the fabric from side to side. A machine with a built-in zigzag function shifts the needle. This means that you're trying to move the fabric in both axes through a machine cycle rather than just one, and that two wholly separate mechanisms are doing it: the feed dogs handle forward, and the attachment handles side to side. I've found that the heavier your fabric is the less likely it is that you'll be satisfied with the zigzag attachment. In particular, if you're trying to bar tack reinforcement points in gear, you might have a hard time. The buttonhole attachment, on the other hand, covers the feed dogs in the bed of the machine, and the buttonholer handles all of the movements of the fabric on its own. I've had fairly good luck with it. If you're only doing bar tacks, you can set it up to make a "button hole" with the sides overlapping, and it does a pretty good job. I've sewn my own lightweight tent, and I've found that you really don't need a zigzag for that (assuming a pattern that doesn't require one, obviously). Packs and duffel bags, on the other hand have a lot more stress on the points where the straps attach to the bag, and you'll likely want to be reinforce those points with bar tacking.
sarnu 4y ago
If you are interested in myog stuff, there's https://www.reddit.com/r/myog/ https://www.reddit.com/r/myog/ for you. Lots of inspiration and a place to ask questions (and have them answered).
ankaAr 4y ago
Years ago I dated a fashion designer student, I ever wonder why there is no a git* with those patterns to share.
neilv 4y ago
Very timely. Just a couple days ago, I was describing to someone that I wanted a smartphone holder for my backpack strap... that would not invite mugging by being prominent... while permitting the smartphone to function like a hands-free bodycam (whenever bad stuff started going down, er, on the mean streets of Cambridge). Now that I realize I can fabricate one-off outdoor gear, I don't have an excuse not to design this.
subpixel 4y ago
request: how to make a great camping/beach cooler that doesn't cost $250
- gonzo41 4y ago
  At the supermarket ask someone in the produce section if they have any empty non broken broccoli shipping boxes. They are usually just thrown away and are polystyrene coolers. Or you know, just buy one, cry once and get a Yetti.
swah 4y ago
Looks like a wonderful hobby, I'd love to be able to sew my own stuff.
- whartung 4y ago
  It looks fun, this stuff has interested me for a long time. My problem is that, simply, once you make your bag...then what? I have casual interest in a lot of "make-y" stuff, but reality then clouds up the sun. Sure, it would be neat to make, say, cabinets. But how many cabinets can I actually use? And tooling up to make a rolling cabinet with some drawers, that is a SINGLE cabinet, it all starts to get quite excessive. Some places have things like carpentry clubs, etc., but they're fraught with liability issues. I don't know of a sewing club that would have a machine strong enough to sew a cordura bag that one can borrow. Simply, the barrier to entry for a utility piece of kit is quite high. I don't think my friends want a bunch cabinets, or backpacks, or leather wallets, turned pens, etc. for Christmas gifts the next 10 years. Indeed you have to enjoy the journey and the doing more so than the outcomes, but, even still, it's definitely a step up to get going. At least with my computer musings, the garage and land fill doesn't fill up with borderline and failed attempts, or even the successes. Visions of Mel Gibson tossing his broken rocking chair into the corner of other failed rocking chairs in the movie 'The Patriot'.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]
  - AlotOfReading 4y ago
    I got into leatherwork as a covid hobby. All hand tools, most of which are cheap. I store everything except the material and a ruler in a single organizer box. To get rid of the stuff I make, I just give it to other people. Usually it helps if they're things people actually ask for, like custom purses, bags, and cute dinosaur figures. I only produce a few items a year so no one's getting overwhelmed with stuff. As for waste, you just minimize it and learn how to fix, undo, or hide your mistakes.
- wnolens 4y ago
  It really is. Sometimes it's useful like 3d-printing (make custom thing), but often it's just like having the right replacement part for something that broke. Here's some real examples from myself: Repairs (crotch of my jeans x 10, broken strap on backpack) Functional modifications (add pocket to jacket, add attachment points to a bag so I can mount it on my bike rack, lined a jacket with some scrap wool material to make it warmer) Aesthetic modifications - what got me into it in the first place (slim shirts, taper pants, hem pants, replace buttons) Small custom makes - mostly leather (my wallet, passport holder, kindle slip cover, tote bag) Large (involved) custom makes - bicycle frame bag, hammock underquilt
TYPE_FASTER 4y ago
This is cool. Seeing as I can never get around to sending my ski jacket in for repair fast enough to get it done for the upcoming ski season, I might have to look into DIYing some repairs in the next month or two.
- andsoitis 4y ago
  send it in today :-)
zeagle 4y ago
Bookmarked! That's great and something more folks should be aware of. I started making my own hiking gear years ago and it has been fun passion of mine. Cost aside, the biggest benefit is developing a comfort in modifying and fixing existing gear and eventually learning to make it look good. I started with the rayway quilt for a prairie wintercamping overbag but have since taken a UL DIY tarp tent + bug shelter, various quilts/bags, ponchos, gaiters, and various bags on longer back country trips. I've replaced a fly for an old but durable tent and adjusted the skin of a folding kayak (was not as happy with the cosmetic result on that one). It's a bit addictive. Zippers are hard to get right but once you've done this it's easy to go to scrubs or dresses. My latest purchase is a speedy stitcher awl for other projects. If you are into this the other big category to try out is DIY dehydrated meal prep. Last weeklong trip I intentionally overpacked food to share and split and everyone wanted some of my food after a couple days on that mountain house (relative) crap. It ends up being way cheaper, tastier, and probably healthier. Leading up to a trip I just cook extra and try to be more vegeterian for dinner. Those portions of rice, bean/lentil dishes, vegeterian curries all get thrown onto some parchment paper in a rack (previously spiral) dehydrator, ziplocked, and then frozen until the trip. Switch it up with different seasoning and sides, e.g. rehydrate a side of sauerkraut, pickled beets, or some jerkey. Just word to the wise chopped potatos rehydrate slowly & poorly: easier to buy those cartoons of shredded dehydrated potato from costco. I'll buy their cooked canned chicken to dehydrate too. Also dehydrated 1/2cm wide banana slices (no soaking/additives) are my favourite snack now.
- saiya-jin 4y ago
  I mean sure, you can learn basically anything if you put enough effort into it. Had a friend who refused to let builders build their house and did it all basically himself, took him some 2-3 years. Only hired aid when he needed more muscle than 1 person can muster (or to check if he did OK electricity and plumbing, but otherwise all by himself). Motivation was 2-fold - obviously save some money, but also to know how to repair stuff once things start degrading, and they for sure will, one after another. Sounds romantic and the right things, but as somebody who knows exactly what I want to do with my life and how to get there, its just another meh no thank you for me. One has limited free time in this life, the older usually the less, and I really don't mind shelling out few bucks to equipment from ie Decathlon (for US - good quality and cheap outdoor stuff, you really don't need overpriced Arc'teryx things) and spend free time actually using it out there. You only need few items to be proper high quality for not ruining the trip, ie shoes, backpack and maybe jacket for colder times. And of course technical stuff for ie climbing or alpinism but thats another topic. Saving tons of hours on frustration on understanding how things shouldn't be done. That is coming from person whose mom used sewing machine quite a lot, grandma was making various clothing for all their grandchildren etc. That food preparation part is actually more interesting since you control how much chemical crap goes into it (well, obviously apart from actual ingredients for it... but I presume since you invest so much time into this you go for ie free range bio meat and similar quality of the rest). But again - I can just pop extra dollar or two per dry meal for bio variant of prepared meals, they taste wonderfully after long hard day anyway, especially if one is properly hungry. Now if somebody would come up with dried usable beer that would be another story...
bckygldstn 4y ago
Outdoor gear is the perfect onramp for sewing, and it's how I got started! Function is more important than form outdoors, so compared to say your work clothes it's ok if stitching is messy or fabric doesn't match. Repairs are an easier way to get started than creating something from scratch, and outdoor stuff breaks. I've fixed and patched lots of holes, replaced a few zippers. Most recently mended the strap on my hiking pole that a critter chewed through overnight. Gear modification is another ease into sewing. Old gear can be modernised, features can be copied from friends' gear, and gear can be customised to your specific needs. I've added ice axe loops and hip pockets to a pack, made a frame bag the exact size of my mountain bike, added elastic to a drawstring bag that wasn't cinching properly.
photochemsyn 4y ago
This is a great little device for repair of backpacks, heavy duty cordura materials, etc. It's not really suitable for making anything from scratch, but for those without sewing machines it's far superior to just needle and thread. https://www.speedystitcher.com/products https://www.speedystitcher.com/products
intrepidhero 4y ago
The fabrics section is super interesting. https://learnmyog.com/fabrics.html https://learnmyog.com/fabrics.html The DWR coatings are something I'd like to be more informed about. Does anyone have good links to discussions of options with pros and cons, environmental impacts, etc?
- jsmith99 4y ago
  Many of these DWR are integrated into the fabric but Nikwax sell some good environmentally friendly wash-in DWR. They also have a well reputed waterproof clothing line called Paramo which uses these coatings along with some other tricks.
  - intrepidhero 4y ago
    Thanks for the tip! I'll check them out. I have an old backpack in need of a new DWR treatment, but with recent news about PFCs I was uncertain what to look for. It would sure be nice if the fabrics with integrated DWR were more upfront about what was in them.
- nl 4y ago
  https://durstongear.com/materials https://durstongear.com/materials is really good although mostly about Polyester vs Nylon variants. https://sectionhiker.com/dcf-vs-x-pac-for-ultralight-backpacks-pros-and-cons/ https://sectionhiker.com/dcf-vs-x-pac-for-ultralight-backpac... is X-Pac vs DCF. https://thetrek.co/ecopak-revolutionising-thru-hiking-packs-for-a-better-planet/ https://thetrek.co/ecopak-revolutionising-thru-hiking-packs-... concentrates on the environmental impacts, mostly regarding their EcoPak material which is a competitor to x-pack and DCF.
  - almog 4y ago
    Dan Durston's posts on BPL are the goldmine I usually end up at when searching for technical explanation or classification of a fabric: https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Abackpackinglight.com+dandydan https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Abackpackinglight.com+...
- 4y ago
SequoiaHope 4y ago
I guess this is a good place to share my open source large format laser cutter design for sewing projects. It’s cheap to make, works pretty well, and the whole gantry assembly slides right off leaving just a sheet of plywood with low profile 3D printed rails on the sides. So I throw my rug over it and it becomes my floor when not in use. Important because the laser cutter can cut a full 60” wide piece of fabric two yards long. It’s basically 5 foot by 6 foot, and I don’t have space in my apartment for a dedicated machine that takes up all that space. But since this doubles as my floor it works great! Also includes a raspberry pi camera on the laser head which serves as a pattern scanner. I really want to finish my video on this thing, I’ve just been busy. But please take a look and considering building it! If you have any questions open a GitHub issue and I will do everything I can to help. I think it’s a great starting point (designed in three weeks) and I’d LOVE for other people to reproduce it and extend the design! The machine has a few hiccups but I use it all the time for my sewing projects and it is SO nice to get all the cutting done repeatably and automatically. You can even scan existing clothes often without disassembly and turn those in to digital patterns! https://github.com/tlalexander/large_format_laser_cutter https://github.com/tlalexander/large_format_laser_cutter
- AceJohnny2 4y ago
  You wouldn't happen to be friends with Windell & Lenore, would you? ;)
  - TaylorAlexander 4y ago
    Not that I’m aware of!
    - AceJohnny2 4y ago
      https://shop.evilmadscientist.com https://shop.evilmadscientist.com
      - TaylorAlexander 4y ago
        Oooh they are local! I have very likely bumped in to them at Maker Faires and other local events.
savingGrace 4y ago
I've always wanted to get into sewing my own clothes, but the fact that fabric is very expensive has always kept me out of it. It is a lot cheaper to buy pre-made clothing than to make your own. Even if you buy existing fabric from 2nd hand stores and turn it into your own project, it still can be cheaper to just buy pre-made clothing.
- byw 4y ago
  Also I think many tech fabrics like Gore-Tex aren't sold to individuals.
username223 4y ago
I want to like this, because lots of outdoor gear from reputable companies makes me wonder if they even test it, and markups are something like 4x (2x from China to wholesale, 2x wholesale to retail). But first you need to buy a sewing machine, and then there are the materials. You will be paying small-volume prices for a dozen or so items before you make something like a pack. Have you ever thought to build your own piece of furniture, gone to Home Depot for the parts, and come out thinking you could have just bought one pre-made for about the same cost? Unless you have specialized needs and some free time, it usually isn’t worth it.
- UncleEntity 4y ago
  Most hobbies are like this. I was doing silkscreening for a while and spent hundreds of dollars buying stuff when I could just go to the store and buy an already printed shirt for not a lot of money. Seriously doubt I’ve even come close to seeing a return on investment considering I haven’t printed all that many T-shirts and discovered the online custom printing companies since then — though I’m not very impressed with their quality since the printing is coming off after a handful of washes while with the ones I’ve done the printing is outlasting the actual shirt. I can only realistically do one color printing while the online ones can do whatever you want so there’s a trade off I suppose. Also, I don’t even know how much my mom spends on sewing stuff but judging by how much my stepdad complains I’m guessing quite a bit. But she enjoys it and that’s all that really matters.
- pandaman 4y ago
  A sewing machine can be used for repairs and alterations. I think this is what majority of sewing machine owners do with them most of the time. A lock stitch machine and an iron is equivalent of having 80% of power tools you can buy in Home Depot as far as garment care and maintenance goes (and a cover stich/serger combo pushes it to 99%).
daveslash 4y ago
"Learn this one great trick the fashion industry doesn't want you to know!" ~ Turns out it's just sewing. Jokes aside, this is great. I've made some of my own stuff. It's really liberating to make equipment that is exactly what you want. A backpacking buddy made an entire internal-frame backpack. I hope to work up to that level with time!
- 13of40 4y ago
  I have some in-laws who were avid hikers in the USSR at a time when it was nearly impossible to get off the shelf gear. They showed me some of the stuff they'd made by hand, including a backpack with an aluminum frame and cloth salvaged from an old parachute, and an inflatable boat they used to go camping in inaccessible areas. Both of them were indistinguishable from what you would get from a factory.
  - tlear 4y ago
    Because a lot of that was done in the factory meaning there was a cottage industry for a lot of it. Done in a normal factory and then sold on the side. Your salary was say $100 a month no matter what you did, you could make things on state time and then sell it and make double that(and still collect the salary). Same reason why vegetables bought from private peasant plots were amazing and kolkhoz stuff you bought in store was shit(when it was there at all lol). Of course you had to pay some kick back to a manager or more likely give him a case of samogon.
    - 13of40 4y ago
      IIRC, the wife was a chemist, the husband was a physicist(?) and their kid is a Tolkein/D&D nerd who grew up and got a computer job. No factory involved. Before he passed away the husband showed me the arc welder he built and I got to tour his apartment in Moscow that he'd completely remodeled with cast away flooring and wall paneling from some pre-revolution building that was being torn down. He was basically just very "handy" and applied that skill to making camping gear sometimes.
0000011111 4y ago
This is such a fun hobby worth sharing!
dieselgate 4y ago
This is so rad!! Made a bivy sack a couple months ago and it was fun (quick compared to other projects) and even more fun to use. Cool to know there are templates for other stuff out there. Getting outdoor fabrics is sort of tough without going online - sewing in general is underrated
- digdugdirk 4y ago
  I love the idea of a bivy for bikepacking - any recommendations for templates/design ideas?
  - dieselgate 4y ago
    They’re great for bike packing and if you’re not trying to share a space with someone else/dog. Better than hammocks in my experience and obviously less weight than a tent. I had an outdoor research alpine bivy that was really nice (goretex) but stolen out of my vehicle - didn’t want to buy another so just kind of tried to mimic that. The bottom section is duck canvas and the top section just ripstop nylon. They’re basically just a baggy sleeping bag with no insulation and can close however - zipper, cinch string etc
    - dieselgate 4y ago
      I purchased some waterproof marine fabric today for other projects but that’d probably be good for a bivy/tents. It’s pretty cheap per yard (compared to goretex) and is more waterproof than any of the materials I mentioned above
Dave_Rosenthal 4y ago
I've been spending a lot of time outdoors lately (climbing, hiking, etc.) and started fooling around with making my own gear. I've always been interested in the engineering/design challenge of working with flexible materials. After buying a cheap sewing machine and making a simple pouch, I decided to start designing my own patterns as early as possible to maximize learning. i.e. learning to cook, not just following a recipe. I've made a couple of climbing packs specifically tailored to my size and requirements that have worked out great. (I've had multiple people ask me what brand it is and where could they could buy one!) What's been really cool is learning about all of the great materials available online now. If you were limited to your local fabric store you would be basically stuck as there is a horrible selection of technical fabrics. With places like Ripstop by the Roll you can have access to state-of-the-art fabrics, fittings, etc. that are as good at (or even better than) what you can find in high-end commercial gear. One example is UHMwPE fiber (aka Dyneema.) This fiber is dramatically stronger, lighter, and cut resistant than nylon. You can now get fabrics made from the stuff (Challenge Ultra) but the price means it's rarely seen in commercial designs. For me, if I'm going to spend several hours making a pack, the extra $30 in raw materials is irrelevant and you can get an awesome final result.
jointpdf 4y ago
Some more patterns and fabric/material sources to consider (no affiliation). Personally I got as far as making a bug headnet and stuff sacks before deciding I’m not cut out for this, but YMMV. http://thru-hiker.com/kits/ http://thru-hiker.com/kits/ https://www.thegreenpepper.com/ https://www.thegreenpepper.com/ https://ripstopbytheroll.com/ https://ripstopbytheroll.com/
aasasd 4y ago
I went hiking a couple times with, among others, a dude who's been in climbing and mountaineering since the eighties at least, and was like sixty at the time. This is in Russia, so in the eighties you just couldn't buy anything in the shops, and only something via the black market. At a train platform, we met another guy like that, and it was battle story time: that guy showed us a backpack hand-made from tarpaulin, which is of course a bit of the opposite of light hiking. Our guy related the story of his climbing rope, to obtain which you had to go through a hole in the fence of a factory, then walk on the roof to a certain door, knock and say ‘I'm here to see Mikhail, about this thing and that other thing’. Meanwhile here I am trying to gather courage to hand-fix holes in the accumulated twenty pairs of socks, and then graduate to the more involved things. Bit of a nuisance that every Youtube video on how to fix this kind of holes just says that darning is the answer. Come on, I know how darning is gonna turn out with my skills—surely there's a crappier but simpler alternative.
- exolymph 4y ago
  Darning is actually very easy, give it a go on your least favorite pair! You could also patch socks but I don't think they'd be comfortable afterward.
- 99_00 4y ago
  >I know how darning is gonna turn out with my skills It's going to suck super bad, and you are going to be super slow. And after a couple of socks it will be easy. The learning curve is a speed bump. Easy to get over when you move forward.
- robocat 4y ago
  Extreme darning: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zHbnCrIvw1o https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zHbnCrIvw1o (Invisible mending of warp/weft fabrics).
  - jonah 4y ago
    I'm glad someone posted this. It's really amazing.
- 4y ago
learnmyog 4y ago
hi there, LearnMYOG.com is my site. I saw a bump in traffic and was shocked to see HN! Thanks for the share and for everyone visiting my little corner of the internet. Happy to talk more about making gear or related projects :)
Nomentatus 4y ago
Thread! Where do I get decent thread. Decades ago I had linen? button thread that would last in tough places, but now I can't find a substitute. Quilting thread doesn't last.
- goldscott 4y ago
  Search for gutermann tera 80, mara 50, or mara 70.
  - almog 4y ago
    These are great examples of threads to use in outdoor applications (I use Tera 80 and 60 almost exclusively). However, I believe* polyester threads are not a popular choice when it comes to quilting (unless of course they are referring to the kind of quilt you use as part of your sleep system ). Going through Gutermann's catalog might be a good starting point though. * Since I don't have hands-on experience with quilting, I resort to belief
- wrycoder 4y ago
  https://www.wawak.com/thread/thread-by-brand/gutermann/ https://www.wawak.com/thread/thread-by-brand/gutermann/
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
nl 4y ago
Modern technical fabrics are amazing things. In particular DCF (Dyneema Composite Fabric) is a miracle of modern material science. Dyneema is stronger than Kevlar and is famous for allegedly breaking the anchor cable testing machine when being strain tested for use for mooring cargo ships. But it's really interesting for these types of applications because it is super abrasion resistant (perfect for backpacking gear) so you can make super light, super tough things from it. Everytime similar discussions come up on HN someone links to https://ripstopbytheroll.com/ https://ripstopbytheroll.com/ so I'll just do that now.
chrismorgan 4y ago
The site lists a variety of fabrics and such with links for the USA. Any idea where to get these sorts of materials in Australia? There just don’t seem to be proper local equivalents of Ripstop by the Roll or Quest Outfitters, and those that do ship overseas are rather expensive with high lead time (e.g. Ripstop by the Roll does, but even the smallest item costs USD18.24 to get it in 4–8 weeks, or 2–4× that to get it in within 1–2 weeks—actually, 6–7× if you live in a rural area like I do, FedEx is absurdly expensive that way, adding literally a hundred AUD, whereas the cheaper USPS option adds no more). My ideal would be a physical store somewhere in Melbourne so I could see and feel the fabrics before buying (high shipping costs makes getting samples an expensive business!), but I doubt there are any physical stores for this kind of thing. I would like to make a bag to fill the large gap behind/under the seat on my recumbent tricycle. I tried going into a Spotlight a while back and asking about waterproof fabrics, but they didn’t have anything along those lines at all.
- nl 4y ago
  Ebay is pretty good for a lot of fabrics. I found https://www.paskal.com.au/ https://www.paskal.com.au/ too which sells outdoor fabrics. I don't have any recommendations for physical stores though.
jonah 4y ago
I was reminded by 'chrisseaton's comment that in the US, Smoke Jumpers (wildland firefighters who parachute in to rugged, inaccessible areas and fight the fire by hand) make and modify their own gear in the off season. Elite Firefighters Have a Secret Skill: One of rookie smoke jumpers’ first lessons—after leaping from a plane and packing a parachute—is learning how to sew. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2021/10/smokejumpers-wildfires-sew-their-own-gear/620323/ https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2021/10/smokejum... Smokejumper Visitor Center: Missoula, MT https://thegoodthebadandtherv.com/2017/07/01/smokejumper-visitor-center/ https://thegoodthebadandtherv.com/2017/07/01/smokejumper-vis... The Life of a Smokejumper: Wait. Jump. Fight. Repeat https://www.filson.com/blog/field-notes/usfs-life-of-a-smokejumper/ https://www.filson.com/blog/field-notes/usfs-life-of-a-smoke...
aristidemboneye 4y ago

748 points by almog 4y ago

This is great. I think the $20 ask for the shorts pattern is a bit high since already made shorts can be bought for twice that. I wish the patterns were free and all revenue could come from affiliate marketing commissions from the fabric/materials suppliers.

bennylope 4y ago
The patterns aren't licensed for a single pair of shorts.
justusthane 4y ago
$20 is a pretty typical price for sewing patterns. They’re a lot of work to create, and you can use them as many times as you want.
- blip54321 4y ago
  For me, it's not so much about price but about freedom. I'd like to be able to modify them, create derivative works, and otherwise. I'd also like others to be able to do the same, so I can get their modified versions. Usually, someone else will solve my problem. I don't mind $20, but I do mind needing to pay $20. There are lots of companies who make great patterns. I'm not sure what makes this any different.
deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
slingnow 4y ago
I hope you realize the pattern doesn't self-destruct after you complete one pair of shorts with it.

chrisseaton 4y ago

In the British Army every subunit is entitled to train someone in sewing and using sewing machines so that they can repair the subunit’s clothes and webbing equipment, including in the field. It’s a very creative course and people come back able to build you all kinds of rigs and pouches and things like this from webbing and Cordura that are extremely robust. The soldiers are all super keen to get on the course and to learn to sew.

musingsole 4y ago
Sewing was a skill I picked up in a Home Economics course I filled an empty middle school schedule slot with. Next to programming, it's probably one of the most helpful things I learned in school.
- nonrandomstring 4y ago
  Edit: I just remembered something more HN relevant. At one of the London hackspaces there was a machine, maybe a Roland IIRC, that you could program to do really intricate embroidery. TBH it looked like a real hassle to set the thing up with different bobbins of thread and whatnot. "Home Economics", was a thing at my school too, then we did sewing again in scouts and cadets, as the GP says make-and-mend is considered an essential survival skill. Thing is, I'm rubbish at it and usually stab my finger with a needle, but to this day I still pack a mini sew-kit wherever I travel.
  - ghaff 4y ago
    >I'm rubbish at it and usually stab my finger with a needle, but to this day I still pack a mini sew-kit wherever I travel Even if I'm rubbish at it and take forever to thread a needle, I've still made field repairs to gear while traveling that were a lot better than having no repair at all.
    - dividedbyzero 4y ago
      If you add a length of thin wire from a crafts store, the kind that feels like a stiff thread, and a slightly bigger needle, you can even temporarily reattach backpack straps and securely mend rips in suitcase fabric for the flight home.

neilv 4y ago

I wish I'd seen this before I recently bought a sewing machine: https://learnmyog.com/zerotohero.html#tools https://learnmyog.com/zerotohero.html#tools (I simply guessed at what features I'd need, and then went with a non-bottom-end Singer, on the guess that I'd be less likely to have headaches for reasons other than my lack of sewing experience.)

franga2000 4y ago

Didn't expect to see sewing patterns on HN, but not complaining, this looks really cool! While on the topic, my girlfriend recently showed me this site: https://freesewing.org https://freesewing.org . It's fully open source and all the patterns are actually parametric, meaning you can customize the patterns to exact body measurements. Their custom JS framework for designing patters as well as the rest of the platform is MIT licensed [0] and the patterns are all Creative Commons. [0] https://github.com/freesewing/ https://github.com/freesewing/

ArekDymalski 4y ago
>Didn't expect to see sewing patterns on HN, but not complaining, this looks really cool! Yeah, this page is great example for all those people who despise the role of marketing. The wording, info structure, photos a d so long are making it really appealing. Awesome execution.
- nicbou 4y ago
  I found it a bit hard to understand what the website is about. The community is obviously proud of their approach, but it slightly overshadows the main purpose. Of course I'm just nitpicking, because I love everything about people who build such things. If you're working hard to be as nice as feasible, it's really hard not to advertise it.
  - joostdecock 4y ago
    Thank you for your input. One thing we struggle with is that people have become distrusting of things that are 'free' on the internet (for good reason. So if we're putting a lot of emphasis on how nice we try to play, that's because we have that initial distrust to overcome. Your criticism is valid, I'm merely trying to clarifying why we are putting the communal aspects front and center. If you have suggestions for how we could improve, please share them Joost -- FreeSewing maintainer
    - zucked 4y ago

jlack 4y ago

I've made his 'fastpack' a couple times and really like how it turned out! I will say, I found the written instructions difficult to follow(for me) and stuck pretty much exclusively to his videos that accompany the pattern which were much better.

akavel 4y ago

Recently I was trying to buy a shoulder/messenger bag made from Cordura with molle/pals webbing, but was unable to find one with specific features and dimensions that I want. I'm thus increasingly pondering going on some sewing course. This makes me interested in the linked website in theory, but after a first glance, I seem to find it lacking in a number of ways: - For starters, the "zero to hero" path outlined does not seem to bring me all the way to customizing and then hopefully designing my own gear (they don't have a pattern for a messenger bag as far as I can see). I can see a set of pre-made designs that I would need to buy (at prices that seem steep to me, when compared to actual off-the-shelf non-DIY products), but I'm not sure what I'll learn from them and how far it will get me (even if I were ready to invest) if what I'm interested is doing what would be actually my own gear (and not just reproductions of pre-made designs). - In the materials page I don't seem to see an entry for "Cordura", although I noticed they mentioned using "Cordura" in at least one of the designs (a backpack). That seems internally inconsistent, and especially as someone who'd be learning from scratch, I know nothing at all, so need explanations for everything. This immediately makes me worried what other places in the website may have other knowledge holes I wouldn't be able to overcome. A forum/community could possibly help me ask around when I'm struggling, but I don't seem to see one mentioned. - I found a list of webbing methods, but molle/pals seems not there, which is surprising to me again. Not being from the US, does anyone know of an online resource/community where I could try and learn enough to design my own messenger bag with molle/pals webbing and sew it from Cordura?

richiebful1 4y ago
My recommendation for a beginner would be to buy a backpack you like and sew the webbing on. Get a bunch of nylon webbing and sew a bunch of bar tacks to create attachment points. Edit: I've done this by hand sewing hard points onto a canvas bag. Ymmv with a machine or other material
chrisseaton 4y ago
Cordura is really hard to sew with (it can break a lower-end machine), and also surprisingly expensive even as plain cloth, so I wouldn't normally recommend it to beginners, which is what this site is about.

almog 4y ago

I'm not associated with learnmyog.com, but have been wanting to get into MYOG pretty much since I learned of ultralight backpacking and people who were making their own packs, tarps, quilts etc. So in 2015 I've bought an old (as in 70 years old) Singer 201-1 which only* sew straight stitch, but it does so beautifully, is easy to learn, to maintain and should probably outlast me, but by the time it has arrived I've been off to a long hike, and when I returned I told myself I was too busy to find the time (and "courage") to get started learning to use a sewing machine. Then in 2020, an awful need to procrastinate over work lead me to finally learn how to thread it, the to take it apart for cleaning/oiling and finally I managed to half ass a face mask (and few other items including garments I ended up using on long-ish distance trails). I then went back to BPL's MYOG⁽¹⁾ forum and r/myog ⁽²⁾, both super useful resources that have been helping gear makers for many years. I think it was on r/myog that I learned of Tim's learnmyong.com, which has since then grew into one of the best resources for (hiking gear related) patterns and educational videos (some patters are free, others can be purchased, all the ones that I've tried are of excellent quality IMO). I've also had good results with Green Pepper patterns. * Zig zag as well as button-hole attachments do exist though (and they work surprisingly well) ⁽¹⁾ https://backpackinglight.com/forums/forum/gear/make-your-own-gear/ https://backpackinglight.com/forums/forum/gear/make-your-own... ⁽²⁾ https://www.reddit.com/r/myog/ https://www.reddit.com/r/myog/

mauvehaus 4y ago
I have a 15-90 and a zigzag attachment. I would note that the trick to the attachment is that it works by shifting the fabric from side to side. A machine with a built-in zigzag function shifts the needle. This means that you're trying to move the fabric in both axes through a machine cycle rather than just one, and that two wholly separate mechanisms are doing it: the feed dogs handle forward, and the attachment handles side to side. I've found that the heavier your fabric is the less likely it is that you'll be satisfied with the zigzag attachment. In particular, if you're trying to bar tack reinforcement points in gear, you might have a hard time. The buttonhole attachment, on the other hand, covers the feed dogs in the bed of the machine, and the buttonholer handles all of the movements of the fabric on its own. I've had fairly good luck with it. If you're only doing bar tacks, you can set it up to make a "button hole" with the sides overlapping, and it does a pretty good job. I've sewn my own lightweight tent, and I've found that you really don't need a zigzag for that (assuming a pattern that doesn't require one, obviously). Packs and duffel bags, on the other hand have a lot more stress on the points where the straps attach to the bag, and you'll likely want to be reinforce those points with bar tacking.

sarnu 4y ago

If you are interested in myog stuff, there's https://www.reddit.com/r/myog/ https://www.reddit.com/r/myog/ for you. Lots of inspiration and a place to ask questions (and have them answered).

ankaAr 4y ago

Years ago I dated a fashion designer student, I ever wonder why there is no a git* with those patterns to share.

neilv 4y ago

Very timely. Just a couple days ago, I was describing to someone that I wanted a smartphone holder for my backpack strap... that would not invite mugging by being prominent... while permitting the smartphone to function like a hands-free bodycam (whenever bad stuff started going down, er, on the mean streets of Cambridge). Now that I realize I can fabricate one-off outdoor gear, I don't have an excuse not to design this.

subpixel 4y ago

request: how to make a great camping/beach cooler that doesn't cost $250

gonzo41 4y ago
At the supermarket ask someone in the produce section if they have any empty non broken broccoli shipping boxes. They are usually just thrown away and are polystyrene coolers. Or you know, just buy one, cry once and get a Yetti.

swah 4y ago

Looks like a wonderful hobby, I'd love to be able to sew my own stuff.

whartung 4y ago
It looks fun, this stuff has interested me for a long time. My problem is that, simply, once you make your bag...then what? I have casual interest in a lot of "make-y" stuff, but reality then clouds up the sun. Sure, it would be neat to make, say, cabinets. But how many cabinets can I actually use? And tooling up to make a rolling cabinet with some drawers, that is a SINGLE cabinet, it all starts to get quite excessive. Some places have things like carpentry clubs, etc., but they're fraught with liability issues. I don't know of a sewing club that would have a machine strong enough to sew a cordura bag that one can borrow. Simply, the barrier to entry for a utility piece of kit is quite high. I don't think my friends want a bunch cabinets, or backpacks, or leather wallets, turned pens, etc. for Christmas gifts the next 10 years. Indeed you have to enjoy the journey and the doing more so than the outcomes, but, even still, it's definitely a step up to get going. At least with my computer musings, the garage and land fill doesn't fill up with borderline and failed attempts, or even the successes. Visions of Mel Gibson tossing his broken rocking chair into the corner of other failed rocking chairs in the movie 'The Patriot'.
- deleted 4y ago
  [deleted]
- AlotOfReading 4y ago
  I got into leatherwork as a covid hobby. All hand tools, most of which are cheap. I store everything except the material and a ruler in a single organizer box. To get rid of the stuff I make, I just give it to other people. Usually it helps if they're things people actually ask for, like custom purses, bags, and cute dinosaur figures. I only produce a few items a year so no one's getting overwhelmed with stuff. As for waste, you just minimize it and learn how to fix, undo, or hide your mistakes.
wnolens 4y ago
It really is. Sometimes it's useful like 3d-printing (make custom thing), but often it's just like having the right replacement part for something that broke. Here's some real examples from myself: Repairs (crotch of my jeans x 10, broken strap on backpack) Functional modifications (add pocket to jacket, add attachment points to a bag so I can mount it on my bike rack, lined a jacket with some scrap wool material to make it warmer) Aesthetic modifications - what got me into it in the first place (slim shirts, taper pants, hem pants, replace buttons) Small custom makes - mostly leather (my wallet, passport holder, kindle slip cover, tote bag) Large (involved) custom makes - bicycle frame bag, hammock underquilt

TYPE_FASTER 4y ago

This is cool. Seeing as I can never get around to sending my ski jacket in for repair fast enough to get it done for the upcoming ski season, I might have to look into DIYing some repairs in the next month or two.

andsoitis 4y ago
send it in today :-)

zeagle 4y ago

Bookmarked! That's great and something more folks should be aware of. I started making my own hiking gear years ago and it has been fun passion of mine. Cost aside, the biggest benefit is developing a comfort in modifying and fixing existing gear and eventually learning to make it look good. I started with the rayway quilt for a prairie wintercamping overbag but have since taken a UL DIY tarp tent + bug shelter, various quilts/bags, ponchos, gaiters, and various bags on longer back country trips. I've replaced a fly for an old but durable tent and adjusted the skin of a folding kayak (was not as happy with the cosmetic result on that one). It's a bit addictive. Zippers are hard to get right but once you've done this it's easy to go to scrubs or dresses. My latest purchase is a speedy stitcher awl for other projects. If you are into this the other big category to try out is DIY dehydrated meal prep. Last weeklong trip I intentionally overpacked food to share and split and everyone wanted some of my food after a couple days on that mountain house (relative) crap. It ends up being way cheaper, tastier, and probably healthier. Leading up to a trip I just cook extra and try to be more vegeterian for dinner. Those portions of rice, bean/lentil dishes, vegeterian curries all get thrown onto some parchment paper in a rack (previously spiral) dehydrator, ziplocked, and then frozen until the trip. Switch it up with different seasoning and sides, e.g. rehydrate a side of sauerkraut, pickled beets, or some jerkey. Just word to the wise chopped potatos rehydrate slowly & poorly: easier to buy those cartoons of shredded dehydrated potato from costco. I'll buy their cooked canned chicken to dehydrate too. Also dehydrated 1/2cm wide banana slices (no soaking/additives) are my favourite snack now.

saiya-jin 4y ago
I mean sure, you can learn basically anything if you put enough effort into it. Had a friend who refused to let builders build their house and did it all basically himself, took him some 2-3 years. Only hired aid when he needed more muscle than 1 person can muster (or to check if he did OK electricity and plumbing, but otherwise all by himself). Motivation was 2-fold - obviously save some money, but also to know how to repair stuff once things start degrading, and they for sure will, one after another. Sounds romantic and the right things, but as somebody who knows exactly what I want to do with my life and how to get there, its just another meh no thank you for me. One has limited free time in this life, the older usually the less, and I really don't mind shelling out few bucks to equipment from ie Decathlon (for US - good quality and cheap outdoor stuff, you really don't need overpriced Arc'teryx things) and spend free time actually using it out there. You only need few items to be proper high quality for not ruining the trip, ie shoes, backpack and maybe jacket for colder times. And of course technical stuff for ie climbing or alpinism but thats another topic. Saving tons of hours on frustration on understanding how things shouldn't be done. That is coming from person whose mom used sewing machine quite a lot, grandma was making various clothing for all their grandchildren etc. That food preparation part is actually more interesting since you control how much chemical crap goes into it (well, obviously apart from actual ingredients for it... but I presume since you invest so much time into this you go for ie free range bio meat and similar quality of the rest). But again - I can just pop extra dollar or two per dry meal for bio variant of prepared meals, they taste wonderfully after long hard day anyway, especially if one is properly hungry. Now if somebody would come up with dried usable beer that would be another story...

bckygldstn 4y ago

Outdoor gear is the perfect onramp for sewing, and it's how I got started! Function is more important than form outdoors, so compared to say your work clothes it's ok if stitching is messy or fabric doesn't match. Repairs are an easier way to get started than creating something from scratch, and outdoor stuff breaks. I've fixed and patched lots of holes, replaced a few zippers. Most recently mended the strap on my hiking pole that a critter chewed through overnight. Gear modification is another ease into sewing. Old gear can be modernised, features can be copied from friends' gear, and gear can be customised to your specific needs. I've added ice axe loops and hip pockets to a pack, made a frame bag the exact size of my mountain bike, added elastic to a drawstring bag that wasn't cinching properly.

photochemsyn 4y ago

This is a great little device for repair of backpacks, heavy duty cordura materials, etc. It's not really suitable for making anything from scratch, but for those without sewing machines it's far superior to just needle and thread. https://www.speedystitcher.com/products https://www.speedystitcher.com/products

intrepidhero 4y ago

The fabrics section is super interesting. https://learnmyog.com/fabrics.html https://learnmyog.com/fabrics.html The DWR coatings are something I'd like to be more informed about. Does anyone have good links to discussions of options with pros and cons, environmental impacts, etc?

jsmith99 4y ago
Many of these DWR are integrated into the fabric but Nikwax sell some good environmentally friendly wash-in DWR. They also have a well reputed waterproof clothing line called Paramo which uses these coatings along with some other tricks.
- intrepidhero 4y ago
  Thanks for the tip! I'll check them out. I have an old backpack in need of a new DWR treatment, but with recent news about PFCs I was uncertain what to look for. It would sure be nice if the fabrics with integrated DWR were more upfront about what was in them.
nl 4y ago
https://durstongear.com/materials https://durstongear.com/materials is really good although mostly about Polyester vs Nylon variants. https://sectionhiker.com/dcf-vs-x-pac-for-ultralight-backpacks-pros-and-cons/ https://sectionhiker.com/dcf-vs-x-pac-for-ultralight-backpac... is X-Pac vs DCF. https://thetrek.co/ecopak-revolutionising-thru-hiking-packs-for-a-better-planet/ https://thetrek.co/ecopak-revolutionising-thru-hiking-packs-... concentrates on the environmental impacts, mostly regarding their EcoPak material which is a competitor to x-pack and DCF.
- almog 4y ago
  Dan Durston's posts on BPL are the goldmine I usually end up at when searching for technical explanation or classification of a fabric: https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Abackpackinglight.com+dandydan https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Abackpackinglight.com+...
4y ago

SequoiaHope 4y ago

I guess this is a good place to share my open source large format laser cutter design for sewing projects. It’s cheap to make, works pretty well, and the whole gantry assembly slides right off leaving just a sheet of plywood with low profile 3D printed rails on the sides. So I throw my rug over it and it becomes my floor when not in use. Important because the laser cutter can cut a full 60” wide piece of fabric two yards long. It’s basically 5 foot by 6 foot, and I don’t have space in my apartment for a dedicated machine that takes up all that space. But since this doubles as my floor it works great! Also includes a raspberry pi camera on the laser head which serves as a pattern scanner. I really want to finish my video on this thing, I’ve just been busy. But please take a look and considering building it! If you have any questions open a GitHub issue and I will do everything I can to help. I think it’s a great starting point (designed in three weeks) and I’d LOVE for other people to reproduce it and extend the design! The machine has a few hiccups but I use it all the time for my sewing projects and it is SO nice to get all the cutting done repeatably and automatically. You can even scan existing clothes often without disassembly and turn those in to digital patterns! https://github.com/tlalexander/large_format_laser_cutter https://github.com/tlalexander/large_format_laser_cutter

AceJohnny2 4y ago
You wouldn't happen to be friends with Windell & Lenore, would you? ;)
- TaylorAlexander 4y ago
  Not that I’m aware of!
  - AceJohnny2 4y ago
    https://shop.evilmadscientist.com https://shop.evilmadscientist.com
    - TaylorAlexander 4y ago
      Oooh they are local! I have very likely bumped in to them at Maker Faires and other local events.

savingGrace 4y ago

I've always wanted to get into sewing my own clothes, but the fact that fabric is very expensive has always kept me out of it. It is a lot cheaper to buy pre-made clothing than to make your own. Even if you buy existing fabric from 2nd hand stores and turn it into your own project, it still can be cheaper to just buy pre-made clothing.

byw 4y ago
Also I think many tech fabrics like Gore-Tex aren't sold to individuals.

username223 4y ago

I want to like this, because lots of outdoor gear from reputable companies makes me wonder if they even test it, and markups are something like 4x (2x from China to wholesale, 2x wholesale to retail). But first you need to buy a sewing machine, and then there are the materials. You will be paying small-volume prices for a dozen or so items before you make something like a pack. Have you ever thought to build your own piece of furniture, gone to Home Depot for the parts, and come out thinking you could have just bought one pre-made for about the same cost? Unless you have specialized needs and some free time, it usually isn’t worth it.

UncleEntity 4y ago
Most hobbies are like this. I was doing silkscreening for a while and spent hundreds of dollars buying stuff when I could just go to the store and buy an already printed shirt for not a lot of money. Seriously doubt I’ve even come close to seeing a return on investment considering I haven’t printed all that many T-shirts and discovered the online custom printing companies since then — though I’m not very impressed with their quality since the printing is coming off after a handful of washes while with the ones I’ve done the printing is outlasting the actual shirt. I can only realistically do one color printing while the online ones can do whatever you want so there’s a trade off I suppose. Also, I don’t even know how much my mom spends on sewing stuff but judging by how much my stepdad complains I’m guessing quite a bit. But she enjoys it and that’s all that really matters.
pandaman 4y ago
A sewing machine can be used for repairs and alterations. I think this is what majority of sewing machine owners do with them most of the time. A lock stitch machine and an iron is equivalent of having 80% of power tools you can buy in Home Depot as far as garment care and maintenance goes (and a cover stich/serger combo pushes it to 99%).

daveslash 4y ago

"Learn this one great trick the fashion industry doesn't want you to know!" ~ Turns out it's just sewing. Jokes aside, this is great. I've made some of my own stuff. It's really liberating to make equipment that is exactly what you want. A backpacking buddy made an entire internal-frame backpack. I hope to work up to that level with time!

13of40 4y ago
I have some in-laws who were avid hikers in the USSR at a time when it was nearly impossible to get off the shelf gear. They showed me some of the stuff they'd made by hand, including a backpack with an aluminum frame and cloth salvaged from an old parachute, and an inflatable boat they used to go camping in inaccessible areas. Both of them were indistinguishable from what you would get from a factory.
- tlear 4y ago
  Because a lot of that was done in the factory meaning there was a cottage industry for a lot of it. Done in a normal factory and then sold on the side. Your salary was say $100 a month no matter what you did, you could make things on state time and then sell it and make double that(and still collect the salary). Same reason why vegetables bought from private peasant plots were amazing and kolkhoz stuff you bought in store was shit(when it was there at all lol). Of course you had to pay some kick back to a manager or more likely give him a case of samogon.
  - 13of40 4y ago
    IIRC, the wife was a chemist, the husband was a physicist(?) and their kid is a Tolkein/D&D nerd who grew up and got a computer job. No factory involved. Before he passed away the husband showed me the arc welder he built and I got to tour his apartment in Moscow that he'd completely remodeled with cast away flooring and wall paneling from some pre-revolution building that was being torn down. He was basically just very "handy" and applied that skill to making camping gear sometimes.

0000011111 4y ago

This is such a fun hobby worth sharing!

dieselgate 4y ago

This is so rad!! Made a bivy sack a couple months ago and it was fun (quick compared to other projects) and even more fun to use. Cool to know there are templates for other stuff out there. Getting outdoor fabrics is sort of tough without going online - sewing in general is underrated

digdugdirk 4y ago
I love the idea of a bivy for bikepacking - any recommendations for templates/design ideas?
- dieselgate 4y ago
  They’re great for bike packing and if you’re not trying to share a space with someone else/dog. Better than hammocks in my experience and obviously less weight than a tent. I had an outdoor research alpine bivy that was really nice (goretex) but stolen out of my vehicle - didn’t want to buy another so just kind of tried to mimic that. The bottom section is duck canvas and the top section just ripstop nylon. They’re basically just a baggy sleeping bag with no insulation and can close however - zipper, cinch string etc
  - dieselgate 4y ago
    I purchased some waterproof marine fabric today for other projects but that’d probably be good for a bivy/tents. It’s pretty cheap per yard (compared to goretex) and is more waterproof than any of the materials I mentioned above

Dave_Rosenthal 4y ago

I've been spending a lot of time outdoors lately (climbing, hiking, etc.) and started fooling around with making my own gear. I've always been interested in the engineering/design challenge of working with flexible materials. After buying a cheap sewing machine and making a simple pouch, I decided to start designing my own patterns as early as possible to maximize learning. i.e. learning to cook, not just following a recipe. I've made a couple of climbing packs specifically tailored to my size and requirements that have worked out great. (I've had multiple people ask me what brand it is and where could they could buy one!) What's been really cool is learning about all of the great materials available online now. If you were limited to your local fabric store you would be basically stuck as there is a horrible selection of technical fabrics. With places like Ripstop by the Roll you can have access to state-of-the-art fabrics, fittings, etc. that are as good at (or even better than) what you can find in high-end commercial gear. One example is UHMwPE fiber (aka Dyneema.) This fiber is dramatically stronger, lighter, and cut resistant than nylon. You can now get fabrics made from the stuff (Challenge Ultra) but the price means it's rarely seen in commercial designs. For me, if I'm going to spend several hours making a pack, the extra $30 in raw materials is irrelevant and you can get an awesome final result.

jointpdf 4y ago

Some more patterns and fabric/material sources to consider (no affiliation). Personally I got as far as making a bug headnet and stuff sacks before deciding I’m not cut out for this, but YMMV. http://thru-hiker.com/kits/ http://thru-hiker.com/kits/ https://www.thegreenpepper.com/ https://www.thegreenpepper.com/ https://ripstopbytheroll.com/ https://ripstopbytheroll.com/

aasasd 4y ago

I went hiking a couple times with, among others, a dude who's been in climbing and mountaineering since the eighties at least, and was like sixty at the time. This is in Russia, so in the eighties you just couldn't buy anything in the shops, and only something via the black market. At a train platform, we met another guy like that, and it was battle story time: that guy showed us a backpack hand-made from tarpaulin, which is of course a bit of the opposite of light hiking. Our guy related the story of his climbing rope, to obtain which you had to go through a hole in the fence of a factory, then walk on the roof to a certain door, knock and say ‘I'm here to see Mikhail, about this thing and that other thing’. Meanwhile here I am trying to gather courage to hand-fix holes in the accumulated twenty pairs of socks, and then graduate to the more involved things. Bit of a nuisance that every Youtube video on how to fix this kind of holes just says that darning is the answer. Come on, I know how darning is gonna turn out with my skills—surely there's a crappier but simpler alternative.

exolymph 4y ago
Darning is actually very easy, give it a go on your least favorite pair! You could also patch socks but I don't think they'd be comfortable afterward.
99_00 4y ago
>I know how darning is gonna turn out with my skills It's going to suck super bad, and you are going to be super slow. And after a couple of socks it will be easy. The learning curve is a speed bump. Easy to get over when you move forward.
robocat 4y ago
Extreme darning: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zHbnCrIvw1o https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zHbnCrIvw1o (Invisible mending of warp/weft fabrics).
- jonah 4y ago
  I'm glad someone posted this. It's really amazing.
4y ago

learnmyog 4y ago

hi there, LearnMYOG.com is my site. I saw a bump in traffic and was shocked to see HN! Thanks for the share and for everyone visiting my little corner of the internet. Happy to talk more about making gear or related projects :)

Nomentatus 4y ago

Thread! Where do I get decent thread. Decades ago I had linen? button thread that would last in tough places, but now I can't find a substitute. Quilting thread doesn't last.

goldscott 4y ago
Search for gutermann tera 80, mara 50, or mara 70.
- almog 4y ago
  These are great examples of threads to use in outdoor applications (I use Tera 80 and 60 almost exclusively). However, I believe* polyester threads are not a popular choice when it comes to quilting (unless of course they are referring to the kind of quilt you use as part of your sleep system ). Going through Gutermann's catalog might be a good starting point though. * Since I don't have hands-on experience with quilting, I resort to belief
wrycoder 4y ago
https://www.wawak.com/thread/thread-by-brand/gutermann/ https://www.wawak.com/thread/thread-by-brand/gutermann/

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

nl 4y ago

Modern technical fabrics are amazing things. In particular DCF (Dyneema Composite Fabric) is a miracle of modern material science. Dyneema is stronger than Kevlar and is famous for allegedly breaking the anchor cable testing machine when being strain tested for use for mooring cargo ships. But it's really interesting for these types of applications because it is super abrasion resistant (perfect for backpacking gear) so you can make super light, super tough things from it. Everytime similar discussions come up on HN someone links to https://ripstopbytheroll.com/ https://ripstopbytheroll.com/ so I'll just do that now.

chrismorgan 4y ago

The site lists a variety of fabrics and such with links for the USA. Any idea where to get these sorts of materials in Australia? There just don’t seem to be proper local equivalents of Ripstop by the Roll or Quest Outfitters, and those that do ship overseas are rather expensive with high lead time (e.g. Ripstop by the Roll does, but even the smallest item costs USD18.24 to get it in 4–8 weeks, or 2–4× that to get it in within 1–2 weeks—actually, 6–7× if you live in a rural area like I do, FedEx is absurdly expensive that way, adding literally a hundred AUD, whereas the cheaper USPS option adds no more). My ideal would be a physical store somewhere in Melbourne so I could see and feel the fabrics before buying (high shipping costs makes getting samples an expensive business!), but I doubt there are any physical stores for this kind of thing. I would like to make a bag to fill the large gap behind/under the seat on my recumbent tricycle. I tried going into a Spotlight a while back and asking about waterproof fabrics, but they didn’t have anything along those lines at all.

nl 4y ago
Ebay is pretty good for a lot of fabrics. I found https://www.paskal.com.au/ https://www.paskal.com.au/ too which sells outdoor fabrics. I don't have any recommendations for physical stores though.

jonah 4y ago

I was reminded by 'chrisseaton's comment that in the US, Smoke Jumpers (wildland firefighters who parachute in to rugged, inaccessible areas and fight the fire by hand) make and modify their own gear in the off season. Elite Firefighters Have a Secret Skill: One of rookie smoke jumpers’ first lessons—after leaping from a plane and packing a parachute—is learning how to sew. https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2021/10/smokejumpers-wildfires-sew-their-own-gear/620323/ https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2021/10/smokejum... Smokejumper Visitor Center: Missoula, MT https://thegoodthebadandtherv.com/2017/07/01/smokejumper-visitor-center/ https://thegoodthebadandtherv.com/2017/07/01/smokejumper-vis... The Life of a Smokejumper: Wait. Jump. Fight. Repeat https://www.filson.com/blog/field-notes/usfs-life-of-a-smokejumper/ https://www.filson.com/blog/field-notes/usfs-life-of-a-smoke...

aristidemboneye 4y ago