Anyone into Sewing?

I began my social distancing LONG before COVID-19, but my latest work from mid-February was a first pass at some modified OW pants. I goofed a bit as I need to account for leg articulation, but the new patch coverage combined with roof sealant seems to be working well! Hopefully all I need to do to make these last forever is to reapply the sealant when areas wear thin!

Josh wrote:

Dang, Dave-- I need me one of those machines.  We're doing a batch of masks for Denver hospitals now, and it's taking forever.

Things are slow here, do you have the time to ship material? Do some cutting for you? I don't have the sewing yet figured out for good production. The local hospital attorneys won't allow the masks, but the fire department and nursing homes are gobbling them up.

i figured i post this here:  FREE
San Francisco:
I have tons of blue vinyl from the old gym floor.  Most is like new. it is .5 mm thick when measuring on my calipers or according to a chart it is called 2 mil.  I have some cut into 1+ meter wide and rolled up,  some has yet to be cut and will cover my entire street.  Let me know if you want some for a project (ie make a haul bag, custom crash pad, etc) and ill set some out.  located in Brisbane Ca, and there is a nice hike up San Bruno Mountain right here to further make the trip worth while.  There is much more than in these photos
PM me if interested.
 

Put your skills to work sewing face masks for first responders, family, friends, community.  Patterns and suggested materials  can be found online.  Big need out there.     

Josh wrote:

Dang, Dave-- I need me one of those machines.  We're doing a batch of masks for Denver hospitals now, and it's taking forever.

Two words: Rotary Cutter.  You can cut a whole stack at once, even with curves and it won't take up a whole corner of your garage.

I normally like making climbing gear but started making these a couple weeks ago. Running low on supply so not sure how much longer I can keep it up

There are lots of good mask patterns circulating on the internet right now. The elastic is in low supply so I tried one prototype with bias tape ties. Mine take a while for me to make. Besides the iron on interfacing sandwiched between the two cotton layers, I’m also adding a 6 inch piece of wire in the top so the mask can be conformed tightly over the nose. That takes a while because the ends of the wire are crimped and I put it in it’s own “pocket” to sew it in neatly. Hospitals and health care professionals are asking for these.
Be well, everyone.

​Did someone say sewing?

A long term pet peeve ( ok I have alot of pet peeves) is carrying crampons. Strap them outside the bag and I’m always concerned, even when I’d clip them in, they would vanish and straps always got loose etc.Put them in a BD or similar bag and it’s bulky.This winter I found the Petzl bag that was just a square bag of fabric ( x-pac as I learned later) but it was a weird size and just kinda a puncture proof bag.
So.... frustration being the mother of invention I was at my sisters and took the Petzl bag and essentially sewed it in half and the hung it on the back of my pack...
That idea turned into me thinking and making a better version of that.
X-pac fabric so pretty puncture proof- drain holes- and a daisy chain so you could adjust where it hangs. To me a pretty good solution. Light, adjustable... turns into a pocket to put soaked gloves in when climbing...
Pictures in out of order... rookie!
I’m a crap sewer but it’s fun to make stuff!

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phylp phylp wrote:

There are lots of good mask patterns circulating on the internet right now. The elastic is in low supply so I tried one prototype with bias tape ties. Mine take a while for me to make. Besides the iron on interfacing sandwiched between the two cotton layers, I’m also adding a 6 inch piece of wire in the top so the mask can be conformed tightly over the nose. That takes a while because the ends of the wire are crimped and I put it in it’s own “pocket” to sew it in neatly. Hospitals and health care professionals are asking for these.
Be well, everyone.

So far for the wire I have seen people using small plastic covered electrical wire (the multi-filiment version), pipe cleaners, cut out pieces of aluminum turkey roast pans. Would like to find a source for the point bonded or spun bonded polypro for filtering.

I normally can cut about 70 layers of coated nylon with the straight  knife before it starts melting, I bet I could get that many layers or more of the non-woven at a time.

Dave Olsen wrote:

So far for the wire I have seen people using small plastic covered electrical wire (the multi-filiment version), pipe cleaners, cut out pieces of aluminum turkey roast pans. Would like to find a source for the point bonded or spun bonded polypro for filtering.

I normally can cut about 70 layers of coated nylon with the straight  knife before it starts melting, I bet I could get that many layers or more of the non-woven at a time.

Dave, I've seen some videos where people are dismantling the virus filtering quality AC and Furnace filters to inset as a lining.  But I have no idea if you can wash that.  The wire I'm using is a stainless steel jewelry wire, today I bought some aluminum jewelry wire of a hefty gauge.  

You folks inspired me.  Made this chalk bucket for my son over the weekend.  used 1/4" closed cell foam between the nylon outer layer and fleece inner liner to keep its shape, and used a piece from an old tent rain fly and leftovers from paracord bracelets for the drawstring closure.

Nice dude! I love recycling old stuff.

ECD H wrote: Tyvek?
Also if you look about there’s open source valve designs for 3D printing. It’s a big call but the potential to home make quite serious respirators is coming together. I’m looking at tyvek outer (water resistant vapor permeable membrane), gauze inner, cut like a 95,  maybe a valve. Doped with an anti viral solution could make them multi-use. 

Some of the n 95 masks that have valves allow virus size particles to be expelled on the exhale.

In between sewing face masks, I made my first piece of outdoor gear, an ultralight quilt. It weighs 21 oz, and has 2.5-3" of loft and has ties to tighten it in cold weather, as well as a sewn in baffled foot box. Thanks to @Bob Chiang for the pattern advice and sewing tips! I slept in it last night and was cozy in 30 degree weather and am very happy with the result. I look forward to making more of my own gear!

Jackie D wrote:

In between sewing face masks, I made my first piece of outdoor gear, an ultralight quilt. It weighs 21 oz, and has 2.5-3" of loft and has ties to tighten it in cold weather, as well as a sewn in baffled foot box. Thanks to @Bob Chiang for the pattern advice and sewing tips! I slept in it last night and was cozy in 30 degree weather and am very happy with the result. I look forward to making more of my own gear!

Beautiful!!!

Does anyone have a suggestion on a decent first machine that won’t break the bank?  I’d like something that I won’t outgrow and can handle the material needed to make some of the projects in this thread

Adrienne D wrote: Does anyone have a suggestion on a decent first machine that won’t break the bank?  I’d like something that I won’t outgrow and can handle the material needed to make some of the projects in this thread

I don't own one but the Singer 4423 seems to be popular among the MYOG crowd. It is readily available for purchase online and is popular enough that there are resources available for it, in terms of spare parts and troubleshooting information.

Adrienne D wrote: Does anyone have a suggestion on a decent first machine that won’t break the bank?  I’d like something that I won’t outgrow and can handle the material needed to make some of the projects in this thread

My 50 year old Singer 301A has no problem with multiple layers of pack cloth (inc. Cordura), webbing, and leather. It looks like $150-200 gets you one.