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Posted: 5/18/2026 4:41:21 PM EDT
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I had a few minutes between projects for work, so I did a couple personal projects I had on my list to get done. Specifically, I reinforced the stitching on a couple of dump pouches I had. Below is a Varusteleka dump pouch - decent design, good materials - but the stitching was...lacking. A single row of stitching and no binding tape to seal the seams. So I added a couple more lines of stitching and put on binding tape on all the appropriate places. Alot of the surplus pouches are the same way, especially with lack of binding tape. Most of them are technically fine that way, but it doesn't hurt reinforcing them. It's usually the seams that fail in the end. (The same with Chinese made gear - doubly so with them usually.) This is where even a basic domestic machine and a little basic sewing skill goes a long ways - reinforcing and lightly modding gear. Every friend group needs a gear guy who is capable of doing small repairs and mods to gear + stuff like sewing on name tapes, patches, whatever. Long term, this is a big force multiplier - especially during hard times when you might not be able to go out and buy that new piece of gear to replace the one that failed.  Thank you for listening to my home sewing propaganda! |
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Originally Posted By Ndenway1twicetimes: Brother sewing machine comes in handy on jeans/bdus etc. So does a bottle of seam/fabric glue and a leather/canvas sewing/hand stitcher tool & roll of heavy duty wax string/thread. Used this on web gear, pouches, belts, bdu's/coats/hvy jackets & tarps. ^^ This. If you don't want to go to the trouble of a sewing machine / can't have one - buy a set of decent hand sewing needles, a speedy-stitch, and a roll of decent, American made T69 size bonded nylon thread (and waxed leather thread if you have alot of leather stuff) (I'd also add a simple thimble) You can technically sew any piece of gear with that (though it takes SIGNIFICANTLY longer) - and those can definitely repair anything you end up having fail. And it'll last a lifetime of repairs. $20-30 will get you everything you need. Even doing simple things like sewing buttons on (or just reinforcing them - you should always add some stitches to any button on clothing that you buy, most of them aren't sewn on well and will eventually fall off) will make people love you. |
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Originally Posted By d4xycrq: Sewing is simply welding with cloth. I do weld. And sew. Preach it, brother. Last project was not tactical. But got points with my wife for fixing on her favorite tote. I'm sewing tote bags for all the extended female family members for Christmas this year. One of the guys on here wanted me to make him some heavily-built tote bags, and that got me going down that path. But yea. 90% of sewing is doing simple straight lines. And welding is a pretty good analogy. |
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Originally Posted By marnsdorff: ^^ This. If you don't want to go to the trouble of a sewing machine / can't have one - buy a set of decent hand sewing needles, a speedy-stitch, and a roll of decent, American made T69 size bonded nylon thread (and waxed leather thread if you have alot of leather stuff) (I'd also add a simple thimble) You can technically sew any piece of gear with that (though it takes SIGNIFICANTLY longer) - and those can definitely repair anything you end up having fail. And it'll last a lifetime of repairs. $20-30 will get you everything you need. Even doing simple things like sewing buttons on (or just reinforcing them - you should always add some stitches to any button on clothing that you buy, most of them aren't sewn on well and will eventually fall off) will make people love you. Originally Posted By marnsdorff: Originally Posted By Ndenway1twicetimes: Brother sewing machine comes in handy on jeans/bdus etc. So does a bottle of seam/fabric glue and a leather/canvas sewing/hand stitcher tool & roll of heavy duty wax string/thread. Used this on web gear, pouches, belts, bdu's/coats/hvy jackets & tarps. ^^ This. If you don't want to go to the trouble of a sewing machine / can't have one - buy a set of decent hand sewing needles, a speedy-stitch, and a roll of decent, American made T69 size bonded nylon thread (and waxed leather thread if you have alot of leather stuff) (I'd also add a simple thimble) You can technically sew any piece of gear with that (though it takes SIGNIFICANTLY longer) - and those can definitely repair anything you end up having fail. And it'll last a lifetime of repairs. $20-30 will get you everything you need. Even doing simple things like sewing buttons on (or just reinforcing them - you should always add some stitches to any button on clothing that you buy, most of them aren't sewn on well and will eventually fall off) will make people love you. The stitcher tool & 3 needles for it I have are from the early 80s, they last long time. All & big spool of wax thread was under $15 back then at tandy leather (4hrs of pay back then). I see the stitcher kit at hobby lobby, walmart & HF nowadays. Several years back I bought multiple big spools wax thread off temu for $3/spool, supposed to be all black rolls, but several rolls are brown & green, one is purple. |
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Going through some totes of crap recently I found a bunch of MOOSEJAW pocket banners/flags I ended up with through purchases over a decade ago. MOOSEJAW is now defunct and I don't know what I'd do with these flags anyway, and was about to throw them away before deciding to start playing with the sewing machine by way of turning them into small drawstring bags. I was looking at it and said: "Hmmmm... fold short edge over and stitch for string channels, then fold in half inside-out and stitch together up the sides, pop back right-side out, and viola! Add string and done." Now I just need to execute, but I thought that might be a good initial exercise in frustrating myself. |
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Originally Posted By Ex_Sanguine_Nation: Going through some totes of crap recently I found a bunch of MOOSEJAW pocket banners/flags I ended up with through purchases over a decade ago. MOOSEJAW is now defunct and I don't know what I'd do with these flags anyway, and was about to throw them away before deciding to start playing with the sewing machine by way of turning them into small drawstring bags. I was looking at it and said: "Hmmmm... fold short edge over and stitch for string channels, then fold in half inside-out and stitch together up the sides, pop back right-side out, and viola! Add string and done." Now I just need to execute, but I thought that might be a good initial exercise in frustrating myself. lol I have some of those floating around somewhere too. I have a free towel I got from them in rotation in the bathroom. I used to get most of my boots from them. And good idea. Repurposing stuff like that make great little projects. About 15 years ago, I re-purposed some older priority mail tyvek envelopes that the PO stopped accepting into drawstring bags for backpacking. I still have one of them in my pack. (They actually worked really well) |
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I still do all of my sewing by hand. I tend to use pliers to push the needle through, which is slow and clumsy, but it is effective. I put together a small sewing kit with a few spools of thread, extra needles, a small multitool, razor blades, and a lighter. There is a thread I started here last fall about making a minimalist chest rig, which was just buckles and D-rings sewn onto 1" webbing. All that was done by hand, assisted by a pair of pliers. ETA: My thread disappeared into the archives, but I found it. All that was done sitting on the porch, listening to some music on a nice late summer evening. Not a bad way to spend a few hours. DIY Minimalist Chest Rig |
The government is just a corporation with a monopoly on violence.
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Originally Posted By Gingerbreadman: I still do all of my sewing by hand. I tend to use pliers to push the needle through, which is slow and clumsy, but it is effective. I put together a small sewing kit with a few spools of thread, extra needles, a small multitool, razor blades, and a lighter. There is a thread I started here last fall about making a minimalist chest rig, which was just buckles and D-rings sewn onto 1" webbing. All that was done by hand, assisted by a pair of pliers. ETA: My thread disappeared into the archives, but I found it. All that was done sitting on the porch, listening to some music on a nice late summer evening. Not a bad way to spend a few hours. DIY Minimalist Chest Rig Yup, I remember that thread.  Good use of time! |
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Originally Posted By Ex_Sanguine_Nation: Going through some totes of crap recently I found a bunch of MOOSEJAW pocket banners/flags I ended up with through purchases over a decade ago. MOOSEJAW is now defunct and I don't know what I'd do with these flags anyway, and was about to throw them away before deciding to start playing with the sewing machine by way of turning them into small drawstring bags. I was looking at it and said: "Hmmmm... fold short edge over and stitch for string channels, then fold in half inside-out and stitch together up the sides, pop back right-side out, and viola! Add string and done." Now I just need to execute, but I thought that might be a good initial exercise in frustrating myself. Nothing to add, other than that I miss Moosejaw. |
"What is socialism? The most difficult and tortuous way to progress from capitalism to capitalism." -Stated at an intel conference, East Berlin, Oct. 1988
"Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods." -H.L. Mencken
"Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods." -H.L. Mencken
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Originally Posted By TNC: OP, what machine do you use? I have been banned from using my wife's Singer on heavy fabrics and webbing. I'd like one strong enough to do scuba webbing. Also, https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/170924/i_love_this_thread-3766567.jpg I started with an old 1960's Singer domestic machine. The last model they made with all internal parts. Those older machines WILL sew webbing and cordura, as long as you are careful and realistic with thicknesses and such. I got it at a thrift store for $15. Well worth the money. Learned to sew on that. When I decided to get serious about it - once people started offering to pay me for stuff basically, when I decided to turn it into a business - I bumped up to a light industrial machine - a Juki 8700-H (not the standard 8700, but the H model which is set up for heavier materials). They run about $1,000. I think by the time I got it + all the accessories, etc. that I wanted to go with it - feet, needles, etc. - I was in around $1,400? I get alot of flak from some of the guys who sew professionally for a living, but I couldn't afford the $5,000-8,000 machines they said I should get (just the machine, no accessories). I also live rurally hours from anywhere that had a bunch of used industrial machines (which is the best way to go if you live somewhere they exist) so I just bought a new machine. The 8700-H is WORLDS better than the domestic machines. It's more reliable, faster, more precise, set up better, the ergonomics are significantly better, etc. etc. etc. I can run 3-4 times faster with the industrial than I can with a domestic. It also has way more punch - I won't really have issues with cordura and webbing, unless I'm trying to punch through a huge stack of like 8 layers of cordura and 4 layers of webbing. That's when it starts to choke. (I've maxed it out a few times - the guys are right, technically, that if you are really serious about this as a business, you need one of the better machines. There are other reasons too - ie, the nicer machines have walking feet, etc. I am about to order a Juki 2810, which is one of the more expensive machines. I've made enough money using the 8700 that I can buy the more expensive machine now) I don't know about the 8700 and scuba webbing though. The resin impregnated stuff is pretty stiff and thick. I've used it on tegris and such, that's not a problem though. If you just want to play around as a hobby, an old all-metal internals domestic works fine if you can get them cheap. $15-75, depending on the machine and condition. Anything made after the mid 1960's is junk basically. Give or take on the years. If you want to get serious about it, there's alot of nice used industrial machines out there, but it really depends on where you live if they are near you. If you take your time and shop around, you can get a good deal on a machine. If I didn't live out in the mountains, this is the route I would have gone. Alot of the older machines work perfectly fine. They might not be as refined as the newer ones, but they work fine. Be aware that an industrial machine, it's a whole setup. It's built into it's own table. You'll need room to place a 5-6' wide, 2' deep workbench. There ARE some portable machines that work, but they are $$$$ and not as good as a true industrial machine. If you are serious about getting something nicer than a domestic and don't want to dive into trying to find a good industrial local to you, try calling Collier Equipment and talk to them. Big sewing machine dealer that has a good reputation and knows what they are talking about. They see alot of used machines come through their shop and can help you source something, used or new. Tell them you are new to this and want some advice on an entry level machine and are willing to wait on a deal. You'll need cash in hand when deal comes along. |
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As an 8 year old I learned basic needle and thread, a skill that’s served me well. |
ProTip: Never pick a fight with a tree planter. He swings a hoedad for 9 hours a day, carries 30-40 pounds of seedlings on his back, and has 12-14 friends just like him hiding out on the other side of the junk butt pile. They will fuck your shit up.
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Yall ever see those 'Expedition Sewing Kits'? They're pretty cool. One of the originals. Note how theyr'e going used for almost $500: https://www.ebay.com/itm/306162704027 And here's a guy talking about them, the remake that Patagonia sold for a few years, and how to put together a DIY version on the cheap. It'd be a cool little project for guys who are into gear and DIY stuff. I put one together a few years ago. https://pig-monkey.com/2018/12/expedition-sewing/ Picture of an original one:  Patagonia still sells this - it's not the same as the above, it's bigger. It's kinda like a small, lightweight version of the 'speedy stitch' awl. It also appears to be all plastic. https://www.patagonia.com/product/expedition-sewing-awl/49560.html |
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Originally Posted By Ex_Sanguine_Nation: Do you miss it enough to want a free stringbag?  Originally Posted By Ex_Sanguine_Nation: Originally Posted By lew: Nothing to add, other than that I miss Moosejaw. Do you miss it enough to want a free stringbag? Without a doubt: no. I have so much crap in the house as it is. Most of it has something to do with the chillunz.   
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"What is socialism? The most difficult and tortuous way to progress from capitalism to capitalism." -Stated at an intel conference, East Berlin, Oct. 1988
"Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods." -H.L. Mencken
"Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods." -H.L. Mencken
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