Early Retirement Extreme Forums

Thanks shemp, and ertyu. This is all very interesting. DW's grandmother's sewing machine has been gathering dust at our house for years, and it's long over due we learn how to use it. I'm especially intrigued about the possibility of being able to make a pair of casual pants, to wear around the house and to run errands, etc. Something like this: https://www.backcountry.com/patagonia-o ... -pant-mens; but that I can make sure fits exactly the way I want to and is made out of the exact material I want. I think it'd also be great to be able to make kids' uniform pants/shorts for my kids' school, for my own kids but also just to give away to the kids at the school that are on financial need. Or, perhaps, charge some parents for the pants/shorts but then put the proceeds in some sort of uniform fund for parents that need it, or a scholarship fund. Anyway, this all may be more labor intensive than I'm envisioning, but it seems like once you've got a couple patterns down and know where and how to source the material, this is stuff that could be knocked out "relatively" quickly (relative to, say, just dealing with all the hassles involved with buying clothes retail).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=td0ruRl ... nRealStyle

t-shirt fitting for idiots: very well explained.

Once I clicked on this one, the algo had no problem directing me to "how to slim a dress shirt", "how to hem and taper your jeans" and the like.

Seeing stuff like this, being re-sold on our neighborhood page for $7, which apparently is what the poster paid new, really reminds me how much of a consumption-first mindset so many of us (including me, for sure) have. I mean, how difficult could it possibly be to make something like this, if you've got a sewing machine? (Not to mention how many plastic bags most folks accumulate in a week, which would work just as well as a lunch bag). Also, I need to start making these and selling them for $10 to my in-fill, gentrifying neighbors--because unlike Trader Joe's, my bags are "locally made" from "locally sourced materials" (i.e., I got the material from the Joann's down the street).

Sewing is time consuming and doesn't save money initially. However, consider my pants. Materials (including fabric, thread, needles, webbing, elastic, plastic buckle) costs about $20. About 8 hours labor to cut and sew, now that pattern is finished and well understood. One pair of pants lasts at least two years of daily use (my only pants. In other words). Black color, so works both as dress pants (if matched with store bought dress shirt) and rugged pants for outdoor hiking/bicycling and loose exercise pants for yoga or martial arts. Rolled up legs work in hot weather. Rolled down legs sufficient protection in cold dry weather. (Cold rainy weather very difficult if outdoors for extended periods, especially with wind. Rainpants works if standing still, polypro fishnet under pants is best solution if active. I just call it quits when faced with cold rain plus wind. Set up shelter and hibernate until rain stops.) Rolled up waist causes pants to fit snugly at crotch to avoid chafing thighs in hot weather. No need for underpants. No matter how dirty (not counting dirt like engine grease), pants can be washed clean in 1 minute in cold water using ordinary shampoo or liquid hand soap, then dry in 15 minutes outdoors in hot dry sunny weather or at most in several hours indoors in cold humid weather. Pine sap stains easily removed using alcohol or nail polish remover. Loops to allow hanging hidden wallets against outer thighs, to protect from pickpockets. Very lightweight (250 grams).

In other words, the $20 plus 8 hours investment pays off mightily over the next 2 years in terms of greatly simplified life. One pair of sturdy, lightweight, good-looking, custom-fitted pants that works for everything and can be quickly washed and dried. And that 2 years lifespan is only because I am cautious about replacing gear frequently. I could probably get 5 years use.

@shemp - Dunno if you mentioned it explicitly before, but based on the description, material, and other hints, I'm suspecting you're making these? http://www.rayjardine.com/ray-way/Shell-Pants/index.htm

Hristo Botev wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 01, 2020 2:21 pm

my bags are "locally made" from "locally sourced materials" (i.e., I got the material from the Joann's down the street).

Amen to that brother! This bag took 20min to sew up. Arguably, the $2 version from Trader Joe’s checkout is a better deal time wise. However, of all my accessories, this one has broken more ice than anything I carry around. I get in a lot of conversations at the market regarding these bags. If I were a single guy on the prowl it would be well worth the 20 min investment. I think the only thing I had that was better at breaking ice was my dog when she was 8 weeks old.

The script goes like this,
“Hey is that bag made of old mailers? Whoa, did you sew that? That is so cool I wish I could sew.” “Hey that’s clever, did you get that for free?” “Is it something I can learn?” “Do you sell those?” “What kind of machine do you use?”

Priceless for ice breaking. Better yet, the Birky bag types turn up their noses and walk the other direction. Just sayin’ for the shy guys must have prop.

jacob wrote: ↑

Fri Oct 02, 2020 11:03 am

@shemp - Dunno if you mentioned it explicitly before, but based on the description, material, and other hints, I'm suspecting you're making these? http://www.rayjardine.com/ray-way/Shell-Pants/index.htm

Problem with Jardine's pants are numerous, from my point of view:
1) He uses light colored ripstop or similar slippery nylon to avoid ticks, but such fabric looks cheap for city use, especially fancy nightclubs. I use heavier 4oz/sqyd black taslan, which looks and feels like cotton (though far more durable and faster drying than cotton) which is good enough for city use, since people don't focus on pants, especially if black color, other than poor fit around buttocks and leg length. As for ticks, I have my own ways of avoiding them.
2) Elastic cuffs on ankles, so pants can't be rolled up in hot weather, plus they would look absurd in the city for dress purposes.
3) No front side seam pockets, which are very useful for so many things.
4) Saggy rear end. Because I am lean (as is Jardine) waist is narrower than hips, and so pants must be designed with waist narrower to avoid saggy rear end (using dart along side seam to shrink waist). So how to get narrow waisted pants past wide hips without zipper? By pulling hard, that's how, since pants waist is cut just exactly wide enough to slip past hips. Once pants are pulled past hips, plenty roomy enough for yoga or martial arts, but also perfectly fitting against buttocks, to avoid that saggy ass look, as if wearing a full diaper underneath.
5) No webbing belt, just elastic. With smartphone in left front pocket, secret wallet with passport, etc hanging down right side, coin purse in right pocket, amd maybe hands in both pockets as well, elastic alone insufficient to keep pants from slipping down from all this weight. Installing webbing belt in elastic tunnel is easy, just need two big buttonholes at the front to let the belt emerge for the buckle.