RM100: D’Emploi Surplus Pack
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“I am always trawling army/navy surplus places. I have found the army duffel to be an inexhaustible material and cultural resource.” —Kyle Mosholder
Posted by ReadyMade
Patricia Heal, Styling by Rational Beauty; Process Shots by Kyle Mosholder
Reduce, reuse, and carry on.
Kyle Mosholder
Brooklyn, New York
demploibrooklyn.com
“I’m proprietor of d’emploi, a soft-goods company with a cycling slant, and produce handmade, functional goods on a Depression-era Singer.”
From the Judges: “I’m really attracted to this one for the overall concept.” —Caitlin Thornton
For Mosholder's original entry, click here.
To see the rest of the 2011 ReadyMade 100, click here.
To check out an interview with Mosholder, click here.
Skill Level
Moderate
Active Time
Half a day
Cost
$$
- Used military surplus duffel bag with shoulder straps
- Thrifted cotton D-ring belt (or ½ yard nylon webbing and a military surplus squeeze-release buckle)
- ⅛-inch sheet open-cell foam
- 6 inches 1-inch-wide Velcro
- 2½ yards 1-inch nylon seam binding
- Heavy thread (nylon or cotton) in a coordinating color
Materials
- Straightedge
- Rotary cutter
- Cutting mat
- Seam ripper
- Tape measure
- Sewing machine
Tools
Start with the duffel. Look for one without too many holes and lay it flat to size up the bag to make sure it’s what you are after.
Cut the top of the bag completely off using a straightedge and rotary cutter, approximately 1½ inches above the shoulder straps. (Spare your scissors—they will dull on this fabric.)
Turn bag inside out. Opposite the shoulder straps, undo the seam using a seam ripper. Remove 4-6 inches from the bottom panel to make a rectangle. The goal is to turn the square bottom into a half-size rectangle, halving the bag’s volume.
Using the bottom as your guide, cut the excess material of the bag’s volume. You’re taking 6 inches or so from the entire length of the bag’s cylinder.
Remove excess height by shortening the top piece cut off during Step 2 (the amount is up to you). Remove the same amount from this piece as you did from the main bag’s cylinder in Step 4 so the volumes match.
To add an optional padded, waterproof envelope to the inside to keep flat items flat and protected, follow the below instructions (Steps 7-11). If you'd like to skip it, head to Step 12.
Measure the open cell foam according to your laptop or other items that you will stow in the bag (for my laptop, I cut the foam to 11 inches wide by 29 inches long, with both the waterproof nylon and cotton liner cut to 12 inches wide by 32 inches long). Keep in mind that this envelope will be secured by sewing it into the seam that is created by cutting the top off of the bag, so leave about 1½ inches excess at the top of the pocket.
To make the envelope, sew the tops of the nylon and cotton together, right sides facing.
Open them back up, and sew the soft side of the Velcro strip to the outside top of the nylon panel (this will secure the pocket closed).
Next, insert the foam into the middle of the two fabric pieces, right sides facing out. Fold this in half (inside out, so the cotton side is visible) to form the envelope. Sew the bottom and both sides together. At this time, make a lid for the envelope using the nylon fabric.
Turn envelope right side out. Sew it directly above the shoulder straps, matching up the edges of the main bag and the envelope, leaving a ¼ inch seam allowance.
Turn bag inside out and sew the bag up the middle, and then attach the bottom to the sides of the bag. Since the fabric tends to fray over time, add seam binding to secure the stitches. Turn right side out.
To add the chest strap, unstitch a portion of the shoulder strap where you want it to lie.
Cut the belt 3 inches from the double D rings. Insert the end into the shoulder strap and sew together using reinforcement stitches.
Try the bag on to make sure the chest strap is where you want it. Repeat on the other shoulder strap if all is well.
