Make your own gear is vibrant community of outdoors enthusiast who want to learn and share how you make their own gear
Freedom to explore and create
Making my own gear sparks a deep desire to explore the unknown. By releasing the pressure of perfection, exploration allows me to freely follow my creative flow to create new things. It taught me a lot about trusting my intuition and listening to the voices inside - big or small.
Develop and learn new skills
Before starting this project, my experience with technical materials was limited as most of my work involved sewing muslin blanks. Similar to leather, there's no going back once the stitching has begun. Along the latter of course there was selecting the correct presser foot, choosing the right thread, and adjusting the other various settings on an industrial sewing machine.
Extend the life of materials
Due to the nature of ordering technical materials, there is often excess at the end of a project, especially for custom orders. My previous employer has a designated area in which these materials were stored & encouraged employees to use them.
Work within budget constraints
Facebook marketplace, online forums, and shared equipment made this project possible. Cheers
This is a custom frame bag for a vintage 1980's Schwinn road bike. The bag was inspired through an online community known as MYOG or make-your-own-gear. However, this project is far from complete - with a 1,000 mile bike ride from Chicago to Denver in mind - one must consider all the implications. From ensuring your basic needs are met to the nice haves, like a repair kit and navigation system. The gear adds up and so does the weight.
This frame bag was built custom fit to maximize space to carry the essentials while focusing the weight to be more balanced. The next steps might include building a water filtration bladder to partially fit in the frame bag. Another might consider other pockets for extra storage and organization.
Overall, this was a very rewarding experience and I hope to continue elevating the bike frame bag.
Thank you to my previous employer LemonBrat for granting me the opportunity to take on this exploration. If you're interested in the project the ripstop was originally from you can find that here. Thank you to the MYOG community and LearnMYOG for the knowledge and support provided along the way. And of course, thank you to my family and friends for none of this would be possible without y'all.
I'm on a journey to rediscover our connection with nature through innovative technology and design. My passion lies at the intersection of technology, natural sciences, and creative design, where I strive to craft beautiful and meaningful products.
As a perpetual student and mentor, I find joy in learning and sharing knowledge. Throughout my life, I've had the privilege of serving diverse industries, including education, construction, services, manufacturing, and fashion.
I welcome the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals. Feel free to reach out—I'm always eager to engage in meaningful conversations.
I'm open to collaboration when time permits. Let's make a real impact and connect today
