Hey Makers!
Matt from Red Paw here. I just released a new video + sewing pattern for a 30L "Alpine" style roll top backpack with optional side zip. It's a really simple backpack to make, perhaps the easiest I could think up, that works for hiking or climbing trips and allows you to customize it to your own needs.

This one is a full hour of tips and techniques to make the bag, showing the use of darts as structure to the bag, larger panel design for minimalist patterning and installing a massive zipper to give you two options for opening/closing the bag.

Our videos are always free and getting the patterns cost a modest amount of $$. To celebrate the launch of this new pattern, all of our patterns (including this one) are 20% off.

Even if you don't want to build this particular bag, I think the video is useful for the various techniques I show. Let me know what patterns you'd like to see next!

I bought a BRS 3000T and needed a windshield because these stoves tend to perform way worse in winds above 2 mph.

Flatcat Gear makes great ones, but shipping to Germany costs around $70 for some reason.

So I decided to make my own. My problem was that it's really difficult to attach a windshield to the stove because it's so tiny. My solution was to clip the shield (made from a one-litre beer can) to the TOAKS 750 ml pot I'm using.

So far it works great, and the canister doesn't get too hot. It only weighs 32 g, which is about the same as the Flatcat Gear ones. I could probably trim a bit more material off the top, but for now I'll leave it as it is.

I'm open to suggestions, so let me know if there's anything you'd do differently!

*Mostly. The flap for bringing a rain jacket or extra layer was inspired by the Swift Industries anchor hip pack, and the hip straps were lifted directly from Stitchback Gear’s excellent canyon rope bag.

First time drafting my own pattern. This is a roll-top hip pack in Robic ripstop for Big Dumb Rides. Exterior flap for storing an extra layer, interior pocket, molle on the sides for adding extra water bottle holders when the ride requires. The hip straps tuck away and the whole thing can become a handlebar bag.

It was a great learning exercise in order of operations, and I already have a laundry list of improvements for v2.

Bought a cheap Elna a couple weeks ago, took a short course of sewing basics & have now completed my first project, a 2 zip/compartment with a removable shelf.

Stoked how it turned out, and really enjoyed the process it felt great making something and hope to continue :)

Good friend is due in November and got this finished just in time for tomorrows baby shower!

Based off rip stop by the roll’s pattern but with some major tweaks including front + inside pockets, zipper + magnetic closure, and shoulder strap.

Xpac inside and out with some recycled dyneema sails for that extra bling.

Learned a lot on this one, mostly fanny packs and personal projects - first time making a full item for someone else behind a pouch or stuff sack.

Many seams were ripped but happy with the end product and functionality.

Great bag but just too deep/awkward for my kiddos school books.

Had an older Flash 18 with a front pocket and while I like the side pouch on the newer versions of these Flash backpacks, I still missed the front pocket, so I added one. Zipper on left this time though.

I just back stitched the whole thing by hand.

I re-used a zipper from an old jacket, so it was warped coming into the project and resulted in a mess of a stitch.

Added a piece of webbing to hold a bike tail light for night walking/biking.

First pic is fully packed without using front pocket

Second pic is fully packed plus stuffed front pocket with 4 beanies.

Bonus last pic: I added a strap to hold the admin panel pockets from sliding down/over when backpack is tilted away from you. The old version used a spandex band on the top of that flap and it would flop over, but this time it's grosgrain so it's not as bad. Still useful IMO.

All in all, a cockamamie plan kinda worked? Fabrics aren't matched and are different shades of black, the stitching is sketchy at parts and aint pretty, zero waterproofness but don't really care... I'm content with it lol

Volume added by pure calculation: 2.5 liters

Hand sewn. Had some old samples from an UK online shop and decided to put them to good use. Looks ratty but does the job. ✨

*My fingers hurt

Yes yes, Prickly Gorse does not actually have a 2.5+15L pattern available, I made this bag up as I went, with a few pictures taken but honestly very few notes. 

Back when I was starting my MYOG journey, I printed, taped and laminated the large fanny patch and Summit pack patterns, so while I was proceeding with this project pretty aimlessly, when I cut pattern pieces, I was starting with the MYOG Tutorial pattern pieces as starting points. 

for the point where they connect, I just took the summit pack front panel, overlayed the fannypack panel, and added two seam allowances so that I could sew them together. 

about the pack:

Fanny pack works about how the MYOG Tutorials version does. Same front pocket, with an added pass through zipper that I can "lock" with a mittenhook if I really need, and an attachment point for cinch straps from the wings. 

main body is likewise pretty stitch for stitch from the original pattern, orange ripstop inners for visibility with some stretch pockets and another pass through zipper going back into the body of the bag. 

Bottom of the fannypack has OG venom stretch mesh as a trash pocket which also conceals the webbing ladder used to attach the optional shock cord third strap. Waterbottle sleeve attaches to the bottom with lil olive toggles through cord loops

Wings are entirely freehand and original, which is why they're merely okay. Incredibly comfortable and work perfectly when worn as a fannypack/hip belt, they load a little strangely when worn as a shoulder sling, which I do most of the time. The cinch strap and venom stretch hold the pack to a fairly slim profile when the main pocket isn't filled, but can easily be expanded to hold things like a 1L nalgene. 

back panel is 3d spacer mesh, wrong side out, with orange liner+quilting (is that the term?)

The +15L summit pack is kept intentionally minimalist, it's got a DCF panel where it meets the fannypack, for some minimal structure, but is just a big single zip bag, 210d gridstop back, 1.8oz airwave front. (That's right, more than a hammock fabric)

The fannypack has no structure added, the binding front and back of the backpack to the fannypack panels adds a ton of structural stiffness, and the bag itself pads the back when tucked away. 

Fabric mounted buckles on either side will instead meet the top of the pack when opened, but can easily be switched around to switch which shoulder the bag sits on. 

Backpack portion has a CSM poly + pallet banding horizontal stiffener which is replaceable/removable, but makes the bag look a lot better when opened. 

Full 420° circumferential zipper opens the bag section, was neat figuring out how to sew it. 

Bag isn't bright and shiny in these photos because most of them are after 4 months of daily use + international travel. 

As always, shout out to the MYOG discord server. It's tons of fun and now pretty active. https://discord.gg/CruyFfVRVZ

I’ve wanted to get a frame bag for my bikepacking bike for a while now but I don’t have the funds to buy one at the moment. I decided to use some scraps in my project bin to make my own and I think the result actually suits my bike pretty well.

I didn’t take any construction pictures but I do have some before/after pics of the waxing process. I’m still a novice sewist so the stitching is a bit sloppy and questionable in places, and I unintentionally put the zipper on the non-drive side. I added some grommets so I could screw it into the bottle cage mounts as well. Initially after making the bag it was a little floppy but the wax has given it a nice stiffness that helps it to hold its shape much better. Waxed canvas is a bit outdated as an outdoors material but it’s what I had on hand, I’m interested to see how it holds up to PNW rain.

I like the result more than I expected to. I have some more materials so I think I’m going to make a top tube bag to match it.

I have an old 60m rope that I want to turn into a rug as a Christmas gift for my parents, but we’re a neurospicy family and I know the texture of hard rope under bare feet would be hard for some of us. I know it’s a pain to take the core out of a rope but I’ve done it before and am willing to do it again if I can figure out the rug part.

I’m wondering if weaving with flat material will mess up the corners? Should I try to weave this as one normally would, or should I sew four strands together and weave them all at once? I’m open to any suggestions anyone might have (and other rectangular-ish patterns if someone has one that would work better coreless!). Thanks!

I’ve been using Challenge RBC fabric to design this bottle holder for canoes recently. Tried it on the water the other weekend and it went great! Stops the annoying inevitable bottle rolling around in the bottom of the boat.

Simple bifold wallet made out of Ecopak.

Nice little afternoon project, but my walking foot did struggle with some of the seams getting caught underneath.

Made a folding cookware stand from scratch (stainless steel)

I work in precision machining, so I had access to a lathe and machining center and figured I’d try making my own trivet/pot stand for solo camping.

Turned some scrap round bar into legs, screwed them into a ring I machined out of a block of 304 stainless. Did a 30-min fire test before trusting it with actual cooking — held up with zero issues, no loosening on the threads even after cooling and reheating a few times.

Currently using it with my mess tin over a small fire pit, works great for boiling water or heating food directly over flame.

Mostly just proud of how it turned out!

Basically, I want to either buy or make something like these shoes!

I have cobbling experience, and have either sheer rubber from a tractor inner tube or leather to work with.

The rubber would probably work better if it was glued with rubber vulvanizing cement, clamped around seams.