Sewing Thread....A discussion on making your own adventure textile gear.

[mrfoamy]

Staples are your friend in sunbrella or the likes. I never pin anything I sew. All staples
Kevin

What kind of staples/stapler? Just an ordinary desk stapler, or something special?

 

[The Artisan]

What kind of staples/stapler? Just an ordinary desk stapler, or something special?

No the rapid classics.
Kevin

 

[mrfoamy]

No the rapid classics.
Kevin

Perfect! I expected something more exotic. Ordering one from Amazon right now.

 

[BritKLR]

Just got done doing 1100 miles off-road moto trip which also included the RimRocker Trail. I wanted to add some hi-viz to my riding gear so I sewed out a hi-viz lime gear bag to hold my tent, ground Tarps, sleeping bag, air mattress, folding chair and rain Tarp. It's made of 1000 D Cordura with YKK #10 zippers and webbed molle straps and handles. I've had the Wolfman gear since 2004 and like it, but I wanted to add some hi-viz to the back of the bike will riding around other motorist. The bag worked great and survived the dust, dirt, rain and dirt nap. Lmk if anyone wants the demensions or pattern to make your own.

 

[The Artisan]

Nice bag love the lime green
Kevin

 

[rayra]

well today I sort of fell into an old classic sewing machine that seems like a relatively straightforward fix, has a replacement power cord that seems to be frayed and fried. Sold as 'non working'. It's a Pfaff 130 from the 1950s. heavy, robust, powerful, works thru a lot of thick layers of canvas, garment leather. Didn't know enough of what to look for, but turned manually the action is smooth as glass and no indication of the motor being fried / damaged, came in a cabinet / worktable with storage chair, whole thing looks like a nightstand when it's closed up, apparently original 'Moderne' cabinet. At the very low price of $40 at a thrift store, I grabbed it. My BIL spotted it, knew I was looking for a sturdier older machine , and we drove upstate today to visit the missus' family anyway - and to go to their tiny town DMV to get our CA 'Real ID', rather than our regional massively overcrowded and understaffed DMV that serves 210,000 people and which doesn't even have any open appointment slots. Took us a little over an hour from the minute we walked in. Then we hit the thrift store.
A productive day. Oh and we stopped for some excellent bbq tritip sandwiches at Buttonwillow on the way home. https://www.willowranchrestaurant.com/

I'll get some pics when I do a detailed exam of the machine over the next couple days. Could be a gem, could be junk. I don't know right now. has all the accessories, external lamp, foot switch, even a knee switch on the cabinet. Drawers in the chair base had some other stuff, and a lot of bobbins. If all this needs is some new wiring / power cord, it will be a huge score as far as I'm concerned. And I can finally move along with heavier duty 1000D / web strapping edge reinforcement sewing projects I've been wanting to do.

 

[rayra]

here's a couple pics of the Pfaff 130 machine and work table we found. It looks like someone sprayed a solvent on it trying to clean it up and wound up wrecking the paint on the work surface of the machine and its top. There's a bunch of part and accessories and the first cursory inspection if seems pretty complete. The power cord wiring is a mess and I'm going to find some good diagrams and instructions for it, already found several useful YouTube vids.
So I've got a bit of a restoration project to do before my first sewing attempts with this machine. But things are looking pretty good. I should be able to get it in working order.
Also learned that it is dual-needle capable. Which is great for what I want to do with it.

 

[dwh]

Nice. Though after a few hours I'm betting you're gonna end up calling that chair/drawer "an infernal torture device".

 

[rayra]

You'd be correct. Lot more room in my usual setup.

I may take a pic of me hunched over at the Pfaff table sewing something, once i get it running, for the lulz. I'm a big dude, 6' tall not counting my crewcut and construction boots, mesomorph AND fat.
I'll look like a circus clown riding one of those too-tiny bicycles.

 

[BritKLR]

Great find! Love the old machines!

 

[rayra]

Haven't had time to really dig into it yet, have a bunch of other stuff I have to take care of first. But here's a couple more pics. It was a nice piece of furniture, too. Note the chair back woodgrain. The top took some abuse though. I'm sorely tempted to refinish the cabinet too. But have to see if there's any greater value in leaving it the way it is. I'm already thinking I need to make a new gold decal for the deck and really repaint it as the surface is so tattered it'll snag the lightweight fabrics I've been messing with.

eta LOL, look at this!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pfaff-Model-30-130-Sewing-Machine-Restoration-Decals-/382849692300
https://smmavin.blogspot.com/2015/07/what-was-old-is-new-again.html


This is going to be a fun project.

 

[BritKLR]

Tailors chalk. When you have to make marks on your project, particularly on the outside of the project that will be seen, consider using wax based Tailors chalk versus the standard white chalk based tailors chalk. The waxed chalk will disappear when you warm it with a Bic lighter so that you have no unsightly chalk marks all over your project. Good luck.

 

[rayra]

You remind me that I need to hem some pants

 

[BritKLR]

You remind me that I need to hem some pants

In or out??

 

[rayra]

Out, sorta. I'm on the wrong side of the inseam vs waistline graph, so I have to shorten the legs on some new chore / construction work pants as all the shorter-leg ones are sold out everywhere.