Anyone into Sewing?

Sale at Seattle Fabrics.  Only 10% off, but they have good stuff and good service.  

A few melly beanies and some melly sweaties i made the last couple days. Unfortunately this fleece (polartec 7472) is now discontinued and hard to find. 

Wear them together with a melly sweater to complete the tracksuit

Can anyone comment on the Singer Heavy Duty 4400 series machines? It claims to do heavy fabrics and is a reasonable price.

Climb Onwrote:

Can anyone comment on the Singer Heavy Duty 4400 series machines? It claims to do heavy fabrics and is a reasonable price.

What do you want to sew? Backpacks? How much time do you want to invest in this hobby? I'll take your recent comment on the New Paltz parking issues as a reference to your location. Heres a link to a machine I would buy if getting into it. Look for something that heavy and has as much metal as possible.

https://albany.craigslist.org/for/d/albany-vintage-sewing-machine/7674916667.html 

Nolan Nolanwrote:

What do you want to sew? Backpacks? How much time do you want to invest in this hobby? I'll take your recent comment on the New Paltz parking issues as a reference to your location. Heres a link to a machine I would buy if getting into it. Look for something that heavy and has as much metal as possible.

https://albany.craigslist.org/for/d/albany-vintage-sewing-machine/7674916667.html 

Thanks Nolan. Spot on with the location. That’s almost exactly the machine I currently have. I’d like something that can do bags and maybe some outdoor cushion material. I’m not doing my own sling replacement or anything like that.

Maybe I’m just getting soft but having a 1-step button hole, the ability to remove part of the sewing deck to easily hem pants and fix sleeves, and more stitch options would be nice. 

Nolan Nolanwrote:

What do you want to sew? Backpacks? How much time do you want to invest in this hobby? I'll take your recent comment on the New Paltz parking issues as a reference to your location. Heres a link to a machine I would buy if getting into it. Look for something that heavy and has as much metal as possible.

https://albany.craigslist.org/for/d/albany-vintage-sewing-machine/7674916667.html 

I have a 237 which is super similar, only adds a zig-zag option.  It's awesome, and I'd absolutely recommend it to people looking for an old semi-HD machine with some added options.

An insulated lunchbox that was truly awful to make:  

And a new bag for a friend

I’m in Yosemite and have been working on various new bags. Feel free to stop by my van ( it has fins on the back) if you want to talk shop! 

Matt I love your bag style. Retro but modern. That insulated lunch box…. Did you sandwich foam between the xpac and liner? Or insert the foam after into it like a pocket?

Max Rwrote:

Matt I love your bag style. Retro but modern. That insulated lunch box…. Did you sandwich foam between the xpac and liner? Or insert the foam after into it like a pocket?

Thanks!

to make the lunch box I made sheets of 

xpac | foam | liner 

(And one with a zipper)

then joined them all together afterwards.

I did French seams (? I think) to keep everything clean ish, but dealing with the corners was tricky for me.

Wow, french seams and box corners? Damn, I would tear my hair out..

French is when you do right side and then fold it over itself, do the wrong side and then fold it back so all stitching and raw edges are hidden, right?

I've done it on materials that fray a lot to keep it clean.

Mike Jwrote:

Wow, french seams and box corners? Damn, I would tear my hair out..

Yea that's more or less how it went! Though I might have done a section with regular bias tape.

Anybody sewn pockets onto their climbing pants? I bought like 4 pairs of Prana Brion pants back when I was mainly bouldering/sport climbing (stretch zion material in a blue jean format) and now that 90% of my outdoor climbing is multipitch they're sitting dormant while I wear the same pair of zions every time because I can stick my phone and a bar in the thigh pocket.

I bought some 4-way stretch fabric with the intent to add pockets to a few pairs, but I'm trying to find a pocket pattern that'll work best without having to add a zipper. Thinking maybe something like this (with the flap sides also sewn down for a tighter 'seal' but IDK youtube.com/watch?v=ObrloZE…

MattHwrote:

Anybody sewn pockets onto their climbing pants? I bought like 4 pairs of Prana Brion pants back when I was mainly bouldering/sport climbing (stretch zion material in a blue jean format) and now that 90% of my outdoor climbing is multipitch they're sitting dormant while I wear the same pair of zions every time because I can stick my phone and a bar in the thigh pocket.

I bought some 4-way stretch fabric with the intent to add pockets to a few pairs, but I'm trying to find a pocket pattern that'll work best without having to add a zipper. Thinking maybe something like this (with the flap sides also sewn down for a tighter 'seal' but IDK youtube.com/watch?v=ObrloZE…

Take a look at the pocket on the right back of the Zion.  I climb with my wallet in it all the time; I imagine it would be a sufficient closure for a phone.

Playing around with some little multipitch packs. Both in volume and fit. A couple prototypes done for a 14” torso. Somewhere around 18L, tapers nicely at the bottom for access to chalk and harness gear loops, and still widens enough to fit a helmet inside at the top. Double haul loops, stowable shoulder straps and waist belt, single motion drawstring action, external zippered pocket, daisy chains up the front for either elastic or a helmet carry (and mounting for removable compression straps), and a removable rope strap across the top (not built yet!). Weighs about 450g

Mike Jwrote:

Looks great Matt! How did you make the shoulder straps? Would love to have an amateur pack makers get together to learn from each other but unfortunately I live in Europe.

My latest creation was a weather proof case for a fire axe mounted on a vehicle at work.

I sew the casing inside-out, then stuff the foam as I flip the casing, and then stitch the webbing through the casing and foam. Takes a bit longer than sewing the stack of material right side out and then binding around the edge, but I think it's a better finished product.

Looks great Matt! How did you make the shoulder straps? Would love to have an amateur pack makers get together to learn from each other but unfortunately I live in Europe.

My latest creation was a weather proof case for a fire axe mounted on a vehicle at work.

Matt Zwrote:

Playing around with some little multipitch packs. Both in volume and fit. A couple prototypes done for a 14” torso. Somewhere around 18L, tapers nicely at the bottom for access to chalk and harness gear loops, and still widens enough to fit a helmet inside at the top. Double haul loops, stowable shoulder straps and waist belt, single motion drawstring action, external zippered pocket, daisy chains up the front for either elastic or a helmet carry (and mounting for removable compression straps), and a removable rope strap across the top (not built yet!). Weighs about 450g

I sew the casing inside-out, then stuff the foam as I flip the casing, and then stitch the webbing through the casing and foam. Takes a bit longer than sewing the stack of material right side out and then binding around the edge, but I think it's a better finished product.

Where do you source the hardware for that cinch and what is it called? The nice stuff that you don't need to use two hands to operate.

Ethan Jeannettewrote:

Where do you source the hardware for that cinch and what is it called? The nice stuff that you don't need to use two hands to operate.

https://www.questoutfitters.com/Fasteners_Toggles.htm#CYBERIAN_CORDLOC_2.0 

Does anyone have a source for ice axe keepers/toggles?  Thanks for the help!

Truck Thirteenwrote:

Does anyone have a source for ice axe keepers/toggles?  Thanks for the help!

https://mozetsupplies.ca/products/ice-axe-holder-toggle Currently sold out but I think he said something about getting new stuff in after the new year.