And sew on...

[saxonaxe]

A parcel arrived this morning which led me to abandon any thoughts of working on the boat today. I had ordered some reels of thread, needles and some other bits of kit that I needed to allow me to play with my new toy.. A Singer Sewing Machine, nothing fancy, it's a basic electric powered domestic machine. It does 12 different styles of stitch, that's about 9 more than I need...but if I did get ambitious and wanted to make Button Holes then it's just a matter of turning a dial.
In the past I used the Tarp as a tent style of shelter for many overnights, sometimes with one walking pole, but usually with an 'A' frame type support using 2 poles. The only time that this type of shelter has caused me a problem is when a complete wind shift has occurred, then there was a bit of a scramble to re-arrange the 'Door' opening.

I've often thought about making an addition in the form of a triangular piece of tent material that I could simply peg 2 bottom corners, or use the existing front pegs and the top point to go inside the tent and fix on the apex of the A frame, a sort of triangular filling piece just to keep wind and driving rain out.
I have recently butchered an old dead tent so today was experiment day. I had recently put up my my 3x3 tarp in the garden, just to remind me of the likely measurements required.

So, heave the lap top off it's usual perch...this is now the sewing table...

Stitching is a bit squiffy but I'm only a learner...Taped Apexes for strength when pegged down. Sew far sew good...

... When I get the chance I'll put the tarp up and fathom out just how I'll rig the Triangle as a door.

There was one moment of Benny Hill style comedy during this op...The foot control slid under the bottom edge of the desk and I couldn't stop the machine sewing.... had to wrench the plug connection out before it stitched the tent fabric, me and the chair into one piece...

 

[Bam]

Well done mate, kudos for giving it a go. Now about that phone..... you know we're now in the 21st century aye ?????

 

[saxonaxe]

you know we're now in the 21st century aye ?????

I know, Bam. and I've got one of those fancy mobile ones too....never carry it though...

 

[Bam]

I know, Bam. and I've got one of those fancy mobile ones too....never carry it though...

I'm no techno geek but honestly mate, having a PC in your hip pocket is brilliant. We don't have a handset on the end of the landline any more (need the line for broadband and Sky though). We did but I unplugged it when cleaning a while back and we just never got round to plugging it back in. We just don't need it when you can have something in your pocket that would give Lt. Uhuru a 'wide on'.

Get with the programme Sax.

 

[Ystranc]

I know, Bam. and I've got one of those fancy mobile ones too....never carry it though...

Very retro....a 3510 burner phone

 

[saxonaxe]

The numbers on that mobile have nearly worn off after 20 years + of living in a jacket pocket or a Bergan somewhere and only because my kids always nagged me to carry it. Can't remember the last time I used it, there's no mobile signal where I live anyway, so a landline with my old phone stops the kids and my Granddaughter flapping because " I'm out of touch"....

I live very simply and purposely stand back and watch the world spin at a safe distance, while others scrabble to cling on, collect 'must haves' and other essential aids to the illusion that life without them is unlivable. Occasionally, very occasionally, I hop on but only very briefly as there is very very little that I find appealing to be honest. The result is a very contended, happy and independent lifestyle that I wouldn't change for all the tea in China ( after the tea had been sterilised of course)....

 

[1 shot willie]

What a nice tidy job Sax.....impressive
Look forward to seeing the mod in place on the shelter.

Good job

 

[Madriverrob]

Great idea and craftsmanship Sax …..
I did see someone selling something similar as a shelter door …. I'll see if I can find it …..

Shower Curtain - Bear Bones Bikepacking

The Bear Bones Shower Curtain adds additional weather protection and a degree of privacy to flat tarps and open fronted shelters such as the MLD Trailstar.

bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk

 

[saxonaxe]

At £48 a throw I'll probably decline their bargain offer.

Thanks for that Rob. If mine works to plan the top point will go up inside the 'Tent' and attach with a simple hook to the top of the 'A' frame and the bottom points will hook on the pegs already in the ground. It's only to keep out wind driven rain blowing directly into the opening.

In the past I've hung my Poncho over the doorway, but it was a pain because it kept flapping and slipping down in the wind and rain

 

[Madriverrob]

At £48 a throw I'll probably decline their bargain offer.

Thanks for that Rob. If mine works to plan the top point will go up inside the 'Tent' and attach with a simple hook to the top of the 'A' frame and the bottom points will hook on the pegs already in the ground. It's only to keep out wind driven rain blowing directly into the opening.

In the past I've hung my Poncho over the doorway, but it was a pain because it kept flapping and slipping down in the wind and rain

That's partly why I've posted it , Your home made effort will likely be as effective but no where near as expensive ……. I though it a good idea when I saw it but the cost was prohibitive …. I'm no sewer but did think of making something for my trailstar clone out of double glazing film ( storm guard ) as now stitching required

 

[saxonaxe]

First proper attempt at using a sewing machine, so still a green beginner. I did initially look at using fabric adhesive which works well with very light weight materials, but decided to chance running amok with the sewing machine.

 

[1 shot willie]

Might be worth trying a few on Ebay for sale Sax?........nice little cottage industry
Great workmanship

 

[teef]

good on you Sax! sounds like we've been up to the same sorts of things recently. my new Elna machine arrived a couple weeks ago and i've gone through a few projects on it.

first was an oilskin camp apron, something to keep the soot off my pants while doing the cookery. also very handy for catching all those nicely combustible shavings while doing a little carving and whittling. third purpose, as yet not field tested, was to cover oneself from waist to below the tops of one's gaiters while strolling cross country through the fields and undergrowth. i've discovered that there can be an immense amount of moisture in that tall grass and weeds and i'd rather not have it running down the inside of my trousers and into my boots, which has happened often enough to make me think of useful solutions to that soggy problem.

next project, just finished yesterday was to make a number of fixes and mods to an American ACU Field Jacket. those things come covered in velcro -- promptly removed -- but that leaves the need for a few buttons and corresponding button holes. mine also needed some repairs which were easily done.

third project -- still in progress -- is that wool anorak i mentioned elsewhere on these forums. i've learned there are a number of ways to do a DIY anorak wrong and/or badly so i'm still chipping away at this one.

other plans: camp shirt out of light canvas and possibly a companion pair of trousers or chaps. should be fairly easy to make myself look perfectly ridiculous.

anyway, all that to say "thumbs up! sewing machines are great thing to have at hand". of course now i want to make my own backpack so the new machine may take a bit of a beating as i try to fumble my way through that project.

 

[Ark79]

Looking forward to seeing the end product sax

 

[Ystranc]

When you're sewing really lightweight fabric there is a kind of interfacing tape that you can put between two pieces of fabric and iron them to form a sort of hot melt glue bond. this can help prevent the fabrics puckering and shifting as you run them through the machine. Remember to set the iron to cool.

 

[saxonaxe]

Chickened out of the bike ride today, I have an inbred fear of Sunday Drivers, so as the weather is Summerlike and the garden is dry I decided to set the Tarp up and see if my fumblings with the Sewing machine have produced a result.
The objective was to make a triangular, removable 'Door' to fill the opening that is formed when erecting the Tarp in this fashion.

I'm quite happy with the result. Because I used an old fly sheet from a dead tent and tried to utilise some of the old tie out points, they are not quite in the exact position that I would like but I don't think it worth unpicking them to move them just an inch or so, and leave needle/ sewing holes in the Tarp.


Before I cut the bottom edge I realised that by leaving it the size I had sewn it, that in fact i]when rigged it makes a nice type of vestibule and with a short stick underneath about halfway down adds a big storage area.

Top apex just loops over the A poles, for the bottom corners I use 2 separate pegs for a full vestibule and I've sew a couple of loops about 6-8 inches up each side which allows me to peg the bottom on the 2 pegs already holding the Tarp at each side of the 'Doorway.'
Leaving the new piece full size will also allow me to use it with my 3.5 x 3.5 Tarp which will obviously need the bigger 'Door.' The other bonus that I get from leaving it full size is that I can fold one half back over the central guy line and it makes a nice wind break that will allow me to make a brew or cook from inside the shelter.

That's it, end ex. Happy with that. Basic but it works and I've got a full shelter system that weighs about the same as a plump Butterfly and only cost me a bit of time and some polyester sewing thread

 

[Matt]

looking good mate

 

[divebuddy]

Chickened out of the bike ride today, I have an inbred fear of Sunday Drivers, so as the weather is Summerlike and the garden is dry I decided to set the Tarp up and see if my fumblings with the Sewing machine have produced a result.
The objective was to make a triangular, removable 'Door' to fill the opening that is formed when erecting the Tarp in this fashion.
View attachment 22818

I'm quite happy with the result. Because I used an old fly sheet from a dead tent and tried to utilise some of the old tie out points, they are not quite in the exact position that I would like but I don't think it worth unpicking them to move them just an inch or so, and leave needle/ sewing holes in the Tarp.


Before I cut the bottom edge I realised that by leaving it the size I had sewn it, that in fact i]when rigged it makes a nice type of vestibule and with a short stick underneath about halfway down adds a big storage area.
View attachment 22820View attachment 22821
View attachment 22824

Top apex just loops over the A poles, for the bottom corners I use 2 separate pegs for a full vestibule and I've sew a couple of loops about 6-8 inches up each side which allows me to peg the bottom on the 2 pegs already holding the Tarp at each side of the 'Doorway.'
Leaving the new piece full size will also allow me to use it with my 3.5 x 3.5 Tarp which will obviously need the bigger 'Door.' The other bonus that I get from leaving it full size is that I can fold one half back over the central guy line and it makes a nice wind break that will allow me to make a brew or cook from inside the shelter. View attachment 22823
View attachment 22822
View attachment 22825

That's it, end ex. Happy with that. Basic but it works and I've got a full shelter system that weighs about the same as a plump Butterfly and only cost me a bit of time and some polyester sewing thread

Excellent job. Are you going into production?

 

[saxonaxe]

Production ! No, not me, I was just using up some old tent fabric on an idea that's been in a dusty corner of my small brain for quite while.