Journal

Finished up a second single-fabric-piece hip pack and it turned out ok. Not super happy with the shape or style, and I did make wings specifically for it but forgot to sew them in so used webbing and disconnectable hooks for the waist belt.

I think part of the issue is the rear pocket and front webbing ladder and velcro are all sewn into the corner seams which makes the bag pop out and shape differently in different areas.

Challenge ECOPAK EPX200 fabric in black with some burnt orange X-Pac for the back pocket. YKK #3 molded tooth zipper.

Just finished up my first single-fabric-piece hip pack and it turned out well. I knew ahead of time it would be square-ish and tall, but the rectangle of fabric that I had was already cut so nothing I could do. Happy with the outcome and the ease of construction compared to a some of the other hip pack options I've tried.

Challenge ECOPAK EPX200 fabric in dark navy blue with a #5 coil zipper.

Sewed a black Challenge ECOPAK EPX200 zipper bag. YKK #3 molded tooth zipper, belt loops on the back, 2 pockets on the front. Turned out well.

Fixed a seam on my Yeti black MTB left bike glove today. Was easy because it was unlined, just turned it inside out and sewed a few stitches. #repair #gloves #yeti

Installed a new male 2" buckle on my Green Mission Workshop Rambler backpack today.

It's already damaged because I had to cut out some plastic and it cracked more than I hoped it would, but it's ok, it at least works. The old one had both side releases broken completely off.

#repair #gearrepair #backpack #missionworkshop

Made a quick ZPP (zipper pouch pack) from some black Challenge ECOPAK EPX200. Free-hand embroidery on the logo.

Sewed a fun hook-backed (velcro hook) patch - "I sewed this

Ask me about projects"

Bag to hold my scissors is done, I ended up just overcasting the edges. Pretty solid bag, I think it'll hold the scissors without them stabbing through. The bottom of the bag is Cordura, Challenge ECOPAK EPX200, then one more layer of Cordura.

Sewed my first bike courier style messenger bag with test fabrics (Tyvek and light nylon) and it went well. Learned what I'd alter on the shape on the next one, but came out well.

Made a fun AP Alleypup patch, was going to be a throwaway patch for a test project but I ended up liking it and may put it on something.

Finished up a matching tote bag and small zipper bag in burnt orange X-Pac, pretty happy with the end result.

Made 3 small leather snap closure bags on the new Kingmax GC2971 machine today. Machine is working well. It now has the motor hooked up and is oiled and greased.

First bag made on the Kingmax GC-2971 is done. Just a simple leather pouch with snap closure, made from a friend's old couch.

Making progress on my first from-scratch denim jacket. Adding some fun pockets currently, inside and out.

Second hood on my first from-scratch vest/jacket went well. 3 panel hood, lined. Still gotta add more pockets and some sleeves and then this jacket will be done.

Just made another lighter leash that I tried to do a better job on but still messed up in areas and I'm not sure if it looks any better.

Just made a quick lighter leash with the orange/yellow paracord and a Cordura Alleypup patch.

Made a quick bag out of some old black pants, took 25 minutes. Lyocell/cotton blend fabric.

Just finished bag number 36 so far this year, a Zipper Pack Pouch / ZPP like the one on the Ripstop By The Roll kit/youtube tutorial. Arid Camo cotton. Bag turned out well, but I wish it had more structure.

Just finished bag no. 35: A black Cordura (I think...new fabric from Rockywoods) and teal Challenge ECOPAK zipper pouch with a Cordura Alleypup patch, pink zipper, and purple liner inside with "35" patch on the inside.

Finished my first bi-fold wallet today, and it turned out ok. Would make it a bit smaller next time and try to get the zipper lined up better, and try to get the padding on the logo tab to be the same on all sides, but overall fairly happy with it.

New backpack is coming along well. Teal with a Cordura top curved panel (with PALACE-style Alleypup Denver triangle stitchwork logo) and a darted front pocket in black. So far the pocket didn't go well on the first panel, re-doing tonight.

Made a zipper pouch today with its own binding made from the same one piece of main construction panel. The extra bit sticks out half the length of the bag, so when it's folded in half to be sewn it sticks out on one side only. Then once the bag is sewn closed, it can be folded over twice for a double rolled hem bound edge.

Just finished up a handlebar/feed bag style bag, but this one is bigger and designed to hold my sewing stuff or to be a go-bag for quick car trips and stuff that can hold a Nalgene, snacks, notebook, pens, bags, etc.

I think this is the strongest bag I've made so far. Main outside body is all upcycled scraps of X-Pac, bottom is heavy Cordura, liner is heavy diamond ripstop nylon.

Made a small waxed canvas zipper bag with orange nylon liner. Happy with this one. The waxed canvas got its first lines/marks just from folding it right-side-out once I was done.

Sleeves on my Carhartt J141 jacket are at least partially repaired and much better than before.

Got a Carhartt J41 Sierra jacket yesterday and it's sweet, fits well, super comfy and warm, zippers work. But it has lots of fraying, especially on the sleeve cuffs. Started working on patching those up roughly last night but will probably end up replacing both of them eventually.

Just finished up another zipper bag from some trashed sleeping pads.

Another zipper bag made from old sleeping pads. This one has a magnet sewn into it so I can throw it at the fridge.

New tote bag turned out great! Made from trashed sleeping pads, with a zipper pocket on one side.

Has the new ALLEYPUP logo tab (just the second one) that I like versus most previous branded items had a patch sewn on 4 sides or the name sewn right onto the panel.

Made my first zipper bag from a sleeping pad today and it went well.

Made a hip pack/crossbody sling bag from the X-Pac X10 brown fabric from the Mavenhal bag and it turned out OK. Don't like the shape or look much, the corners are too bulky to invert well.

Made a couple wallets with the X-Pac X10 brown fabric from the Mavenhal bag. They both turned out well.

Just finished a fourth zipper bag from X-Pac X10 brown fabric from the Mavenhal bag, this one with a diagonal zipper, and it turned out well. I sewed two zipper halves on opposite ends of a piece of fabric that's longer on the zipper edge than the zipper, then when they're forced to meet up, it makes the zipper lie on a diagonal. Then sew it closed into a rectangle and it's done.

Made a third zipper bag from X-Pac X10 brown fabric from the Mavenhal bag and it turned out pretty well.

Made another zipper bag from X-Pac X10 brown fabric from the Mavenhal bag. This one holds my phone and has an Alleypup Denver patch. Don't like it as much as the first one I made.

Bought a damaged Mavenhal Shifter bar/cocktail supplies bag at the thrift shop for $10.79 for the fabrics. I saw it on the shelf and my eyes/brain instantly saw the X-Pac pattern through the cotton face of the bag. Picked it up and it was indeed X-Pac X10 in brown throughout the entire bag - a fabric I needed to have for projects as soon as I saw it. Bought the bag two days ago, started ripping it apart the same night, and made this small zipper bag yesterday.

The bag has a stiff, waxed canvas feel almost, and kinda looks that way, but no wax.

Made another taco bag out of some old Kuhl pants. This one has a piece of webbing across one of the faces, which I thought I made long enough with some slack to handle the folding and topstitch, but I did not make it long enough and it constricts the bag slightly. Still works well.

Made another taco bag today, turned out well except one of the zippers doesn't move well. Black cotton fabric with brand-style printed designs all over, tan zipper.

Added a double welt pocket to my Dickies denim jacket to make it look more like a Carhartt Detroit jacket. Turned out pretty good for my first try.

Made another taco bag, this one colored like a taco in some ways. Happy with it.

Made another taco bag, this one from blue denim with an orange webbing tab. Turned out decent - this one I finally figured out a good shape that works pattern wise.

My two most recent backpacks.

Day 4 of making banana bags: bike handlebar bag.

Day 3 of making banana bags until the bunch ripens. Today is the first time trying one of these single panel 3D zipper panel bags.

Day 2 of making banana bags until the bunch ripens.

Just came across these random Alleypup patches I made a little while back, some with free motion embroidery.

Sewing a patch on a Topo Rover backpack to cover up a Techstars logo went well except that the patch is a bit crooked on the panel. Oh well, it will have to do.

No shortcuts.

I should make my own straps for the new tiger stripe camo / purple X-pac backpack so the whole thing is made from scratch.

I'm thinking:

camo Cordura (maybe some black in there too) fabric
Straps that run down the middle the whole way down to the Ladderlock.
Milspec heavy duty grosgrain binding
2 layers of foam on the inside with maybe a third sewn inset a bit so it's not in the binding / seam allowance area
Spacer mesh in two colors - one for each strap

Finished up repairs on my bone white/black Topo Designs Rover backpack with some damage.

Replaced the black cinch top that was ripping off (likely the pack was lifted by the cinch top) with a lightweight ripstop nylon version with a Cordura patch with a hole instead of a grommet.

Also replaced the female buckles on the flap top, and one piece of the black webbing with orange.

Still has two small wear holes in the back panel that I'm not going to bother with yet.