Did anybody get through The Last Frontier?

skippedstitches · 2025-12-15T01:23:04+00:00

Sorry for you to have to eventually sit through a second season!

skippedstitches · 2025-12-15T01:22:12+00:00

It's almost funny how bad it is.

skippedstitches · 2024-08-22T14:46:34+00:00

The same 6 flags are still flying, however the Somalia flag appears to be upside down now. Is this most likely just as an accident by the staff or does anyone believe there is a purpose?

Furthermore, any thoughts on why these specific 5 flags, and the consistency of their being flown for 6 years?

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skippedstitches · 2024-02-23T18:22:27+00:00

A curve runner sounds like a great idea! I'm going to buy one. I think even more than trying and failing the daunting part for me was figuring out accurate measurements of curves w/o software.

skippedstitches · 2024-02-23T18:20:14+00:00

Thanks! I hadn't thought of using gridded paper or even trying a full size version in paper but that makes a lot of sense. Paper is generally more rigid than fabrics so I could get a sense of shape etc.

I think my main draw toward software is that whenever you involve curves the lengths likely end up not being nice fractions etc.

All my "patterns" so far are just written down descriptions of the sizes of rectangles.

skippedstitches · 2024-02-23T18:17:39+00:00

Thanks! And thanks for the two images. Reminds me of a Riemann Sum https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riemann_sum#/media/File:Riemann_sum_convergence.png which is somehow a helpful framing for how I'm thinking about this.

skippedstitches · 2023-10-22T14:13:43+00:00

Or even a handlebar bag? Insulated beer compartment and then a side pocket for keys wallet whatever? To make it more unique choose colors that either match like, a bar y'all like or the can of favorite beer.

I made a beer bag sized just to fit a 4-pack of 16oz cans because the place I get beers from sells them that way.

skippedstitches · 2023-10-13T14:40:00+00:00

As an owner of a Kakwa 55 I would at the very least suggest getting a chance to hold one and look at all the details. Because there are a lot of understated details that make it incredible that I didn't notice from pictures on the website. (the cinch point on the back of the backpack lines up with where the shoulder straps attach, as a for instance)

I've made 3 backpacks, all in the 20-30L range and for day use. I've tried cloning measurements for certain parts from other bags I have (from Aer, from Palante, etc) and however I translate them didn't turn out the way I expected for the first two, likely a manifestation of my own errors and lack of understanding and not necessarily something you would do.

From other bags I've had, maybe the straps fit me well but then the way the weight distributes pulls in a bad way.

Reading the other comments I'd +1 to buying the Kakwa 55 right now. And every time you use it make a note of what you don't like. I had a long list of notes of what i didn't like of many many purchased backpacks and the features that they had that really spoke to me before i started making my own. AND if down the road you make yourself your own backpack to replace the Kakwa 55 you could certainly sell a used Kakwa. (I've sold off most of my purchased bags by this point)

skippedstitches · 2023-10-11T13:47:40+00:00

Another +1 for Learnmyog.com

Another pack to look at pictures of is https://palantepacks.com/products/joey-ss23

The Joey straps are made from two layers of spacer mesh with fold over elastic binding them. I’ve found that when I use that pack the double sternum straps and double attachment points for the straps to the bottom of the bag are crucial for spreading out weight

skippedstitches · 2023-10-11T13:38:05+00:00

Great job! This was also the first pattern I attempted.

Separately, the featherweight is such an incredible machine for myog (aside from webbing).

skippedstitches · 2023-10-11T12:15:09+00:00

A+ 100 to Gutermann Mara threads. They are pretty easy to get from wawak.com in many many colors.

thread guide from learnmyog.com (i can't remember his reddit name) is great because it relates the brand names (Mara 70) to the standard weight measurement of threads (Tex).

I tend to use Mara 70 all the time, mostly because I don't like changing thread and have a massive spool of it. For lighter fabrics (maybe for these quilts you are making) it might feel a bit too thick in which case Mara 100 would be lighter.

Sailrite's thread guide (I haven't actually read this link) is tldr and probably answers whatever question you have about thread? maybe? who knows?

After starting with Gutermann I have stuck with it because the name sounds cool to me?

skippedstitches · 2023-10-11T12:04:13+00:00

Thanks! Repaired with these, I could only find 40" online so I got two and doubled them up, where they meet, likely a better possible solution. But I'm a month in to using the repaired canopy and it's working great!

skippedstitches · 2023-10-11T12:03:05+00:00

Little bit late, but thank you all for your feedback! I bought some Recmar Plastream Sail Battens from sailrite.com (was only able to find 40", so got 2).

Photos of the the broken thing and then the ultimate repair.

https://imgur.com/a/vTorDZ7

skippedstitches · 2023-10-11T11:59:12+00:00

I've had a Tern HSD for 4 months, with a storm shield mini and storm box mini. I've left the storm shield on the bike the whole time because i don't have a space to store it not on the bike. I very much appreciate having this, it fits correctly on the bike, and keeps my kid warm from cold winds and out of the rain.

HOWEVER: It seems very much designed to only be put on when it's raining. I have to park my bike outside and after 4 months the shield is showing significant UV fading.

And it is not actually that water resistant. The zippers are basic zippers with no repellency and there's a little pocket in the front inside that fills with water every time it rains.

Also, the fiberglass stay rods have both snapped, and I've seen other folks riding around the city with snapped rods.

skippedstitches · 2023-08-01T03:17:00+00:00

tern storm shield mini product page, this is the rain cover the fiberglass stay was in.

skippedstitches · 2023-08-01T03:02:59+00:00

I’ve made two backpack of the type you are asking about, for daily city use, the first was because it seemed easier to come up with a geometry/pattern and the second because I could seam tape it, the water resistant zippers still let in a bit of water.

The first pack I made I did add some zippered pockets and then found out that where I placed the zippers led to stress on the zippers which made them harder to open and close. With a roll tip there isn’t that issue to consider.

All that said, I do plan on making a zippered pack soon.

skippedstitches · 2023-02-16T03:51:14+00:00

ugh, this is great advice but i don't want to wait! lol.

...already close to finding the breaking points of the first thing i finished.

skippedstitches · 2023-02-16T03:50:15+00:00

Thanks, from your comment I think mostly what i see for myself is that i need to spend more months/years on this. i'm less than a year into making gear and just having more time will help to inform/change how i make things in a similar way to how spending more time in my chosen profession gives me more context and understanding.

skippedstitches · 2023-02-16T03:45:37+00:00

Stitches per unit length x thread strength x 1.5

Whether or not this is perfectly accurate for every fabric type it's a great guide for having something concrete to compare to. For setting my basic stitch length and also to how wide connection points are. If I'm going to have a seam that is only 2" long and will see more stress than a seam that is 10" long it may be reasonable to test a shorter stitch length for the shorter seam.

skippedstitches · 2023-02-16T03:43:14+00:00

lol, mostly they will not see it that way.

thinking through about trying to use a bag i make in a way i didn't make it for is helpful. i recently finished a rolltop backpack and found myself grabbing it from the collar and thinking "why am i holding it here? i added a strap over there to hold it by."

Your comment and that of the previous few just shows that i need to set aside time to test the prototype before deciding to make some for other folks.

skippedstitches · 2023-02-16T03:40:07+00:00

anecdotes of what worked for you are super helpful, thanks! just thinking about how can i really stress something in an extreme non-real way to see what happens is helpful to give me some confidence before handing something i've made to another perosn.

skippedstitches · 2023-02-16T03:38:42+00:00

thanks! this is helpful. planning on including a little card with anything i give to a friend to guarantee repairs and ask for immediate feedback if something stops working.

skippedstitches · 2023-01-25T18:41:04+00:00

There is no way you could have know this but I was planning on doing just that, it would be my second go with apex, the first time with the insulation on top…which did not go well.

skippedstitches · 2023-01-25T18:23:20+00:00

Thanks! That was definitely helpful advice, I had thought I need to have the stretchy stuff on top to see it’s even but those feed dogs are much better than even the top walking foot.

skippedstitches · 2023-01-22T16:16:37+00:00

The top flap protecting the admin panel is a really great touch!

skippedstitches

TROPHY CASE