I’m not a huge MOYG-er and what I make is generally on the very simple side but I do make bits and pieces from time to time, I like crafting and I realised that Make Your Own Gear is a valid outdoors category that can combine travel, outdoors and sewing.
There will be no patterns here. I don’t follow patterns, I make up my own. That’s not a boast: I don’t really get patterns and “making up my own” is more along the lines of improvising with no real idea what I’m doing and then being delighted when it turns out ok. You can follow my processes here – some of them are quite easy to copy and some of them maybe will give you an idea of how to think about things for yourself.
I don’t claim to be a good sewist but I’ve got quite enthusiastic about it in the last couple of years. I’ve been sewing my own badges on my camp blanket for years and I’ve made a few drawstring bags but between 2020 and 2022, I’ve started going a bit more experimental and a bit… More Things I sewed for travel and adventure
For the last little while, I’ve been kind of jealous when I go hiking with other people because their bags have little pockets on the hip belts. They’re really useful and my bag doesn’t have them! I like my bag and I’m not looking to replace it but I do want belt pockets. So I’ve… More MYOG: hip belt pockets for my hiking day bag
This is the most ridiculous thing ever. I made a washing-up bag. When I go camping, I never have washing-up stuff. I traipse across a field carrying my plate and bowl and knife and spoon, I find a rusty sink tucked away behind the standpipe and of course, it doesn’t have any washing-up liquid or… More The camping kit-list: my washing-up bag!
Back in the good old days, you could hand your torn caving suit over to Dragon and they’d fix it for you. But that’s not an option in these post-Dragon days. So when I realised quite how extensive the tear in my suit was, I turned to the internet. “How to repair a caving suit”… More How to repair a caving suit