Long story, stay with me.
Last time I met BigDummy (of this 'ere parish) as he jumped astride his unfeasibly large luggage bike, he whipped-out a cracking bit of kit for keeping his troosers out of his chainwheel.
Apparently it was made by Crumpler, but he got it years ago. Sure enough, I cant find it on Crumpler's website and I even dropped into their shop on Strand and all they have now is a very crappy designed Thingy which obviously just doesnt work as your troos flare into your chainwheel:
[img] 
[/img]
So, I thought Id make my own.
Ive got hold of various bits from eBay: 2.5mm neoprene, some sew-on velcro, and for a bit of pizazz, some 3M Scotchlite sew-on tape, and commandeered Mummy Stoner's sewing machine.
And here it is:
[img] https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-zXwaL59VIXc/TuzUpukm_XI/AAAAAAAAA98/gR7N4TA4NxE/s400/P1010331.JPG [/img][img] https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-h6yftESQYRg/TuzUt-RTZ3I/AAAAAAAAA-E/QUYWzLnzDEo/s400/P1010333.JPG [/img][img] https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-UCePMzKLpIM/TuzUvgEF0gI/AAAAAAAAA-I/k1xhZ66FcFk/s400/P1010334.JPG [/img][img] https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-k0FocPkzkaU/TuzUyCYpgYI/AAAAAAAAA-M/9HSH_DtB78c/s400/P1010335.JPG [/img][img] https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-2u8bV-dz7KI/TuzUzAHvWsI/AAAAAAAAA-Q/wsSIBh1NW0k/s400/P1010336.JP G" target="_blank">
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-zXwaL59VIXc/TuzUpukm_XI/AAAAAAAAA98/gR7N4TA4NxE/s400/P1010331.JPG [/img][img] https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-h6yftESQYRg/TuzUt-RTZ3I/AAAAAAAAA-E/QUYWzLnzDEo/s400/P1010333.JPG [/img][img] https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-UCePMzKLpIM/TuzUvgEF0gI/AAAAAAAAA-I/k1xhZ66FcFk/s400/P1010334.JPG [/img][img] https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-k0FocPkzkaU/TuzUyCYpgYI/AAAAAAAAA-M/9HSH_DtB78c/s400/P1010335.JPG [/img][img] https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-2u8bV-dz7KI/TuzUzAHvWsI/AAAAAAAAA-Q/wsSIBh1NW0k/s400/P1010336.JP G"/> [/img]
Black on one side, red on the other. Works a treat.
Now here's the charity bit, Ive bought enough materials to make 6 of these - £23.75 worth. The photo's are of the prototype. Up for sale are 4 more, plus the prototype.
The prototype is more than fine, but my stitching isnt as teh awesum as it will be on the other 4.
I reckon these are worth £10 of anyone's money. So Ive already "paid" for mine with a £10 donation on a justgiving page Ive created just for this.
http://www.justgiving.com/stoner
Iv'e picked Crisis as it seems a good shout for this time of the year.
So roll-up, roll-up. If you want one of these fine pieces of commuterware, then make a commitment in a post below. Only the FIRST 4 get a widget PLUS 1 who commits to buy the Widget prototype for £8!
The final run of 4 will have Scotchlite on only ONE side (I will assume black side unless you specify). Whoever buys the prototype, obviously gets the 3M tape on both sides.
Once you've committed, it'd be good form to go over to [url= http://www.justgiving.com/stoner ]justgiving[/url] and make that donation ASAP in your STW name
I will get these made up over the next few evenings on Mummy Stoner's sewing machine and post these next week at my own expense. Cant guarantee they'll arrive by Xmas, but your money will get to Crisis as you deposit it. By the time we're all done, Crisis should be £58 the better off.
And of course if anyone fancies just bunging some cash their way for the sake of it, you're welcome to use the justgiving page to do it.
ta all,
Stoner
Hi stoner.
Just dropped £18 in the kitty
1 x widget. Scotchlite black side please.
1 x prototype.
Many thanks.
MB
you legend.
will go get the scissors now and start chopping and then sew them up tomorrow morning.
thanks for your generosity.
I'll happily donate,but for the sake of sweet baby jeebus you can keep ya tat.
lots of love the ugly bloke
xx
Great idea stoner. Just posted a tenner in the charity box for you. My unfashionable flared jeans thank you. 😀
cheers julian. got yours.
And I assume the masked donator is you, ugly mug. 😉
One left.
Im cutting the material up now in front of Harry potter.
PS - dont forget everyone, I need your postal addresses as I cant see the details on your donations. Drop me a line at my PM address.
Just bought it, happy to support you in this.
Stoner, I cant unzip the gimp outfit so had to stay masked 😆
nice one blaggers.
One Left! (miscounted up there ^ ! )
1 + proto for M-B
1 for blaggers
1 for Julian
1 for me
1 left.
and 1 very kind donation from fugly.
Bump.
One Left.
None left now hopefully. 😀
Nice one Stoner.
X
cheers elf. got the funds, ta
will need you to send me your postal address to my pm.
All stitched up, and will be posted tomorrow.
thanks everyone, and esp fugly and ScaredyPants for their extra donations. £78 all-in on its way to Crisis.
[img] 
[/img]
Oh yeah, might be helpful! 😆
Great simple idea, just the sort of thing I genuinely need. It'll be thoroughly tested on the mean streets of That London, see if it can stand up to the daily urban grind and grime...
Are you planning to go into production with these? Can see them being quite popular actually. Happy to pay a tenner for a good cause, but I reckon production versions would need to be a little cheaper, in order to sell well. A fiver, maybe?
And how about different colours? Spesh Edish fancy patterened/logoed ones? Dayglo colours?
What about one with integrated LEDs?
All packaged and in the post this morning. Hopefully you'll all get your exclusive commuterware from the Stoner Fashionhouse by xmas.
I did think about adding a "pocket" on which to clip a rear LED light but it was in the way of the 3M tape. I decided to leave it off, as if anyone wants to add a light they could clip it over the top of the wrap anyway.
Are you planning to go into production with these?
If I were to try and sell these properly, theyd need to be die cut, and machine sewn to get the quality that punter's would really deserve. Also, the materials cost £4 each and take about 10-15 minutes to sew. Not much room for a profitable margin unless Im bangin' out a few hundred of them, which I dont think I will. I think it's more likely people might have a stab at making their own.
so for them, here's the dimensions and shopping list:
150mm x 300mm seems to be the right kind of size and works well with the neoprene supplier size. 50mm wide hook & loop tape (velcro to you and me). Ive used 25mm wide 3M tape, cut from 50mm wide stuff.
[url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/380394071708 ]2.5mm neoprene, £5.40 for 2 pieces worth[/url]
[url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150702318684 ]50mm velcro sew on, £2.30 per metre, enough for 6 pieces[/url]
[url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/390369984979 ]3M Scotchlite 50mm tape, £3.90 for 2M, enough for 12-13 pieces when cut into 25mm wide [/url]
Good man - what a cool thing to do.
I put a donation on your site.
Cheers barnaby - very generous of you.
Maybe in the new year I'll do another batch, will let you know.
Got mine this morning, and very nice it is too! 😀
I'm actually wearing it right now.
That, and nothing else....
Never figured you for a frustrated seamstress, comrade. 😀
Excellent work & a good cause. Don't need one myself, but have donated to the kitty.
cheers comrade. Your party membership subscription is always gratefully received.
Glad you like it, elf. hope the rest arrive safely.
Great trouser thingy arrived yesterday, thanks Stoner. My flares are tamed. 😀
top stuff.
Mine got its first proper outing this morning in a very quiet London town - where is everyone?. Works a treat. Well chuffed.
😀
another thanks to jfeb for the donation. £98 in Crisis' change tin.
the spirit of hijacked paganism is strong in you lot at the moment 😉
Mine got admiring looks in the pub last night, did it's job brilliantly and gave me a sense of new-found confidence and heightened self-esteem. I mean, how good is that? 😀
and another kind donation from Pottsathome takes us over the ton. 🙂
Update report:
The strap works beautifully, and I forget it's there, but:
It does get a little bit sweaty underneath, if yer pedalling hard.
That's my only slightly negative experience with it so far. Other than that, it's the best solution to this problem that I've tried.
just got home to a nice letter from crisis thanking us for the donations. good work fellas.
[img] 
[/img]
and my widget is still doing sterling service to boot.
Make some more and put me down for a couple - please?