OK, I know this is a pretty simple little project, but I thought I'd pass along the idea. It's a stocking stuffer for a friend I BWCW trip with.

I made a 3 foot by 5 foot tarp out of silnylon. I hemmed the edges and made a stuff sack. I figure it's just the right size to cover the firewood in camp. Weighs about 2 ounces.

This is my first try at sewing....on an antique treddle machine to boot!

Tarp photo using add a link to this message

good luck! silnylon is tricky to sew,think jello covered plastic--
i take a big trash bag cut open for the pile,not as classy as yours.

Nice job on those straight stitches! Not an easy task with that silnylon slipping and sliding away.

I learned to sew on an antique treadle machine with my grandma. I didn't learn much but I sure had fun with her trying.

Me too! A treadle was my first machine. We might be dating ourselves or our grandmothers.

Cool, when you go to sew your big 11'x 11' tarp for your hammock, make sure you use a "walking foot" for the flat felled (sp?) seam.

quote Grandma L: "Me too! A treadle was my first machine. We might be dating ourselves or our grandmothers. "

I'm really pretty amazed with this old treadle. My daughter picked it up for $10 on Craig's List and gave it to me. It was sort of gummed up, but just a little cleaning and a little oil, and it runs smoothe as can be. Why is it that they could make complicated machines that last 100 years ago, but not so much now?

Plastic!

quote wetcanoedog: "good luck! silnylon is tricky to sew,think jello covered plastic- I take a big trash bag cut open for the pile, not as classy as yours."

This isn't always possible & not necessarily trying to stifle the creativity.....(neat idea & nice work) but, often times I'm able to find an old rotted birch tree while scavenging for firewood. While the rotted wood is useless as firewood, the bark shell works great as a rain cover. Just place a few stones or pieces of wood on top to hold it down.


(Sorry, photo only shows shell alongside wood pile)

quote TuscaroraBorealis: "

quote wetcanoedog: "good luck! silnylon is tricky to sew,think jello covered plastic- I take a big trash bag cut open for the pile, not as classy as yours."

This isn't always possible & not necessarily trying to stifle the creativity.....(neat idea & nice work) but, often times I'm able to find an old rotted birch tree while scavenging for firewood. While the rotted wood is useless as firewood, the bark shell works great as a rain cover. Just place a few stones or pieces of wood on top to hold it down.



(Sorry, photo only shows shell alongside wood pile) "

Holy cats what a nice looking pile of wood! I need to grab my crazy creek chair and a mug of Country Tyme and Jim Beam!