I Have Possibles Bags

I have possibles bags for Trek2014. They are $1.50 each. See the post below regarding the finishing required. There is a NO SEW option to putting on the strap. Contact Karen Smith kokopellikaren@gmail.com

Bonnet Bash

The Lindon 11th ward had fun gathering to sew about 30 bonnets and prep nearly 200 possibles bags. The Mia Maids and Laurels joined with the ladies attending the Relief Society monthly meeting in April. The bonnets were not completed, but about 75% of the construction was completed.

$45 Woman's Outfits

Here is a great Etsy shop that has $45 outfits for girls. This is a great price. A shirt is $5 extra and can be combined with shipping if you notify the seller. Click Here to Check It Out

NO SEW Possibles Bag

As you noticed in the previous post about Trek2014's possibles bag it is easy to sew; but, what if you don't even want to sew on the straps to your bag. No worries. Here is a NO SEW option for attaching the strap to the bag body. Follow the instructions regarding the body of the bag in the previous post--cut the slit, turn the bag inside out, poke out the corner fabric and press. Here's the change.

Open the flap and cut four slits through all layers of the fabric. Use the photos as a guide. Sharp scissors are handy. I used a rotary cutter and pressed down where I wanted the slit. Warning: I didn't roll the rotary cutter. You could easily cut too far if you did.

The body of the bag is on the bottom portion of the photo.
The flap has been opened towards the top.

Knot the end of the strapping and thread
through from the backside of the bag.

Make sure your slit is no larger than the width of your strapping. My strap is 1" wide. The slit if a bit less than that. There is a lot of sizing in this strap and the knot will not pull through the slit.

Thread the other end of the strap through the slit on the
other side of the bag and then tie a knot. 

Note: the strap material I bought in bulk has a lot of sizing and is very stiff. To soften the strap drag a chop stick over the strap in the same manner as if you're going to curl ribbon with scissors. You can use the backside of scissors as well. Run the tool that you choose over both sides of the strap several times and this breaks up the sizing. You can also soak the strap in water and rinse it before you assemble the bag.

Sew an Apron: Completely and Totally Optional

Aprons are cute and easy to sew, but remember they are optional. We recommend NO POCKETS on the apron because objects placed within bounce annoyingly as you trek; however, empty pockets would fix that problem. Here is a blog post on how to sew an apron. Click Here.

Sew a Possibles Bag

The possibles bag holds small items that are necessary during the hiking/walking parts of Trek. Things such as lip balm, personal necessities, and a water bottle go in the bag. The strap is worn over the shoulder and across the chest. A flap is incorporated into the design to prevent items from falling out when the bag is placed in the cart or on the ground. A trekker can attach a button and buttonhole or velcro type materiel to keep the flap even more secure.

Our Stake has a very large group of trekkers about 500 and I purchased plenty of denim pants legs which are sewn on three sides from a seller on Ebay.

Finished bags on bale of 200 pant legs.

Presewn denim pant legs.

Draw a chalk line up 13" from one end of bag.
This 13" tall portion of the pant leg is the body of the bag.
The rest of the rectangle is the flap.

Cut on the chalk line across the leg through only one layer of denim.
This is the opening into the bag. No need to finsh this opening.

Turn the bag inside out to hide the seams.

Cut  51" length(about 1 1/3 yard) of 1" wide cotton webbing.
This is the strap for the bag.
I purchased the cotton webbing from a seller
on Ebay.

Shape the corners by forcing the fabric completely out
of the four corners. I use a chop stick.

Press the bag open and then fold the flap over and press again.

Attach the cotton webbing to the back of the bag.
The strap is located 1" below the slit you cut on the other side
of the bag.

Stitch through all layers of denim avoiding catching the
flag in the stitching. I use my needle down function and
pivot at the corners of the webbing finishing with a diagonal
stitching line across the square of stitching.

Using the denim pant legs purchased in bulk saved a lot of money when compared to purchasing cotton twill, denim or even lighter weight cottons by the yard (even with sales and coupons); plus, nearly all of the sewing was completed before I even received the denim pant legs.

Sew a Neck Cooler: "Trekkies, the Stake will Provide These"

This site that sells the polymer granules for neck coolers has helpful dimensions for the number of neck coolers per pound of granules. Watersorb
Here are some instructions for the neck coolers the Lindon Stake Trek Sewing Committee are making:
The bandanas are 22" square.
Fold the bandana diagonally through the center.

Find the center point of the folded edge. It should be about 11" from the edge. Finger press a crease to mark the center.

Fold 1 1/2" along the diagonal fold and mark a 12" area center of the center point of the bandana.

Stitch down this 12" area to make a tube for the water absorbing polymer.

Leave one end open to fill with 1 tsp. of polymer. Stitch end closed after polymer is inserted into the tube.

Here are some links. "Sew Very Useful Neck Cooler"  Click Here.

Water Crystals Scarf--Click Here.

How Do I Get My Trek Clothes?

1. SEW'EM  You, a Friend

2. NEW Buy'em

3. USED DI or Saver's or Neighbors

SEW'EM If you want to sew your Trek clothes see the posts on this blog or Google pioneer trek DIY and you'll find a lot of tutorials.

BUY'EM If you have more $$ than time, buy your clothes. Here are web sites with information. I don't support or work for these sites. I simply Googled "pioneer trek clothes." A four piece woman's outfit is about $75 at Deseret Book. A new man's shirt is about $30. This is much pricier than purchasing used or sewing. Remember you need one bonnet, two shirts, two skirts for the ladies and one hat, two shirts, two pants for the guys.
White Elegance
Deseret Book
Wholesale Secal--Minimum orders are $100, so these would be ordered on a ward basis. A bonnet was about $9 and man's shirt about $9 as well.

Pioneer Designs--This is a small home business that needs a lead time of at least 3 weeks.
Walmart--Men's cotton, long sleeved shirts cost are about $13 each.
BuckWholesale--the Stake may consider making a bulk purchase of men's strawhats. These would be less than $5.

DI/SAVER'S Get friends. Find a ride. See what you can find:)

Sew a Bonnet: "Yes, Virginia, You Can Sew a Bonnet for Trek"

There are multiple ways to sew a bonnet for pioneer trek. Yes! You do need to still bring sunscreen and chapstick. You don't want your lips to hurt "real bad, " do you? --think Napolean Dynamite.

Here's a pretty easy bonnet blog tutorial. Click here.

This bonnet is darling and the instructions are pretty clear as well. Click here.

Here's a small blog tutorial. The pattern is not very clear. Click here.

Here's an authentic slat bonnet which can be modified. Use interfacing instead of slats. We don't have to be extraordinarily authentic on Trek. I know my Nikes aren't pioneer authentic:)

Link to Slat Bonnet. This bonnet is HUGE! Here's the pattern link if you're interested. Click here.

Here is a YouTube tutorial about sewing a bonnet for Trek. Click here for the video.

Lastly, here are written instructions for another bonnet pattern.

Sew a Trek Skirt--No Elastic

This tutorial for a pioneer trek skirt has a sewn on waistband--NO elastic in the waist. The tutorial is understandable and the skirt wouldn't take a lot longer than an elastic waistband skirt. Click here for the link to the blog.

Sew a Skirt for Trek--Elastic Waistband

Here are some instructions for the most simple elastic waistband skirt I know of.

Make an elastic waistband skirt by purchasing 2 yards of cotton fabric and 1" wide elastic (You will need at least enough elastic the length of the hip measurement plus a couple of inches. I buy a package of elastic.)  Lay the fabric with one side of the selvage running left to right, so that a selvage is on the top of the piece and on the bottom.  

Fold the 2 yards of fabric cut end to cut end with RIGHT sides together. Sew 1/2" or 5/8" seam whichever you like. Press seam flat and then serger, or not:)  Along the top selvage edge of this tube now press down 2" of fabric wrong side to wrong side. This is for the elastic casing. Stitch 1 1/2" from the top fold leaving a 2" opening in which to insert elastic. Attach a large saftey pin to the end of the elastic to fish through the casing. 

Don't cut elastic to size until after measuring to trekker's waist or 1" below the belly button.  Overlap elastic by 1 1/2" to 2" inches making sure that the elastic is not twisted in the casing. Straight stitch across the elastic in two spots near each end of the overlapped elastic. Once you're sure the elastic is not twisted inside the casing stitch the insertion opening closed by stretching the elastic and fabric smooth and closing the hole.

On the other side of the skirt (the bottom) double fold the selvage up 3" twice. You have shortened the skirt by about 6". You don't have to hem it this much. The amount depends on the height of the trekker.  The skirt should reach to mid-calf. The is about 12" extra length in the skirt before hemming for the average sized 5'6" girl.

Here are some other directions for an elastic waistband skirt.
There is an optional ruffle on the bottom. Don't make the skirts too narrow at the bottom. When you take strides will trekking you don't want the skirt to hobble you at the ankles or calves.

Of course this skirt is too short for Trek, but the elastic waistband is another option.

Here's a YouTube tutorial video and it's only 5 minutes long--YES! This skirt pattern uses 2" wide exposed elastic for the waistband. It's a quick and easy DIY. Click here for the video tutorial. Of course you're going to need to make the skirt mid-calf length for Trek. You'll need enough fabric gathered around your waist to have enough kick/hiking room down below near your calves.

Here's another tutorial on making a casing for the elastic on a skirt. This is similar to pajama pants that you may have made in Mrs. Griffin's sewing class at Oak Canyon JHS. Click here for the video.

How Do I Make a Button-Up Man's Shirt Look More Authentic? or 15 Minute Pioneer Shirt

Here's a link to a tutorial on modifying your button-up man's shirt. It makes it look a bit more "pioneer" authentic. You don't have to do this for Trek. It is only for the joy of it.
Click here for the tutorial link.