Why do you DIY?

[Intimidator]

This looks really cool. You should paint your entire office walls with fallen leaves pattern.

Getting to hang your DIY projects on a gear wall isn't so bad either. My kind of interior decorating

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To be fair, I think I only made the two UQs. Carter (Intimidator) made a few items and there are some vendor made gems up there too. I dig it.

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[FlyRodder]

Awesome! Where did you get the machine if you don't mind my asking? One bit of feedback we've gotten is that beginners would love to see an article or video on how to best acquire a machine, since you know, that's kinda required to get started with DIY.

Ask mom. That's where I got my hand-me-down Singer 401A - the '48 Cadillac of post-war sewing machines. Before I bought one to start DIY-ing, I asked her if she had any old sewing machines kicking around and she gave me my pick of three in the basement. So cost to me? $0 and bought some oil, new bobbins, and needles. She asked me what I wanted one for and I said camping gear. She told me about how, as a kid, she watched her father and his brother making canvas tents on an old treadle machine.

[arcana73]

My father bought my mother a sewing machine for Christmas about 3 years ago, so she could hem his pants like in the early days of their marriage. She said she's not that type of wife anymore, and it sat in the box gathering dust. When I was helping them clear out the clutter at home I asked if I could take it to try my hand at making things.
I enjoy learning new things, and figuring out how things work. I hadn't sewn other than hand stitching stuff, and tried my hand at sewing a gathered end net less hammock first. After that first project I learned about stitching length, thread tension, and what the ruler markings were on the machine were for.

I keep making new items, finding out what I did wrong, what to improve on, then giving that item away to someone. They don't care that the hem is wrong, or I dont have the seam going in a straight line. They just like that it was handmade. After several tries I've made my own hammock, tarps, and someday I will test out making a quilt. It's more about keeping myself busy, doing something that relates to my enjoyment of the outdoors. Also, an added benefit is it keeps the brain ticking, I love having to think things through in the abstract, and putting it from theory into practice.

[fivefreds]

Awesome! Where did you get the machine if you don't mind my asking? One bit of feedback we've gotten is that beginners would love to see an article or video on how to best acquire a machine, since you know, that's kinda required to get started with DIY.

I'm very lucky in that one of the local (Salt Lake City) TV/Radio stations (KSL) hosts an awesome classifieds section that's MUCH better than Craigslist, IMO. Plus there are tons of DIY/Homemaker types who are always selling & trading just about anything you could imagine.

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I found a early 1970's Italian-made Necche machine for $60. Here's a pic of the model:

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I just finished my first project: Costco down throw top quilt (I frankensteined 3 quilts to make one extra-long, extra-stuffed quilt). There's definately a learning curve- my stitches are FAR from perfect, but I'm very pleased with how it turned out. I'll post pics when I can.

[Country Roads]

I love to make gear that is totally customized to me and my style of camping. There is definitely a lot of cool factor in using gear that you have made, and if someone asks you how some part of it is made, you can tell them exactly how you did it. I can mix and match colors, gather each end of my hammock differently for just that perfect lie and make the set up that I need for a certain situation. I can have several different hammock and tarp combinations and save a ton of money. DIY also keeps me sane in the winter months.