[MichBowhunter12]

Has anyone ever tried to make there own camo? I was kicking around the idea of buying a templete that would work and trying to sew it up. Then you could put the pockets and other things right where you want them.

I found where you can buy predator camo by the yard and it got me thinking. Or should I just pay the money in a store and get what I know will be good?

Any experience on this?

 

[snowshovler]

I used to own a small clothing company and if you have never sewn before the learning curve will be quite high. Not to say it cannot be done.. I started out with a pile of fabric and an old Singer machine. The first few pieces were functional but not perfect. If you are trying to save cash just go but the garments that best fit your needs. If you have never sewn before the time needed to sew up a decent jacket will be 5 to 10 hours while you figure out what to do. You will have a tough time finding a pattern for a hunting jacket and pants. Something will need to be adapted to your needs.

On the positive and encouragement side. A camo setup is a pretty ideal garment to begin with. Camo is supposed to break up straight lines and fuzz your edges so if the garment is a bit out of shape it might actually help you blend in. I am a hardened DIY enthusiast and don't mind spending the extra cash on my projects as I enjoy learning and take pride in my creations even when they are obviously not a neat or clean as a factory piece. I have a full production shop at my disposal and it is still less expensive to buy most clothing then to make it myself. Even pulling something out of inventory essentially costs me what I sell it for as lost profit. Making a garment will give you an appreciation for spending cash on clothing. It will also give you great appreciation for well made stuff and make you angry when you see junk on the shelves. I stitch up all sorts of stuff to get what I want and this is almost priceless. Most of it is oddball like a custom bow sling, turkey bag, safety flags to set onto trees when I'm all brushed in. It is also fun when your hunting buddies are amazed you were able to sew up a garment. Sewing up an outfit for your sweetheart also has huge romance value and we all spend a lot chasing does, so to speak.

Head to the local fabric shop and dig through the pattern books and look for outdoor gear and sleepwear. Pajamas are loose fitting, simple, and easily adapted. They also have large pockets. Check out draw string cargo pants. Much easier then trying to fit in sippers and snaps/fly buttons. Front pockets are tough to sew as the fabric in the waist belt area gets thick. Drawstring pants are also much more forgiving on sizes so a mistake in cutting or sewing the seam allowance will not give you new shop rags. Check out the Halloween costume section. Lots of good stuff so use your imagination. While your at the shop price out zippers and other notions you will need. This will get you started and give food for thought.

The internet has lots of how-to and also supplies. Many of these niche shops have good and adaptable patterns you can use. Controlled Exposure and Green Pepper are two good pattern shops. If you want more I can dig through my bins of patterns and see what was decent.

Feel free to ask about anything else.

 

[b0w_bender]

I've done a bunch of sewing my self and I read
snowshovler's recommendations above and couldn't agree more. Don't do it to save money but if you want the sewing experience then it's a great project. I've haven't tried to sew my own hunting outfit simply because I can buy 2nds at the local outlet store for about half what the material would cost me. If I want something extra like a large cargo pocket I sew those on my self. I have sewn my own soft sided bow case (good starter project) my Santahawks suit also listed here and a bunch of other small projects. It's a great skill to have just not really a money saver.

 

[Maui Rhino]

I sew a lot of gear, but I don't do clothing...just never taught myself how yet. Like the others said, if you want to have fun and be proud of something you DIY, then have at it. In the long run though, you probably wont save a ton of money. A good spot to learn some man sewing is at DIY Tactical. They have lots of info on everything from sewing machines to material, and tutorials. Not much on clothing, but the techiniques are similar.

 

[CarbonTerry]

Here's my approach. I didnt sew, I used hot clue.
http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=2366915

 

[OhWell]

I have been stitching for 40 years and have done it professionally. I have made draperies for a living and made tailored suits for my wife for meetings just because I wanted to. I am very fast and it is still cheaper to buy my hunting clothes when they go on sale.

Other gear is a completely different subject !!!! I have made a tree saddle, bow cases, duffel bags, ghillie suits, simple ground blind, and fleece socks and hats. This kind of stuff is not real hard and is much cheaper to make than to buy. Oh, I have made a bunch of quivers as well.

 

[Don Schultz]

Well, I've done repairs and made a fletching cover and added some patch style pockets. But I don't call it sewing.

My late wife was a fabulous seamstress. She had well developed skills because she was 6' tall, and very shapely so buying off the rack didn't work for her.

So she made me a Heater Body Suit. Technically it was very simple and low in detail but heaviness of the fabric layers made the project difficult. This thread I show below includes some pictures of the completed suit. This project saved about $250 compared to a factory suit, but make no mistake, I couldn't have begun to do it without my very skilled wife.

http://www.archerytalk.com/vb/showthread.php?t=590356

She also made me other complete outfits in polar fleece. Again simple stuff. Kept the pants up with suspenders, thus no need for lots of belt loops. These outfits were relatively cheap. We saved money BUT the nice detail was throttled way back.