Tag Archives: bag

EDC Bag Materials, Designs, Etc

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I’ve been spending way too much time fiddling around thinking about a new every day carry bag, but not a lot of time actually doing anything about it.  I’ve got piles of notes, lots of links, sketches, and product photos.  Here’s a lot of them:

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My notes and brainstorming are also rather extensive:

  1. Different Potential Uses
    1. Work (laptop, charger), day trips (water bottle), hiking (water bottle, clothing, snacks), running errands / tech / game nights / art
  2. EDC Items
    1. An EDC Bag should be able to accommodate things that I’d be likely to carry about 80% of the time.
    2. Mask, sanitizer, tissue, handkerchief, wipes, plastic baggie
    3. Cell phone, bluetooth pocket, charger pouch, sunglasses, pens, small pad of paper, ¼ A4, Kindle
    4. Keys on interior carabiner, ring whistle loop/loud whistle, lanyards
    5. Interior lining for wallet with RFID blocking, zip ties, carabiner (in pocket?) for keys
    6. On outside, hotel key, BART card
  3. Design Requirements / Goals
    1. When empty, it should be as flat as possible
    2. Wide straps for comfort if carrying something heavy, plus good for stowing a cell phone
    3. Pull rings, paracord top grip handle (also this guide), quick access pockets
    4. Bidirectional, so the main features can be worn over either shoulder
    5. Reduction of metal, heavy parts
    6. Outside straps which can be keep an umbrella, roll of material, or jacket
    7. Outside zippered pouch on the inside (against the body) to make it less likely to be pick pocketed, internal loops for clipping / hooking keys, rings, lanyards
    8. Reinforced corners, grommets
    9. Laptop pouch inside which is higher, area for charger to fall lower
    10. Pouches and pockets near the top
    11. How many pockets, pouches, zippered, velcro, etc?
  4. Materials
    1. Heavy nylon or similar
    2. Internal lining with fleece, ripstop nylon
    3. TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) or PU (polyurethane) coatings
    4. Foam for padding
    5. Paracord for draw strings, grip wraps
    6. Zippers
Custom Every Day Carry Bag
  1. My Ultimate Bag
  2. Custom Every Day Carry (EDC) Bag
  3. Sewing Practice
  4. EDC Bag Materials, Designs, Etc

Sewing Practice

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About two years ago I purchased a few kits from RipstopByTheRoll.com – their Zipper Pouch Kit and their $10 kit.  They were partially for sewing practice and brush off long dormant sewing skills, but mostly for learning some new skills.  (You see, I have zipper cowardice.)

I did do a little bit of sewing at the beginning of the pandemic. 1

In learning how to get started sewing (again) I had to make sense of my sewing machine, settings, and sewing basics:

  • Brother XM3700 overview, settings
    • I had no idea what I was doing or what the dials were supposed to do.  Clockwise from left to right, they are the string tension (should stay between 3-5), left-right movement (irrelevant to straight stitches and seemingly best between 2-3 for zig zags), stitch length (between 1-3), and then the stitch selection dial (sticking with 2 for straight stitch and 3 for zig zags)
    • Using the automatic needle threader which way more helpful than I expected it to be
    • I created a “stitch sampler” where I noted the settings used for each stitch

      Annotated stitch sampler, with a stripe in one corner to orient the stitch setting guide

      Annotated stitch sampler, with a stripe in one corner to orient the stitch setting guide

    • I quickly discovered that the large Gutermann’s thread spool I’d purchased had way too large a core to work with the spool holder on my sewing machine.  Thus, I created a plastic insert that helped keep it from wobbling, which meant it would sometimes bounce right off the spool holder.  It was a little wobbly, so I printed a second one which worked beautifully.

      RBTR zippered pouch, and spool adapters pictured

      RBTR zippered pouch, and spool adapters pictured

  • Zipper sewing foot
  • RBTR $10 “Stuff Sack” Kit

    RBTR Stuff Sack

    RBTR Stuff Sack

  • RBTR Zipper Pouch Kit

    RBTR Zipper Pouch kit, all zipped up

    RBTR Zipper Pouch kit, all zipped up

  • When it comes to the guides by RBTR, I really have no notes.  Their video guides are helpful, detailed, and very accessible.  I got over my zipper cowardice very quickly by just watching the video a few times, letting it play while I went slowly, and pausing to go over each step.  I’m hopeful I’ll be able to use the skills I’ve developed here to build a new EDC bag.
Custom Every Day Carry Bag
  1. My Ultimate Bag
  2. Custom Every Day Carry (EDC) Bag
  3. Sewing Practice
  4. EDC Bag Materials, Designs, Etc
  1. I sewed a mask for a friend of mine before realizing (re-realizing?) I’m not great at sewing and I could do more good helping people who were good at sewing make masks.  After learning about bias tape makers from @Raster and Hackaday, I printed and gave away perhaps 200 or so in the CA area [↩]

Custom Every Day Carry (EDC) Bag

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It’s been more than nine thirteen years since my last blog post regarding my every day carry bag.  Something must have happened between August of 2019 when I started this blog post and July of 2023, but for some reason, I just can’t seem to think of what could possibly happened to have derailed an idea.  Rather than putting this post off any longer, I’m just going to publish it largely as-is.

Perhaps it’s time for a progress report or update?

Back around about the summer of 1994 I wanted a bag to carry my stuff in. 12 I needed it to hold a binder, pens, pencils, and other assorted college student things.  Since this was my very first sewing project, I vastly over planned, prepared, and engineered everything.  I made a lot of mistakes, but nothing catastrophic.

1. LESSONS

  • Material.  It turns out that canvas was eventually scrapped in military uses because it doesn’t resist abrasion well and will rot and decompose if not stored carefully.  I also never treated mine to be waterproof with wax or some other substance.  A more modern and durable material is probably ballistic nylon or Cordura.  For a much more lightweight bag, a ripstop nylon, polyester, or polypropylene may work better.
  • Hardware.  I used 2-inch wide plastic buckles and clips on the bag as well as nylon webbing.3 These were the only sizes I could find back in 1994 at the local sewing / crafts store, so that’s what I bought.  In anticipation of making a new bag, I’ve already bought webbing made from seat belt material and plan to 3D print all new hardware.  I would probably add some loops of fabric or cord for attaching a small carabiner, lanyard, or keys.
  • Sewing.  I’m proud of this bag.  While there are a few rookie mistakes4 , it has held up incredibly well over the last 25 years.  I planned it out, drew everything out on large sheets of paper, transferred the designs to the canvas, cut everything leaving generous sewing allowances, and sewed it up with my mother’s already ancient sewing machine.  Next time, I’ll focus on x-box stitching on straps and better stitching practices.
  • Zippered Cowardice.  I admit my own cowardice as a beginner tailor in actively avoiding zippered pouches or pockets.  I’m not certain how important having zippered enclosures in a bag is, but it’s nice to have these.  Then again, I could probably just as easily have a velcro closed pouch that would serve just the same purposes and be less… clanky.
  • Flatness.  One of the things I appreciated most about the bag I made was that when it was empty/nearly empty, I could simply cinch up the strap and sling it across my back, where it would be basically hidden underneath a fleece vest I wear a lot.  This made it easy to take with me – or just ignore when not needed.  On a recent trip to an amusement park, I used one of those give-away schwag drawstring backpacks to similar effect.  When not in use, I just wore it underneath my vest.  When I needed it to care stuff for myself or family, I could tuck some small things inside it – or take it off and wear as intended.

2. BAG TYPES

  • Backpack.  A normal school-type backpack with two shoulder straps, large interior zippered area for books, binders, supplies, and a smaller outside zippered area for smaller supplies such as pencils, pens, etc.  There are usually a large number of interior pockets.
  • Laptop Backpack.  This type of backpack has an extra padded divider or compartment for protecting a laptop and a little extra space for carrying power cords and such.
  • Satchel.  A soft sided cross body single strap with a flap that folds over the front and can be buckled closed.
  • Courier/Messenger Bag.  A wide side slung bag with a wide strap suitable for carrying several stacks of large documents.   Usually has a large flap that folds over the front that buckles closed.
  • Laptop Bag.  Similar to a messenger back, but just wide enough to accommodate a laptop in a padded interior section, typically with a handle on top.
  • Tactical Backpack.  A backpack with a LOT of pockets, straps, buckles, harnesses, handles, etc.  Ranges from small to very large.
  • Fanny Pack.  I hate to admit the practicality of these bags because they’re so incredibly ugly.
  • Sling Messenger Bag.  “A bag with one strap that is designed to be carried on one shoulder.”  These tend to have a narrow and rounded triangular appearance, with a strap attaching to the left or right of the base.
  • Cortility Bag.  In episode #69 of the Cortex Podcast on 5/22/2018, CGP Grey talked about getting a small bag to carry a minimum amount of useful things since his everyday wear does not have enough storage.  Such things included his wallet, phone, headphones, earplugs, airpods case, a small camera, aspirin, etc.  This is my exact problem.  I want to be able to carry just a few more things with me.
  • Drawstring Backpack.  These are the kinds of bags that are basically drawstring bags where the loops of cinching cord are anchored at the bottom, so they can also serve as backpack straps.  They’re simple, easy to make, pack down super small, but they’re also… simple and don’t have a lot of room for many features.

3. STUFF

  • Stuff I Carry.  I’m not a survivalist, camping enthusiast, or have any special need for a bug-out bag.  Hopefully, I’ll never find myself in such a position that this bag will be what makes the difference.  With changes in life and lifestyle over the years, the things I need to carry has changed as well.
    • High School / College:  Books, notebooks, pens, pencils, playing cards
    • Grad School: Laptop plus books, notebooks, pens, pencils
    • Work Life: Sunglasses, bulky cell phone, laptop, small notebook/paper, pens, pencil, camera
    • Life Work:
      • Sunglasses, small cell phone, small notebook/paper, pens, pencil, small tools, sometimes a charger/portable battery and/or a laptop,
  • Bag Needs.  While pondering what I really need a bag for these days.  I’m no longer really very far from the things I need whether I’m at work, home, with the family, or just someplace near my car.  Now I’m of two minds on the topic.  Part of me wants something akin to a “tactical backpack” which is, depending upon your viewpoint, a glorified fanny pack worn across the back or a single strap side sling narrow backpack with lots of hooks, loops, straps, etc.  Part of me wants an unobtrusive and nearly invisible “drawstring backpack.”

I still use that old bag fairly regularly.

Annnnnd, that’s about where my blog post from 2019 left off…

Custom Every Day Carry Bag
  1. My Ultimate Bag
  2. Custom Every Day Carry (EDC) Bag
  3. Sewing Practice
  4. EDC Bag Materials, Designs, Etc
  1. Mind you, this was back in the mid-90’s when it wasn’t uncommon for someone to have a fanny pack [↩]
  2. Looking back, I was going for more of a manly Indiana Jones satchel / bugout bag [↩]
  3. The technical term for these nylon straps [↩]
  4. having way more than 10 stitches per inch basically perforated the canvas underneath the webbing [↩]

DIY Chess Board Bag – 13 years in the making

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Very nearly four years ago I had a vision of a totally DIY chess set.  In the year 2000 I designed a bag for holding chess pieces – that could be turned inside out and used as a chess board itself.  I filled the bag with some cheap1 plastic chess pieces… and then lost it after we moved in 2006.

Fast forward nine years after I made this bag to the year 2009 when I bought my very first 3D printer – my trusty MakerBot Cupcake CNC #465, “Bender.”  In preparation for Botacon 0 in the winter of 2010, I was furiously dialing in my printer to create a set of non-black chess pieces so that I could bring a full set of printed chess pieces to New York.  I was able to print the pieces – but I still could not find the chess bag.

Today, I found my chess bag – and I’d love to share it with you.  I’m not a tailor and I’ve had no formal training with a sewing machine.  When I was in college I wanted a very specific kind of carrying bag – so I made it.2 What I know about sewing I learned from my dad when he showed me the basics of the machine operation and turned me loose on my mom’s sewing machine.  In any case, I no longer have the designs for this chess bag, but I’m quite sure a clever person, such as yourself gentle reader, would be able to figure out how to put one together from the pictures you shall find within.

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If this is the sort of thing you feel like embarking on building yourself, I have some suggestions:3

  • Find the fabric first.  I’d recommend canvas for the outside, obviously a simple black and white checkered square for the board itself, and a nice pleasant deep color for the border around the checkered board.
  • Get a cool cord.  The bag as designed incorporates a pretty nifty looking shiny cord.
  • Consider how you’ll put it together carefully.  As best as I can recall and piece together from its appearance, this is the rough process I used:
    • Prepare the checkered fabric.  I remember that I had to find a good piece of the checkered pattern that was more square than other parts.  I then ironed it so it would hold it’s shape.  Then, cut to size, leaving about 1/2″ all the way around the checkered board.
    • Prepare the cool border.  The next step I recall is ironing the cool border, then sewing the checkered square to it.  I think my border is about an inch thick – maybe an inch and a half.
    • Create the bag.  I am pretty sure the next thing I did was sewed the border fabric to some of the canvas (but I’m not certain).  Once that was done, it looks like I folded the pieces of canvas so that it was trapping the cool red cord, and then I sewed that together.  Once I had the two sides individually assembled, I then sewed them with the board-side-out.  This had the effect of putting all the seams on the outside edges of the bag, making them visible when the bag was laid out for play.  The reason I sewed the bag in this fashion, rather than leaving it so the seams were on the inside of the bag when it was laid out for play, is that it would have caused too much fabric to be inside the bag making it uneven during play.

I simply cannot tell you how happy I am to have united these pieces I printed in 2010 with the bag I made them to be contained within in 2000.

If you and I happen to see one another, and I hope this is soon, please remind me to bring this bag with me and maybe we’ll share a cup of coffee or a beer over a friendly game and a bit of conversation.

  1. Injection molded [↩]
  2. I’ve been increasingly tempted to make a new bag – but that’s an entirely different post for an entirely different day [↩]
  3. Alas, all the drawings and plans I made for this bag have been lost in the mists of time, otherwise I would share these with you too [↩]

My Ultimate Bag

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Bag without notes

Bag without notes

In college I used to carry a camera bag where I kept my stuff.  Car keys, notebook, pens, pencils, etc.  This was an old faux-leather camera bag my dad used to use years ago.  I loved that thing.  Unfortunately, it was stolen out of a friend’s car while we were at a concert.

Over the next few years I thought about what I liked about that bag, what I liked about other bags I had seen, and what I would want in an ultimate bag.  I wanted a bag made from tough canvas, hopefully as tough or tougher as denim, and preferably a khaki color.  I ended up going with a relatively thick canvas from a fabric store.

I also wanted a bag that was big enough to accommodate a full size 3″ binder (the type I thought I might use in grad school), small pockets, wide pockets, a large pocket, and a spot for pens and pencils.  It has thick nylon straps around the bag for holding it together and surprisingly expensive plastic buckles.  I sewed the entire thing with khaki colored upholstery thread.

Bag with notes

Bag with notes

If I were to re-make this bag, I would change several things:

  1. I would try to put the pen holder flaps horizontally rather than vertically.  When the bag is mostly empty the vertical pens poke the bag flap upwards.  I think the bag would probably fit better if pen holders were horizontal.  It would also make it easier to reach in and grab a pen when the top flap is buckled down.
  2. I think it would be pretty useful to have one or two small pockets on either side for stowing away a pen on the outside of the bag.
  3. I don’t really ever use both long pockets.  I’d probably nix one.
  4. I’m always using the four small pockets – they’re incredibly useful.  I’d definitely keep those.  However, I think they might be even more useful if they had a velcro flap to keep them closed.  I have a feeling velcro is a lot easier to attach than zippers.  On top of that, zippers can jam – velcro is basically all good.
  5. I would make the large interior pocket a little wider.  It’s about four inches wide – it could be widened to about six or so.
  6. I would absolutely, positively print all of the plastic buckles on my MakerBot.
  7. I would add a plastic lanyard/carabineer/key hook.  Sometimes I want to toss my keys in and don’t want to worry about them bouncing out (not that they ever have).
  8. When I sewed it together I used a setting on the sewing machine that put the thread seams really close together.  With the thickness of the thread and the closeness of the seams, this ended up essentially making perforations in the cloth.  I would still use thick canvas and thick upholstery thread, but I would set the seams to be wider apart.
  9. I’ve often thought that the bag would be a little better if it were lined or reversible.  If I’m going to line the bag, I might as well make it reversible anyhow.  If I did this, I would make one side black and one side khaki color.  I’ve used this bag as a pillow more than once – and having two layers would make it more…  fluffy.
  10. I’ve been caught in the rain with this bag on more than one occasion.  While this has never been much of a problem, I think a thicker canvas (perhaps the kind used as a painter’s tarp – the kind that’s partially sealed with plastic and/or rubber) would make an excellent water repellent version.
  11. I’ve taken to carrying zip ties in my laptop backpack.  They’re just always useful.  I think it would be nifty to have a long thin pocket where I could stash a few of these.  They would take up practically no room and also act like ribbing.
  12. Have you ever taken a good look at those luggage tags at the airport?  Whenever I go to an airport, I always snag several of them.  They are springy and very very difficult to break.
  13. I would definitely use a much wider carrying strap.  I think something about three inches thick would be ideal.  Perhaps seat belt strap material?
  14. What about a spot for sticky notes (already there in the small pockets), a cell phone, sunglasses, bluetooth, or camera?  Maybe a spot for my sonic screwdriver…
Custom Every Day Carry Bag
  1. My Ultimate Bag
  2. Custom Every Day Carry (EDC) Bag
  3. Sewing Practice
  4. EDC Bag Materials, Designs, Etc