Making cycling clothing

in message <[email hidden]>,

Recyclingchick (') said:

I know that this question was asked about a year ago, but as I am
interested in making my own clothes for cycling, i wondered if anyone
had any updates for types of fabric to purchase. I imagine that
Pennine Outdoor is the best place to go, and I see that inserts are
available at Outdoors Unlimited. I did contact Pennine Outdoor and
told them what I wanted fabric for and if they could make any
recommendations. They just sent me the standard catalogue, and some
samples, but not of their fabric recommended for cycling!!

Steph (or anyone else), if you are successfully making clothing, what
are you using, and what hints and tips can you offer.

Juliette now makes most of my cycling clothing. I'll draw her attention
to this thread.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

Due to financial constraints, the light at the end of the tunnel
has been switched off.

You could try Point North. They do lots of specialist outdoor fabrics:
http://www.pointnorth.co.uk/

Wobbly John
http://xntrick.co.uk

On 30 Oct 2004 15:07:11 -0700 someone who may be
[email hidden] (Recyclingchick) wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

I imagine that Pennine Outdoor is the best place to go,

IIRC their range of "patterns" (not quite the right word) includes
cycle luggage and clothing (a rain coat at least). No idea on
fabrics.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E
I will always explain revoked keys, unless the UK government
prevents me by using the RIP Act 2000.

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

Steph (or anyone else), if you are successfully making clothing, what
are you using, and what hints and tips can you offer.

As Simon said I make a lot of stuff for him. I get some of my
fabric from www.pointnorth.co.uk - they do good windproof fabric
and a nice stretch fleece. I can also highly recommend their
lycra binding which is much easier to apply than elastic and
gives a much nicer finish. I have also bought technical wicking
fabrics and coolmax from http://www.wazoodle.com/ - they are in
Canada but even with the postage charge the fabric still comes in
at a reasonable price and I don't usually order more than the
VAT/import duty limit of £18 so I don't get hammered for taxes on
their way in. They'll send either surface or airmail.

For patterns I have a couple of Kwik-sews, a Jalie - which is
very good and has princess seams which make bust adjustments
simple; it is a man's pattern but a bit of pattern adjustment
soon sorts that! A Green Pepper and another one who's name I
don't recall.

Please feel to email me if you need any more info; my address
isn't munged.

(BTW, I had exactly the same experience with Pennine Outdoor as
you).

Juliette
--

(Recyclingchick) of urlhttp://groups.google.com/url said:

I know that this question was asked about a year ago, but as I am
interested in making my own clothes for cycling, i wondered if anyone
had any updates for types of fabric to purchase. I imagine that
Pennine Outdoor is the best place to go, and I see that inserts are
available at Outdoors Unlimited. I did contact Pennine Outdoor and
told them what I wanted fabric for and if they could make any
recommendations. They just sent me the standard catalogue, and some
samples, but not of their fabric recommended for cycling!!

Steph (or anyone else), if you are successfully making clothing, what
are you using, and what hints and tips can you offer.

Fraid I bought the cheap Aldi stuff - just not worth making my own at those
prices. I did buy two Aldi rainjackets and hack the side panels from the
second one into the first to make it fit me, but they are in a fairly
ordinary nylon fabric that's not difficult to handle. I might have a go at
shorts one day though when I decide to buy an overlocker for something else.
All my known suppliers of leggings don't seem to sell them any more, and my
old ones are wearing out, so it might be on my Christmas list.

My questions started from the standpoint of only using matt surface cotton
lycra, because I prefer its feel as well as its appearance to the shiny
stuff. Last year Pennine Outdoor only had cotton Lycra in wonderful
fluorescent green. The advice I was given was:

Quoted message said:

Point North, www.pointnorth.co.uk, sell fabric for activewear, or
www.whaleys.co.uk if you don't mind dyeing your fabric (it's easy, I can
give you directions). Whaleys are very helpful with email or phone enquiries
and happy to send out samples.

I did send off for samples of Lycra fabric from these websites. One didn't
respond, but unfortunately I can't remember which that was. The other site
sent a sample by return post that was good thick stuff, in white. A lot of
the possible fabrics were available in black. I never actually tried dyeing
the fabric but I have used Procion dyes for other things and they're not
difficult to handle. I expect that you know that cotton fabrics take dye
much better than man made.

You can dig up the old discussions by searching on Google Groups for
postings to uk.rec.crafts.sewing with me as author or making padded cycling
shorts in the title. I also tried posting on rec.crafts.textiles.sewing or
alt.sewing, but don't remember getting any useful additional hints.
--
There was no respect for youth when I was young, and now that I am old,
there is not respect for age. I missed it coming and going. - J. B. Priestley
Steph Peters delete invalid from [email hidden]
Tatting, lace & stitching page <http://www.sandbenders.demon.co.uk/index.htm>

Thanks for replying Steph.

Quoted message said:

Fraid I bought the cheap Aldi stuff - just not worth making my own at those
prices. I did buy two Aldi rainjackets and hack the side panels from the
second one into the first to make it fit me, but they are in a fairly
ordinary nylon fabric that's not difficult to handle.

I never thought of Aldi - do they always carry cycling clothing or is
it more hit and miss?

I might have a go at

Quoted message said:

shorts one day though when I decide to buy an overlocker for something else.
All my known suppliers of leggings don't seem to sell them any more, and my
old ones are wearing out, so it might be on my Christmas list.

Get an overlocker!!! I hesitated for years, and when I got one, I
couldn't believe that I had waited so long. It makes making everyday
clothes so quick, and even for more "couture" stuff, it finishes so
beautifully. I mean, you wouldn't go back to a three gear bike once
you had a ten gear model? (getting swiftly back on topic!!)

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

You can dig up the old discussions by searching on Google Groups for
postings to uk.rec.crafts.sewing with me as author or making padded cycling
shorts in the title. I also tried posting on rec.crafts.textiles.sewing or
alt.sewing, but don't remember getting any useful additional hints.

Thanks.

Recyclingchick

Quoted message said:

I never thought of Aldi - do they always carry cycling clothing or is
it more hit and miss?

They have some in every so often, and someone usually posts details here.
Alternatively you can sign up for a weekly email that'll tell you what's
coming up.

(Michele) of urlhttp://groups.google.com/url said:

Quoted message said:

Fraid I bought the cheap Aldi stuff - just not worth making my own at those
prices. I did buy two Aldi rainjackets and hack the side panels from the
second one into the first to make it fit me, but they are in a fairly
ordinary nylon fabric that's not difficult to handle.

I never thought of Aldi - do they always carry cycling clothing or is
it more hit and miss?

They have it once in a while. But in some branches it hangs around, so it's
worth a look to see if there's any left from last time.

Quoted message said:

Get an overlocker!!! I hesitated for years, and when I got one, I
couldn't believe that I had waited so long. It makes making everyday
clothes so quick, and even for more "couture" stuff, it finishes so
beautifully. I mean, you wouldn't go back to a three gear bike once
you had a ten gear model? (getting swiftly back on topic!!)

Yes, but you are talking here to the owner of a 14 year old basic zigzag
sewing machine who only uses that about twice a year. Buying an overlocker
is a big investment in learning time for something I'll use rarely.

And as to the three gear bike, well I might go back if it were a Brompton,
or because it's less nickable, and who needs gears in flat Manchester? I
honestly only use 2 most of the time - change down for a quick get away from
traffic lights or to go over a railway bridge, and back up again afterwards.
--
Lawyer: One who protects us against robbery by taking away the temptation.
Henry Louis Mencken
Steph Peters delete invalid from [email hidden]
Tatting, lace & stitching page <http://www.sandbenders.demon.co.uk/index.htm>

Steph Peters <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

(Michele) of urlhttp://groups.google.com/url said:

Quoted message said:

Fraid I bought the cheap Aldi stuff - just not worth making my own at those
prices. I did buy two Aldi rainjackets and hack the side panels from the
second one into the first to make it fit me, but they are in a fairly
ordinary nylon fabric that's not difficult to handle.

I never thought of Aldi - do they always carry cycling clothing or is
it more hit and miss?

They have it once in a while. But in some branches it hangs around, so it's
worth a look to see if there's any left from last time.

Quoted message said:

Get an overlocker!!! I hesitated for years, and when I got one, I
couldn't believe that I had waited so long. It makes making everyday
clothes so quick, and even for more "couture" stuff, it finishes so
beautifully. I mean, you wouldn't go back to a three gear bike once
you had a ten gear model? (getting swiftly back on topic!!)

Yes, but you are talking here to the owner of a 14 year old basic zigzag
sewing machine who only uses that about twice a year. Buying an overlocker
is a big investment in learning time for something I'll use rarely.

And as to the three gear bike, well I might go back if it were a Brompton,
or because it's less nickable, and who needs gears in flat Manchester? I
honestly only use 2 most of the time - change down for a quick get away from
traffic lights or to go over a railway bridge, and back up again afterwards.

Fairynuff - I was just giving you the arguments in case you wanted to
persuade yourself!

Michele