recycled banner golden mean messenger bags
last summer L. and i wanted to steal one of those orange banners that announced the minimal future exhibition at the MOCA with a richard serra piece to make a bag out of it a la freitag. imagine that, a richard serra bag. we even profiled a few lightposts that we could climb to get the material but never did it. L. bough some vinyl downtown and we did some things with it and decided that we liked the material so the idea hanged on. a few weeks ago i was riding home from work and after stopping to check two bicycle shop dumpsters (you know, they thrash all kinds of usable stuff) i went by certain banner printing place to check if they were throwing any banners away and surprise! their dumpsters were full of material. there were people working that day and the shops were open to the alley but i grabbed a big piece of vinyl and rolled away in my skinny bike. i must have looked like a cat grabbing a big chunk of cheese. one block away i folded the thing and strapped it to my bag.
so it was time to make a messenger bag. once confronted with the design issue i looked around in the web but couldn't find anything that specific. well, a lot of bags i'd like to have and some features worth trying. in one visit to the kitchen Jimmy showed me his bags and the things he liked about them, one from chrome and one from P.A.C designs. i definitely like those chromes too. i drew a crude sketch of the chrome with a sharpie on a postal envelope i found and stuffed it in my pocket. then, that night, i took a sketch book and a pencil and an internet enabled computer and drew a first proposal for the pattern. i wanted to use the golden ratio (if you don't know about it check out this introduction) in the design so i watched this animation i like a lot about the fibonacci sequence a couple of times and visited a couple of sites about the golden ratio. you know, the thing is everywhere, body, art, nature, literature, corporate logos. so, i thought, messenger bags, why not? there is no guarantee that something based on the "divine proportion" is going to be pleasing to the eye, or magically entwined with the nature of the cosmos. but for me it served as a starting point. an interesting starting point. i began with a simple 3x5 rectangle (any rectangle built with consecutive numbers of the fibonacci sequence approximates a golden rectangle) that would be the shape of the bag when closed. to see it open, i made an equal rectangle on top. the location of pockets and flaps was determined by the unit (1). and hence the central pocket would be a golden rectangle as well:
this first sketch looked rather square to me so i traced the larger side of a triangle with sides 1 and 2 in the lower corners of my original rectangle and that rendered the second sketch:
and happy with this one i went on to make a prototype with some of the stuff i found days before. some kind of mesh vinyl very easy to sew. this is the first prototype:
and it looked and felt good so i went on to make a full featured bigger version with that shape. the straps and small plastic buckles came from shopping carts. you know, L.A. is full of orphan shopping carts, they appear in every corner in every possible sad state. they are to L.A. what umbrellas are to New York. so, yes, i took those straps and buckles in a gesture that is to me like picking up sea shells at the beach. the city is in many ways like the sea, and so it gives a lot. i took the big buckle from a suitcase in certain chain store. i bought the velcro and found the foam for the shoulder strap in the thrash. when i sewed the velcro on the front flap the stitches were visible so i decided to sew the clear vinyl on top. i think it adds some appeal and the possibility to customize the bag with anything you want to put there. to start with i put some little tarot cards i had, including the one that i'm planning to use as a logo. the border of the flap is made out of a bicycle tube.
when the bag was ready i took it for a test ride during my daily commute to work. first disadvantage: the material doesn't breath so your back can get wet. not many messenger bags are made with breathable materials and this happens very often. but i'm thinking about using a different material in the back to ensure certain transpiration. someone suggested to put some detachable part that you can wash anytime, i might try that but i don't know how good is velcro on your back, or if the hardcore cyclist ever thought about washing his messenger bag. i also took it to december's midnight ride and received a lot of encouraging commentaries (thanks a lot people).
this one handles o.k. with a big load but i wasn't happy with the shape yet. i think the stabilizing strap is too high and the shoulder strap is a little stiff. my next attempt was a golden rectangle folded in half:
it renders a big big bag that covers your whole back. it is very deep and the flap has a lot of surface. i only made one prototype but i like it. it closes well even without velcro and has a lot of room, but it is a little square and i don't think it would make a good all-around bag.
then i made some drawings of the way this kind of bag is positioned in someone's back and it occurred to me that i should use the shape were the golden ratio appears most naturally: a pentagram. just to think about the history of this shape can make your head spin. from Pythagoras to Marilyn Manson. but on the other side, it is like the play dough of shapes. you can make so many things with it and yet it retains its properties. so i drew the basic shape of the bag using a pentagram:
a very easy way to determine the length of the sides is to use three consecutive numbers of the fibonacci sequence. first you choose the total length of the bag (a) and then the numbers before that one are the lengths of (b) and (c) in the illustration. the height is calculated using the Pythagorean theorem : h2 + (c/2)2 = b2 in this case. (it sounds fancy but i bet you learned this in highschool).
so if you want a 55cm long bag, the length of (b) will be 34cm and (c) will be 21cm. the height would be 32.34cm:
i used a fibonacci calculator to find the approximated numbers of my bag. i wanted a 48cm bag so this were the three consecutive numbers which i roughly converted to centimeters :
the figures above illustrate the measures but the actual pattern i used looks like the following because you have to add the botton and the sides of the bag:
or even like this if you want to cut the whole thing in one piece:
and here is the first bag i made with this pattern:
i'm still working on the way the strap is attached to the bag. in all the other bags it was sewed on but in this one i decided to try a different way so i sewed just the "D-rings" to the bag (like the one you can see in the pic from the side) and the strap is attached to them. i'm not totally convinced about this yet but i like the general shape. for the strap i'd love to get my hands on some car seatbelts. the central pocket was made folding a piece of material that has the shape of the orange part in the picture above so it goes according to the other lines of the design. the interior is made of a lighter fabric (a flag actually). and the border of the flap is made out of bicycle tube. that tube is one of the hardest things to sew on but i've discovered some tricks along the way. it's also the part were our sewing machine lets me know i'm totally pushing her limits.
well, the thing is evolving at its own pace. i've found inspiration and support in the people that surround me and i want to thank them for that. big thanks! (you know who you are). i also want to give to the world and that's why i'm sharing this part of the process. i'd love to see what others do with the same patterns so i'm giving them away with a creative commons license which means that you can freely use them for yourself, copy, modify or distribute them, but if you are going to use them for commercial purposes you need my permission (read more here).
here are some links that i found quite inspiring:
Updates:
-excerpt of an interview about making these bags.
-the following is the pattern i've been using for the latest bags. i've simplified the top and made it so the lateral seams end in the center of the bottom part. this also allows an easier way of attaching the straps directly into these seams. this new pattern still renders the same shape:
- Bre from Make Magazine did a really cool podcast (video) making messenger bags out of plastic bags, he used the pattern above with a couple of modifications. Here is his illustration:
Check out the podcast here:
http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/2007/06/make_a_messenger_bag_out_1.html
There is also a PDF with instructions here:
http://cachefly.oreilly.com/make/wp_messengerbag.pdf
Thanks Bre!
- i had a link for "recent work" but now it's not so recent (as of aug/2007), besides it was a photoset on flickr and my free account had more than 200 pics so i moved all the bag pics to a new photoset on zooomr, here is the link
so it was time to make a messenger bag. once confronted with the design issue i looked around in the web but couldn't find anything that specific. well, a lot of bags i'd like to have and some features worth trying. in one visit to the kitchen Jimmy showed me his bags and the things he liked about them, one from chrome and one from P.A.C designs. i definitely like those chromes too. i drew a crude sketch of the chrome with a sharpie on a postal envelope i found and stuffed it in my pocket. then, that night, i took a sketch book and a pencil and an internet enabled computer and drew a first proposal for the pattern. i wanted to use the golden ratio (if you don't know about it check out this introduction) in the design so i watched this animation i like a lot about the fibonacci sequence a couple of times and visited a couple of sites about the golden ratio. you know, the thing is everywhere, body, art, nature, literature, corporate logos. so, i thought, messenger bags, why not? there is no guarantee that something based on the "divine proportion" is going to be pleasing to the eye, or magically entwined with the nature of the cosmos. but for me it served as a starting point. an interesting starting point. i began with a simple 3x5 rectangle (any rectangle built with consecutive numbers of the fibonacci sequence approximates a golden rectangle) that would be the shape of the bag when closed. to see it open, i made an equal rectangle on top. the location of pockets and flaps was determined by the unit (1). and hence the central pocket would be a golden rectangle as well:
this first sketch looked rather square to me so i traced the larger side of a triangle with sides 1 and 2 in the lower corners of my original rectangle and that rendered the second sketch:
and happy with this one i went on to make a prototype with some of the stuff i found days before. some kind of mesh vinyl very easy to sew. this is the first prototype:
and it looked and felt good so i went on to make a full featured bigger version with that shape. the straps and small plastic buckles came from shopping carts. you know, L.A. is full of orphan shopping carts, they appear in every corner in every possible sad state. they are to L.A. what umbrellas are to New York. so, yes, i took those straps and buckles in a gesture that is to me like picking up sea shells at the beach. the city is in many ways like the sea, and so it gives a lot. i took the big buckle from a suitcase in certain chain store. i bought the velcro and found the foam for the shoulder strap in the thrash. when i sewed the velcro on the front flap the stitches were visible so i decided to sew the clear vinyl on top. i think it adds some appeal and the possibility to customize the bag with anything you want to put there. to start with i put some little tarot cards i had, including the one that i'm planning to use as a logo. the border of the flap is made out of a bicycle tube.
when the bag was ready i took it for a test ride during my daily commute to work. first disadvantage: the material doesn't breath so your back can get wet. not many messenger bags are made with breathable materials and this happens very often. but i'm thinking about using a different material in the back to ensure certain transpiration. someone suggested to put some detachable part that you can wash anytime, i might try that but i don't know how good is velcro on your back, or if the hardcore cyclist ever thought about washing his messenger bag. i also took it to december's midnight ride and received a lot of encouraging commentaries (thanks a lot people).
this one handles o.k. with a big load but i wasn't happy with the shape yet. i think the stabilizing strap is too high and the shoulder strap is a little stiff. my next attempt was a golden rectangle folded in half:
it renders a big big bag that covers your whole back. it is very deep and the flap has a lot of surface. i only made one prototype but i like it. it closes well even without velcro and has a lot of room, but it is a little square and i don't think it would make a good all-around bag.
then i made some drawings of the way this kind of bag is positioned in someone's back and it occurred to me that i should use the shape were the golden ratio appears most naturally: a pentagram. just to think about the history of this shape can make your head spin. from Pythagoras to Marilyn Manson. but on the other side, it is like the play dough of shapes. you can make so many things with it and yet it retains its properties. so i drew the basic shape of the bag using a pentagram:
a very easy way to determine the length of the sides is to use three consecutive numbers of the fibonacci sequence. first you choose the total length of the bag (a) and then the numbers before that one are the lengths of (b) and (c) in the illustration. the height is calculated using the Pythagorean theorem : h2 + (c/2)2 = b2 in this case. (it sounds fancy but i bet you learned this in highschool).
so if you want a 55cm long bag, the length of (b) will be 34cm and (c) will be 21cm. the height would be 32.34cm:
i used a fibonacci calculator to find the approximated numbers of my bag. i wanted a 48cm bag so this were the three consecutive numbers which i roughly converted to centimeters :
... 1836311903 - 2971215073 - 4807526976 ...
the figures above illustrate the measures but the actual pattern i used looks like the following because you have to add the botton and the sides of the bag:
or even like this if you want to cut the whole thing in one piece:
i'm still working on the way the strap is attached to the bag. in all the other bags it was sewed on but in this one i decided to try a different way so i sewed just the "D-rings" to the bag (like the one you can see in the pic from the side) and the strap is attached to them. i'm not totally convinced about this yet but i like the general shape. for the strap i'd love to get my hands on some car seatbelts. the central pocket was made folding a piece of material that has the shape of the orange part in the picture above so it goes according to the other lines of the design. the interior is made of a lighter fabric (a flag actually). and the border of the flap is made out of bicycle tube. that tube is one of the hardest things to sew on but i've discovered some tricks along the way. it's also the part were our sewing machine lets me know i'm totally pushing her limits.
well, the thing is evolving at its own pace. i've found inspiration and support in the people that surround me and i want to thank them for that. big thanks! (you know who you are). i also want to give to the world and that's why i'm sharing this part of the process. i'd love to see what others do with the same patterns so i'm giving them away with a creative commons license which means that you can freely use them for yourself, copy, modify or distribute them, but if you are going to use them for commercial purposes you need my permission (read more here).
here are some links that i found quite inspiring:
- a short history of the modern messenger bag and a list of bag manufacturers from the respectable people at messengers.org
- p.a.c designs offers a very comprehensive list and resources for the materials they use, i like that, very open.
- this french bags are very appealing: cocotte equipment. and they have lots of pictures.
- those r.e. loads are soooo custom made and the web site has many pictures.
- review of a chrome messenger bag that i found helpful for some reason.
- some do-it-yourself bicycle proyects , i'd like to make some clipless combat boots.
- here is a list of inventive modifications and mounts for saddlebags that suits well my next proyect (check out this home-made saddle bag).
- make your own touring bags.
- cool homemade bicycle panniers.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.
Updates:
-excerpt of an interview about making these bags.
-the following is the pattern i've been using for the latest bags. i've simplified the top and made it so the lateral seams end in the center of the bottom part. this also allows an easier way of attaching the straps directly into these seams. this new pattern still renders the same shape:
-Someone made a bag for under $5 using this pattern. includes actual construction. something i should have done some time ago.
- Bre from Make Magazine did a really cool podcast (video) making messenger bags out of plastic bags, he used the pattern above with a couple of modifications. Here is his illustration:
Check out the podcast here:
http://www.makezine.com/blog/archive/2007/06/make_a_messenger_bag_out_1.html
There is also a PDF with instructions here:
http://cachefly.oreilly.com/make/wp_messengerbag.pdf
Thanks Bre!
- i had a link for "recent work" but now it's not so recent (as of aug/2007), besides it was a photoset on flickr and my free account had more than 200 pics so i moved all the bag pics to a new photoset on zooomr, here is the link
Friday, October 14, 2005
Dude, what you're doing is great. Sharing the information with a CC license really appeals to me. You must have a damn serious sewing machine though?
Also, do you have any idea how waterproof your designs are? I know that a lot of the waterproof bags say that you shouldn't stitch patches etc to them because if you do then water "wicks in" on the threads (this is made somewhat better by using plastic based threads).
Keep it up man! top
Monday, February 13, 2006
Be careful or you might end up doing this for the next 15 years of your life! That's what happened to me. ;-)
Rob Honeycutt - Founder, Timbuk2 top
Saturday, February 25, 2006
I really like this. =] top
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
This is beautiful. I'm definitely going to make my own bags now. Blogged on The Steeps! top
Friday, May 12, 2006
Nice. I'm not sure if you know about HH-66 vinyl cement, but it could be used to bind the seams together on the vinyl bags. You wouldn't have to sew the seams then. It makes a very secure bond. When making folding kayaks out of aluminum and vinyl HH-66 is what is used to hold the seams together. I've used it with great success on one kayak.
Thanks for releasing the patterns. top
Sunday, May 14, 2006
Nice work. I have some scrap Tyvek that I might try the pattern out with. Thanks for the info top
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Awesome work. I work at a printshop where we screen on vinyl, so I've got a lot of bag-making to do. My first real try will be using some Nike Lebron James banners that have big pictures of old ghetto-blaster boomboxes and a custom Lebron wallpaper print. It'll be classy. top
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
That is radical. I'm way interested. I'll likely be trying to copy it. It wouldn't have occurred to me to look in a dumpster for material. I like the description you gave.
I have been interested in making a messenger bag as well. I'll likely be trying to put a lot of pockets on it. I hope that you won't mind that.
Abby_Morel68@hotmail.com top
Saturday, August 12, 2006
yeah this is very cool, im going to try and find some banners to cut up now...
thanks for the inspiration
jeremy top
Saturday, August 12, 2006
Hey Federico,
My friend just sent me a link to this post. It's freakin' awesome!
I have access to seatblet webbing and buckles in case you haven't already made more progression on this project. I'd be quite happy to trade you for some sign vinyl. ;)
bunny (at) bunnywarez (dot) com top
Sunday, August 13, 2006
What a great idea! top
Sunday, August 13, 2006
Great DIY project
thanks
I submit it to digg
Please add your diggs to make it frontpage story
http://digg.com/mods/DIY_project_Make_Your_Own_Messenger_Bag top
Friday, November 10, 2006
Cocotte Is Canadian, EH? top
Tuesday, May 08, 2007
outstanding! thanks for sharing your knowledge. I'm going to try that penthagonal one!
best
d top
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Thank you!!!
I was riding in a car last night (first time on the highway in a while, FREAKY) and started laughing hysterically with the idea for a messenger bag with a seatbelt for straps. Go to work today, (yes, I should be working) and lo and behold, it is on the internet, with better instructions that I could have given to myself!!! THANK YOU!!! I'm going to start watching the sign shop's dumpster to get some materials. top
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
This is awesome! I may try your ideas with some cowhide I have.
I'm at oldtdevil.livejournal.com top
Sunday, July 29, 2007
What kind of stitching pattern is best for making messenger bags? top
Monday, July 30, 2007
stitch?
i only use straight stitch for making bags. top
Monday, August 20, 2007
Hi Federico,
thanks for the nice pattern!
I just finished my first little (test)bag :-)
Best wishes
Steven top
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Do you mind sharing where you dumpster-dove the vinyl? i'm in LA as well and am planning to make a couple bags. top
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Daniel,
i think that if the street offers it it must be shared. shoot me an email. ffederico-at-gmail-dot-com top
Monday, September 03, 2007
oh man, these patterns have been a life saver- truly helpful! thank you so much, your bags are awesome.
-michelle top
Monday, September 03, 2007
your patterns are a life saver- truly helpful. thank you so much! your bags are awesome- keep em funky.
<3 michelle top
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Man, seriously, you've saved my life. I needed a good bag and I haven't had the money, so myself and other people like me reallly appreciate what you did with this design. It was probably not a big deal for you, but it's a huge thing for all the rest of us! top
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
I've procured most of the things to make a bag with your design (thank you) but I'm stalled at the straps. The new photos you've posted look great. Is there any chance of you going though the process of making the straps (with detail aka photos)? top
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Sweet plans, at first a little confusing, and a little vague on construction. But i figured it all out and made my first bag today with a 48 cm top, gold seatbelt for the strap, and two d rings to hold it on me all for a grand total of 3.97
thanks a billion.
Trevor top
Thursday, September 20, 2007
it is really interesting! and thanks a lot for it.I have been looking for some ideas for a messenger bag for my kid and yours is very practical, leaves your hands free ( to carry that "heavy" lunch box).
you are great...
keep going!!! top
Sunday, September 23, 2007
for the waterproof comment up there about wicking and whatnot- simple solution;
use dental floss.
it's strong and waterproof.
I'd also be interested in knowing where you scored these banners from.
shoot me an email?
daniel.annis@hotmail.com
great design. top
Saturday, October 13, 2007
First: the design is great, and I'm really excited about it . . . your pictures looked great, especially the last one. But my favorite part of your blog, and the reason I'll be coming back and reading more, was the part where you said:
"yes, i took those straps and buckles in a gesture that is to me like picking up sea shells at the beach. the city is in many ways like the sea, and so it gives a lot."
That was just so cool to me, and embodied for me the reasons I want to move out of the crappy suburb I'm in and to a real city. like Chicago or somewhere. It's a debate I've been having inside myself for a long time, and I think the city side won some points with what you said.
It's much harder to scavenge parts (vinyl, straps, etc.) in a smaller community. I've been trying.
So, anyway. Thanks. top
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Thanks so much for the inspiration!
Im into my third bag, i think with this one the dimensions will be more accurate, and ive worked out how to attatch the straps securely and with a padded shoulder built in. Kind of a sandwich stuffed tightly with grocery bags, woks really well!
- Paul top
Thursday, December 27, 2007
I just scored a 3x20 foot banner in all red and white. There's so many banners around that are just "there" that I want to take to make more bags. Thanks for the Idea and plans! top
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Very cool! Thanks! top
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Hey,
These kick ass.
Thanks for the awesome design and work. I just made a mockup last night for my own and am not working out the plans for the second, way more perfected, one.
Thanks again
http://maxisnow.com/2008/01/22/excess-baggage-project-part-2/ top
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Thanks for sharing your design process, very interesting.
As for waterproofing a trick I've learned from making lightweight backpacking equipment is to rub the inside stitchlines with clear silicone caulking. It is messy but you can put down a layer of masking tape on each side of the stitchline and then rub a thin layer of caulking on. Use a popsicle stick, not your finger! Remove the tape once you have the caulk smooth and it has set for a little while, before the caulk dries completely!
The reason stitch lines leak is due to the holes the stitching makes in the once waterproof fabric. Stress areas will get bigger stitch holes eventually.
The thread will pull moisture inside the bag as it gets wet and capillary action pulls the moisture inside where the thread is drier.
Also if some of your stitching lines threads break, put a drop of super glue on the spot before it unravels anymore.
Great site. Thanks,
Kiteartist top
Monday, February 25, 2008
Great work on making these patterns and thanks for making them available to the rest of us. I just had a quick question. I still do not see where the two flaps on the from panel (last desgin) play in. Also, where exactly to you attach your straps and how? Thanks!
timharper[at]drexel[dot]edu top
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
i made a bag with your pattern and podcast help as well, check it out let me know what you think! :) http://laniscrap.blogspot.com/2008/03/diy-messenger-bag.html top
Thursday, April 03, 2008
If you ever want custom printed Scrim Vinyl (the web vinyl you talked about) I can suggest some places or get it done for you cheap. I sell the machines to print the stuff so I know people who print it. I can't wait to try to put one of these together this weekend. Thanks man.
zachcorn@gmail.com top
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Inspiring! Delightful! I found out that a normal sewing machine works fine even for tripple folds if you use a sturdy needle like needles used for sewing jeans. Up top it was asked how waterproof these designs are and someone else suggested using HH-66 vinyl cement instead of sewing the seams...so I would like to leave a suggestion for those who prefer sewn seams but want their bags to be completly waterproof too. Use Seam Grip seam sealer or some other polyeurithane (spell?) based super-flexible seam glue. It's just as easy to use as contact cement but far, far stronger, far more flexible and is totally transparent. It seals seams perfectly and repairs rips (even in Ortlieb water bags and panniers and gore-tex stuff) like magic. It is quite pricey but a little bit goes a long way, and in the worse case scenario a little tube fits up a long sleeve. top
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Hey, great ideas here, except....you don't need to rip off buckles and hardware from shopping carts. There are places to buy stuff like the belting material and hardware. I know of a place on etsy.com-- mamashecrazy.etsy.com. Great prices and selection...
I am going to try out your designs-- really innovative!! top
Tuesday, October 07, 2008
your thoughts & aesthetics are abstract & absorbing top
Sunday, November 23, 2008
old sails make great messenger bags. top
Friday, December 12, 2008
Beautiful narrative and inspiring work! I am a fan of both the Golden Mean and bag-makery, so reading about your work is like sipping a perfect cup of coffee. top
Saturday, December 27, 2008
This is a great idea. I had some old white vinyl I had bought for $3.00 and just went to the fabric store and picked up some green nylon material, some webbing, and a few metal d-rings for the flap. I put this bag together over the past week. I sandwiched a small rope between the green nylon for the piping on the sides and the flap. I used your updated pattern and added the extra flaps like on the video post guy's pattern for easier sewing. I also put a small see through pocket for adding my own pictures or art whenever I want. Great Pattern! I now have a bag that matches my bike! Thanks
Here is the link to the pics of my new bag:
http://img523.imageshack.us/my.php?image=bagfrontrs5.jpg top
Friday, January 02, 2009
I love the sacred geometry proportions you have in here. Great job. top
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
i love the design top
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Sorry all - I am missing something on the fibonacci calculator: I can't make it produce a sequence of three numbers - I want a bag 65cm long (big I know, but for heavy duty work). Any help...? top
Friday, January 30, 2009
these are fantastic.
are you selling them? top
Thursday, March 05, 2009
awesome! thanks for posting this. I'm totally going to make one this weekend. top
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
I'd like to add my voice to the people who have already thanked you for this. It was incredibly helpful to me too. I've made several bags following your pattern in the past years, and after a few iterations where I tryed canvas and tarp, nylon and tarp, and so forth, I am making them exclusively out of tarp (not counting the straps and buckles, of course). Until now, I've always stitched them with thick, synthetic thread. Lately I've started wondering if I could effectively weld them with some source of heat, just like it's done with advertising and truck tarp. Have you (or anyone else who might be reading this) ever tried it or thought about it?
Thanks for the awesome job you did on the design, and the whole blog in general, it's really interesting. top
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
hey i just snagged myself a sweet piece of vinyl from my local housing development. just wondering how you sewed/joined the panels together, i have a weird feeling that if i put this stuff through my sewing machine it will cause all sorts of mischief.
thanks for all the inspiration, NE. top
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
thanks a lot for your info,
the best page up until now.
hope to see some updates.
peace be with you top
Thursday, April 23, 2009
I design displays, banners, and some vinyl signs. I would like to offer my customers a service whereby they could return their used banners to me and I would send them to someone like you to use in your bags. How can I do this? Thanks! top
Saturday, April 25, 2009
thanks for sharing and congrats for your creations! top
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
I was just wondering what measurements you used. I'm in Canada and we use Inches..and I don't know what you would use in USA, so it would be great just to know what you used so I could convert it into inches. top
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
These are wonderful creations. Do you plan on marketing them to the masses.Freitag doesn't have to be the only one in on the game. Just curious. top
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Hey man, thanks for this amazing blog.
we are doing free workshops making these from Tyvek with homeless teens in Minneapolis! hoping to make a bunch and then screen print on them.
www.kultureklub.org
will let you know what they think. top