DIY sewing project : the "perfect" EDC chaise (that may never succeed)

[m47mu74nt]

Hello,
Having some time this evening, I'll present to you what came from the chase for the perfect EDC : as nothing really fits the need "as is"... I decided to try by myself.

[SPOILER ALERT : There is still a very long path before (hopefully) reaching the "perfect" EDC]

Starting with basically zero knowledge (but with an awesome wife that takes time to explain), I went by little incremental steps :

First I made some simple modules for my new 5.11 LV6 and a modular handle (many prototypes before having something worth it)

[m47mu74nt]

Here are closer pics of one of the simple elastic strap modules and one to carry Swisstool Spirit bit kit and a Sharpie (newer stitches are a lot better than these )

[m47mu74nt]

Next, I tried a simple backpack with no complex shape or pouches, no zipper or anything difficult :
The goal of that first one was to make a proof of concept .. and see if the journey would end there or if I could pursue the project.

5.11 LV6 and Maxpedition CAP for reference on the last picture

[m47mu74nt]

Next project was a pouch for my Glock entrenching tool/shovel : the goal was to learn how to stitch a French seam (that is in fact called "English seam" in French  ) and to reuse/recycle an old Lafuma backpack fabric I had saved from the trash bin.

Last picture is the detail of that French seam with a secondary straight stitch to make it extra tough.

[m47mu74nt]

And today's project ..
Note that there is less than two weeks between the initial project of the OP and today's.. nearly everything built using an old Singer machine [with external electric motor] with no backward motion or special stitch available.

The goal of that project was to learn how to stitch zipper closing and assemble inner lining with the outer fabric.
Key features :
- inner lining
- recycled YKK zipper
- inside loop patch to enable modules,
- outside loop patch with stitch through all the layers to strengthen the inner lining that holds the inner loop patch
- small hang tab

[kottskrapa]

Cool project! And if this is your first try then I can't think of what it would look like when you get your skill to the next level

[It's not failure if you learn something from it]

[m47mu74nt]

Cool project! And if this is your first try then I can't think of what it would look like when you get your skill to the next level

Thank you!
It is not my very first time with a sewing machine, but it is my first real/serious project :-) (including learning techniques to put bias, french seam, zipper, lining etc)
Sadly, my skill on new things usually skyrockets in the first few days and then stay flar forever 

[Aloha]

  to your wife for being a great teacher.  Your packs are well thought out and turned out wonderful.  I love all the individual secure components.  While Maxpedition does a great job with their elastic interiors I do feel a few more loops are needed ( in my Micro and EDC pouches ).  I hope they give you years of service. 

[m47mu74nt]

to your wife for being a great teacher.  Your packs are well thought out and turned out wonderful.  I love all the individual secure components.  While Maxpedition does a great job with their elastic interiors I do feel a few more loops are needed ( in my Micro and EDC pouches ).  I hope they give you years of service.

Thank you Aloha,
I hope they will be strong enough to survive a few years, but although I used a solid stitch and material, I am not at the level of what Maxpedition does (in term of toughness and quality) 

[m47mu74nt]

I didn't made much improvement in the EDC chaise project, but I could motivate myself to build a handbag/totebag for my mum's birthday :

It is based on this tutorial :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEYy-qSV2JU

Special Features :
- Water repellent fabric for the main part and water resistant fabric for bottom part
- Double ambidextrous YKK zipper (same as you can find on 5.11 LV6)
- Internal zipped (YKK) pocket with hooked lanyard

It is about 5L

[m47mu74nt]

Still no update regarding the EDC chaise, but I got myself a Elna 1 "Grasshopper"  (from 1947), first little project on it : a quick 'n dirty zipped pouch after work time (far from perfect, but not too bad for a first time a new-to-me old timer  )

[Fortytwo]

Best of luck to you, the Elna is a joy to use although it does tend to show it's age (the lack of zigzag is a bit of a pain for some projects). My particular example should probably have the motor rewound or replaced since it smells a bit burnt when I use it. But it's a really neat little machine with some really smart solutions going for it.

[m47mu74nt]

 
Mine is in quite good shape but lacks the gear reductor (and that's really sad having this cool accessory missing).
The motor does smell "waiting to start a fire", but after investigation that's oil that went dripping on the rheostat that is just below the motor... that literally burns when the wiring of the rheostat gets burning hot (the slower the stitch the higher the rheostat heats).

Lamp placement in the top arm is a little awkward when you think about it : it is an easy way for burning your hands while packing the machine after working with it. And I have so issues with stitch length : it is quite small even on the longer setting (screwing down the pressing foot for a higher pressure helped a little, but it is not perfect)
Still it has very clever features like
- automatic clutch on the motor shaft that disengages itself during winding,
- gear reduction kit that also uses the automatic clutch (I hope I'll find one someday)
- knee command so there's no need for a foot pedal

Now that I fell in love with Elna(s), I "need" a 2d or 3rd gen Supermatic (I don't like the design of the 4th gen that marks the turn in Elna's logotype)

[m47mu74nt]

Second attempt with the Grasshopper : Double zip pouch.
As usual, nice thick YKK zippers, Velcro patch (loops) on the outside, and full Velcro (loop) on one (in)side of the main pouch
Not too bad, but a few things didn't went well, especially the top-stitches...

Sadly I cannot use the "super-resistant" Laser thread that I like (It doesn't behave well with the stitch tightening, ... the only sewing machine that I have that takes it is the Singer type 15), so it is "standard" Laser thread instead.

[MadPlumbarian]

Nice job very interesting machine, I have some old singer my grandmother had laying around from when I got shipped off to college cause it was all in some carry case, I think a  merritt 2404, just hemmed two pair of pj’s I got for Xmas, cause those things always come like 4” too long!
JR

[m47mu74nt]

Thx, and nice story, I went to see what kind of machine was this Merritt and actually it features swappable cams like the Elna Supermatic I'm looking for!

[MadPlumbarian]

Thx, and nice story, I went to see what kind of machine was this Merritt and actually it features swappable cams like the Elna Supermatic I'm looking for!

You mean all those black disks that you can swap out in order to stitch all those diff patterns? Not my pics but the same thing, but yeah I have them all, but I’ve only ever used the standard /\/\/\ one..
JR

[m47mu74nt]

You mean all those black disks that you can swap out in order to stitch all those diff patterns? Not my pics but the same thing, but yeah I have them all, but I’ve only ever used the standard /\/\/\ one..
JR

Yes exactly, I know I'd also mostly use the ZigZag .. But the fact you can have virtually an infinite amount of stitches by swapping cams is 

[MadPlumbarian]

Yes exactly, I know I'd also mostly use the ZigZag .. But the fact you can have virtually an infinite amount of stitches by swapping cams is 

Lol,, it’s interesting!
JR

[m47mu74nt]

Still making pouches instead of a bag 

double zipper, loops inside and outside, super light ripstop fabric

[MadPlumbarian]

Nice job!
JR

[m47mu74nt]

Thanks 

[MadPlumbarian]

I think I might have fixed my machine, normally the string would get so tight and end up snapping when I was sewing something, I had the tension loose but it was still getting tight, I bought some super strong string and it kinda worked but still snapped so I had to look the machine over, I tried taking the one part apart but I got it to loosen up, so I took a piece of scrap and put some normal string on it to run a few lines back and forth and it worked fine, so maybe, just maybe I got it working again?
JR

[GearedForwards]

Those pouches look great! I'm sure if you opened up some commissions they'd sell 

[m47mu74nt]

I think I might have fixed my machine, normally the string would get so tight and end up snapping when I was sewing something, I had the tension loose but it was still getting tight, I bought some super strong string and it kinda worked but still snapped so I had to look the machine over, I tried taking the one part apart but I got it to loosen up, so I took a piece of scrap and put some normal string on it to run a few lines back and forth and it worked fine, so maybe, just maybe I got it working again?
JR

That'd be great!
Mine sometimes winds up the thread around the bobbin pole, so it ends up making a knot and locking it down

Those pouches look great! I'm sure if you opened up some commissions they'd sell 

Thank you,
They might, but I'd need to sell them quite highly priced depending of the fabric used. And not sure quality is high enough for sellable products 

[MadPlumbarian]

It’s this thing right here, it’s suppose to keep a tension on the string but only so much, but mine was literally locking onto it and causing the string to snap, even though I had the tension as light as possible, but I kinda did a little finesse with a screwdriver and I think it worked??
JR

[m47mu74nt]

It’s this thing right here, it’s suppose to keep a tension on the string but only so much, but mine was literally locking onto it and causing the string to snap, even though I had the tension as light as possible, but I kinda did a little finesse with a screwdriver and I think it worked??
JR

I had that issue on my SInger type 15, not built the same, but similar principle : the tension discs/mechanisms were seized and did not release when unscrewed

[MadPlumbarian]

Hey, I did something and the couple test runs I did were perfectly fine so as long as it just keeps doing like it was on the test runs and not before I don’t care what I did, lol.
JR

[m47mu74nt]

Simple tissue pouch : ripstop polyester fabric, 13cm YKK zipper, "Laser" brand polyester thread, French seam and no internal lining to stay super light

[m47mu74nt]

Homemade 5.11 covert panel ... Because I couldn't find any in "tungsten" color on the market.
It is not a perfect match (the fabric I have isn't quite the same, and I didn't have the right thread color) m, but close enough for sure.
(I even put a little tab to mimick the 5.11 logo tab on the lower right hand corner)
Below the homemade panel is the commercial one in kangaroo color I used for reference.