Intro to DIY outdoor soft goods

[zloomis]

Hey, I'm interested in starting to sew my own gear, but I have no idea where to start. What is the cheapest sewing machine to get me started? Can all sewing machines handle heavy canvas and cordura or should I stick with Silny? Do I need special thread for outdoor gear? Is the stitching different than the sewing our moms used to do? Thanks for any insight to a total newbie

 

[ROJO23]

i have a singer 4432 and I have sewn 1000d cordura just fine. I personally have a tough time sewing the very thin ripstop fabrics. They are very slippery and to me are hard to hold even while sewing. The thicker materials are much easier to sew in my opinion.

to me the stitching is the same, and most machines have numerous stitching patterns you can select from. Best thing to do is get a machine, and some cheap fabric and just have fun.

this is the first thing I sewed and this is the video I watched

 

[Mt Al]

Not all machines can handle multiple layers of heavy canvas but most simple machines will handle the Cordura most of us would be using. As Rojo mentioned, "get a machine, some cheap fabric and just have fun" The price on that Singer is amazing! The cost to tune, time, lube, etc, an industrial machine would cost that much alone if you had to hire someone to do it. Watch YouTube tutorials, start simple and work your way up.

If you start making really heavy duty gear with multiple layers, with webbing sandwiched between, then taping the seams you'd need a walking foot. For 99% of us, the Singer Rojo listed above will work fine.

Back in the day, we used "69 boot thread". Not sure what companies use now.

Post pics when you pull the trigger!