One Item for BM a Day (2010-2012)

[junglesmacks]

Also, we're not part of BDV, just close friends and good neighbors!

That's what I kinda sorta was meaning to say. I knew you weren't part of it, just that you were always in the general vicinity from my understanding. Guess I could have used Terminal City as an example, too?

So yeah.. me and The Girl will be Gnome Dome-ers next year and are very very very verrrrrrrrrrrrry much looking forward to it!

[MyDearFriend]

Also, we're not part of BDV, just close friends and good neighbors!

That's what I kinda sorta was meaning to say. I knew you weren't part of it, just that you were always in the general vicinity from my understanding. Guess I could have used Terminal City as an example, too?

So yeah.. me and The Girl will be Gnome Dome-ers next year and are very very very verrrrrrrrrrrrry much looking forward to it!

Oh fantastic we will be coming to visit you....

[Milayna]

So I was visiting my parents this weekend, and found this awesome wool and angora blazer that I totally forgot I ever owned. Anyway, I brought it home with hopes of dressing it up and turning it into an awesome playa coat Only problem is my sewing skills go about as far as iron-on denim patches and re-sewing lost buttons..... But I figure when better to teach myself than now?

[tamarakay]

So I was visiting my parents this weekend, and found this awesome wool and angora blazer that I totally forgot I ever owned. Anyway, I brought it home with hopes of dressing it up and turning it into an awesome playa coat Only problem is my sewing skills go about as far as iron-on denim patches and re-sewing lost buttons..... But I figure when better to teach myself than now?

Perfect attitude! I am self-teaching sewing etc too. I started last year and ripped out more seams than I sewed somehow but ended up with some fun stuff. I had to give myself permission to not make things perfect. Which is hard for me. Even if it doesn't come out exactly like I had it in my head, it's still good, even great.

[Milayna]

Thanks Tamarakay! I think the perfectionist urge is also going to be my biggest challenge....I imagine there's tons of seam ripping in my future

[Savannah]

Add me to the list of nervous neo-seamstresses who will be using this year to puncture her fingers and become more brave. I've hand-sewn, and done a lot of crafting, gluing, dyeing, trimming and kamikaze alterations, but my machine-oriented knowledge is limited to a few days of stitching about a decade ago. And that's just silly.

[Patsh]

I have 3 electric sewing machines, but somehow, I ALWAYS end up using my old treadle. It's so much simpler and more reliable.

Here's a saying I repeat to myself when projects start getting frustrating:

Striving for excellence is motivating;
striving for perfection is demoralizing.

seems to help.

[Drawingablank]

So I was visiting my parents this weekend, and found this awesome wool and angora blazer that I totally forgot I ever owned. Anyway, I brought it home with hopes of dressing it up and turning it into an awesome playa coat Only problem is my sewing skills go about as far as iron-on denim patches and re-sewing lost buttons..... But I figure when better to teach myself than now?

Go for it! I dug out Mom's 49 year old sewing machine and taught myself how to machine sew just to make my playa coat for 2011 which turned into an odyssey in itself (enlarging patterns to fit my 6'2" frame among other issues), but now sewing is my new hobby.

First attempt ( too small)
http://eplaya.burningman.org/viewtopic. ... 47#p680147

Second attempt (after resizing a pattern that was supposedly "my size" by over 10 inches)
http://eplaya.burningman.org/viewtopic. ... 55#p711855

These were the first 2 things I've ever sewn so anyone can do it - just get a pattern and follow the instructions carefully.

Tip: get an old sheet and sew up a mockup first - patterns are not necessarily sized correctly and its way less heartbreaking to find that out before spending all that time and money.

[Foxfur]

I have 3 electric sewing machines, but somehow, I ALWAYS end up using my old treadle. It's so much simpler and more reliable.

Here's a saying I repeat to myself when projects start getting frustrating:

Striving for excellence is motivating;
striving for perfection is demoralizing.

seems to help.

Hi Triken!
Hugs!

[Patsh]

Hi Triken!
Hugs!

Hi, Foxfur!!

It sure was great talking with you at the Meet & Greet!
I'm surprised we were able to get words in edgewise, with all the activity there!!
And the pickled quail eggs were sooooo good...

Hugs to you too!

[Milayna]

Wow Drawingablank!!! I'm so impressed, and that gives me hope that this sewing thing is doable haha Also, great idea about using an old sheet, I wouldn't have thought of that, but it makes so much sense

[theCryptofishist]

Many fabric stores also have classes...

[Drawingablank]

Wow Drawingablank!!! I'm so impressed, and that gives me hope that this sewing thing is doable haha Also, great idea about using an old sheet, I wouldn't have thought of that, but it makes so much sense

Well I wish I could say it was my idea, but I think it was C.F.M who suggested it after the sizing disaster on the first coat.

Now I just hit the thrift store for a big flat sheet before committing my expensive fabrics.

[waxpraxis]

I'm just about finally done buying electronics for my Blitter Bike project. I still need 30 more meters of digital individually addressable RGB LED strips, but that can be done over time rather than one big $8-900 purchase. Now it's just a matter of building out all the circuits and getting a good enough handle on Eagle so I can design the circuits for my voltage regulators.

[Drawingablank]

Dismantled and did a thorough cleaning and lubrication of the sewing machine.

Picked up nylon upholstery thread, squeeze type scissors for thread trimming, and a small diameter rotary cutter for tight inside curves.

Started working on my utility belt.

[Milayna]

oooh....those sound like sewish things I'll need...(furiously adds to list....)

[DanusLight]

Todays Item ... Storage!!

[illy dilly]

Oooo Danuslight!
That foot locker deal looks super sturdy!

[theCryptofishist]

Anyone know of a good bin for carport sections?

[Drawingablank]

Anyone know of a good bin for carport sections?

If it's anything like the one I have in default home the best way is to just stretch wrap them into bundles as they are too long for most containers. It's what we use for our monkey hut poles too. Leaves no residue - basically like saran wrap on steroids.

Available at the depot and probably lowes as well for about 8.00 a roll.
http://www.homedepot.com/buy/storage-or ... 00262.html

[theCryptofishist]

Do they hold up over the coarse of a year?

[Drawingablank]

I've had pallets wrapped with the wide version of that stuff (about 18" wide and called pallet wrap) that the wrapping held up for years in an uninsulated, poorly heated, and non air conditioned warehouse.

There are different grades, but we always bought the cheap stuff and it worked fine. The better grades are just thicker plastic iirc. There is no adhesive, the plastic clings to itself.

[theCryptofishist]

Oh I realized. Just like the trick of putting that around the pole and rebar before you duct tape it.

If it gets a certain amount of jostling will it also be okay?

[knowmad]

Betsy Duck now has AAA!
guess I don't need to spend all that $ on those last 200 miles on gas for next years burn. Some body in Reno needs to make a AAA certified bar where they can tow our lassy asses after burn. hhehehe

[Drawingablank]

Oh I realized. Just like the trick of putting that around the pole and rebar before you duct tape it.

If it gets a certain amount of jostling will it also be okay?

I've only had it fail under extreme conditions - like a 2,000 pound pallet that was mislifted by the forklift. And even then the load usually holds together and just slides off the pallet.

We used it for our hut poles ( a couple wraps around each end of the bundles) cross country including a vehicle change and it was intact on arrival.

[illy dilly]

Anyone know of a good bin for carport sections?

Are the poles to your carport the 1 piece 6'3"ish or the kind that come apart in the middle?
Ours is the 2 piece style, each part is like 3.5'-4'. We use huge canvas duffel bags I got at Army Surplus.
The duffle bags also work amazingling for the tarps. I think the duffel bags are like 40" long, and 14" diameter or something.

[theCryptofishist]

I consider everything got at army surplus to be unreliable at finding again.

Word salad, sorry. I always consider any particularly useful surplus item as a one shot deal. You're not likely to find it a few months later or in another store.
Yeah, the break apart poles, I think I measured at 37"... (47"?)

[Drawingablank]

Ah, I have the long poles. for the short ones a duffle bag makes more sense.

They are a pretty standard item and easy enough to find both as surplus and as knock offs such as:
http://www.armysurplusworld.com/product ... ductID=916

[Milayna]

ok ok, so I'm a day early sorta, but my one thing for today is that I found an awesome used cruiser bike on craigslist today for a great price, and I pick it up tomorrow morning!!!

[deutlich]

Striving for excellence is motivating;
striving for perfection is demoralizing.

words to live by!