I have long wanted to try making some equipment with my own hands. My first pathetic attempt is documented here :)
I went to the Epicenter hardware store (there are three of them in Kyiv) in search of interesting materials for work. I found there a number of lightweight moisture-proof materials that are used in the construction of houses. They may not be as durable as , but they'll probably last a couple of hikes. Bought 5 linear meters Strotex insulating film from a 1.5 m wide roll. The material is shown on the right. One side is white, the other is covered with aluminum film, which should reflect heat well.
I cut the piece as follows and glued the two pieces together with tape.
I then brought the diagonal edges together and glued them together to form a three meter long tube. Weighs approx. 580 g, and there's enough room for two. Field tests will take place tomorrow night...
Balcony test
I put the sleeping bag into the tube and pulled it up to chin level. The fabric was just lying on the sleeping bag. I didn't lift it with a rope or anything else. As a result, condensation from my body soaked the top side of the sleeping bag, even though I was breathing above the tube. But inside the tube it was 3 degrees warmer than outside it.
Afterword
The idea of a pipe-shaped shelter is not new. The raised entrance, of course, makes the shelter more comfortable. However, materials like Strotex can get wet in heavy rain or snow. They are much inferior to ordinary polyethylene in this regard. The main disadvantage of this design is the accumulation of condensate. I will not use this shelter, since I have a better one, but for some this solution may be quite satisfactory, especially for short trips (1-2 nights), where the issue of condensation is not decisive.
Izomat 120 grams January 2008
Izomat was originally intended for insulation and soundproofing of floors. I cut it up and taped the pieces together so it folded up and fit in my backpack. Successfully used in . The material is quite fragile, but its thermal insulation properties are more effective than travel rugs (per unit weight).
Report, 2008
Subsequently, the isomat broke and came unglued. But the fact remains: the thermal insulation is excellent.
Case for cats February 2008
The simplest project. I cut out a piece and sewed the edges to make a cover. Then, when I purchased sewing machine, altered the seams. Weight - 8 grams. It is very puncture resistant, which is superior to silicone and other ultra-light fabrics.
Report, 2011
I still keep my cats in this case. Great use of Tyvek. The fabric becomes softer and softer, but does not pierce.
Snowshoes February 2008
My simplest and most naive project. Unfortunately, I didn’t get further than the first stage due to the inability to try these snowshoes on the snow! That way I would know what is needed to improve them. The basis for snowshoes is cheap aluminum dumplings weighing 260 grams each. I liked their shape and excellent grip. I was going to tie straight branches with a diameter of 1-1.5 cm and a length of 60-70 cm to the dumplings at the site of the hike. The fastening system shown here is too flimsy to withstand large and multidirectional loads. We should have come up with something more complicated.
Conclusion, 2009
Snowshoes should not be shaped like a circle...
Silicone vapor barrier socks March 2008
Quite a complex project. I took the pattern from polar socks, “by eye.” Each sock contains three pieces of fabric. They work well, but they slip. You need to add a puff or elastic band. The weight of a pair is 16 grams.
Report, 2009
Sewing socks turned out to be quite difficult. These socks are suitable for sleeping, but not for walking.
Duffel bag 110 grams March 2008
Explain, What is this, very difficult 🙂 You have to see and feel it for yourself. Fabric - volume - about 40-45 liters, weight - only 110 grams. There are drawstrings at the ends of the duffel bag, and things can be easily reached along the entire length of the bag. There are several perpendicular seams.
Report, 2010
I haven't gone camping with him yet. I doubt that I will like it, but it would still be worth trying to go with him at least once.
Failed wind pants March 2008
I ordered a kit for sewing these ultra-light pants from thru-hiker.com. Fabric (“Momentum” - ultra-light breathable polyamide with water-repellent impregnation), accessories and pattern are included in the set. Due to my inexperience, I did not check the resulting pant size in the early stages and sewed too narrow pants with a wide waist. By the time I realized that my pants didn’t fit well, it was already too late. I decided to contact the studio to have pants sewn for me from another piece of Momentum I ordered (and also in a less disgusting color). The pants turned out great and weigh less than 80 grams. By the way, I abandoned the side zippers. The lightning can be seen in the second photo.
Report, 2010
Momentum is definitely a very advanced fabric. For most windproof products, as well as bivouac bags, Momentum is ideal. But for trousers, I advise you to use heavier fabrics, because... When hiking, you often catch branches and thorns, sit on rocks, fall on snow, etc. Momentum can tear, and sew up a tear or hole in such light fabric it can be difficult. I still wear trousers (this is my second pair) from Momentum, but I decided that my next pair will no longer weigh 70 grams, but 100 or more.
Bag for map and camera No. 1 April 2008
For the next ultra-light hike in Crimea, I decided to get rid of many of the covers that I was used to hanging on the straps of my backpack (see), and carry only the most necessary things in front: a map and a camera. For them, I came up with a special silicone bag measuring 30 x 25 x 8 cm with two compartments (so that the card can always be put inside, even if the second compartment is filled with things). Product weight - 30 grams.
The bag was supposed to work like this. While you are looking at a map or using a camera, the bag hangs in front of your stomach. When the map and camera are no longer needed, you tighten the hole and dashingly throw the bag over your head back so that it hangs behind you. When you need the bag again, you take the rope from behind your shoulders with your hands and use it to pull the bag over the top of the backpack.
No matter how much I tried, I could not find a place to tie the rope to the backpack so that the bag would hang at the desired height both in front and behind, and so that it could be easily reached from behind. If you wear it only in front, it dangles and hits your stomach with every step. Over time it gets boring. And so, the design is not bad.
Conclusion, 2009
Is the design good? I don't agree. I wonder how many hits my camera would have withstood on the backpack when the bag was thrown? :)
Bag for map and camera No. 2 April 2008
Continuation of the previous topic. This bag corrects the shortcomings of the former. Now the bag with the map and camera hangs under the arm in a place where the map (for example, “Atlas of the Crimean Mountains”) is still easy to take out and put in without removing the backpack, and at the same time the bag does not interfere with the use of a trekking stick. In addition, it does not hit the body at all, since the line of attachment of the bag is parallel to the trajectory of movement.
The design is now flat, with two compartments, a drawstring and four loops to allow for different ways to hang the bag (only the side two are used in the photo). Attaches with ultra-light carabiners to the loop on the backpack and to the shoulder strap. I'm very pleased with the result. During this time, this handbag was my constant assistant and did not interfere with the movement of my hand at all and did not hit my body. Weight including carbines - 23 grams.
Report, 2010
Over time I cut out a divider inside the bag. She was clearly superfluous. In fact, now the bag is practically no different from a regular case for hiking items. Only by the presence of loops and the stupidity of the seams :) As a rule, I attach the front part lower than shown in these photographs. An improved model is presented. Nevertheless, the bag remains one of my most successful inventions and has accompanied me on numerous hikes, incl. and by . Thanks to it, the map is always at hand, and looking at it on the go is not difficult.
Mosquito net April 2008
Many means have been invented to protect against insects without using a traditional tent. It's worth searching on Google, for example, "bug bivy". At one time I bought a simple, lightweight and relatively cheap mosquito net from Gossamer Gear (70 grams). In anticipation of summer hikes, I decided to make a mosquito net that would weigh less and more reliably protect not only from mosquitoes, but also from ticks and ants that can crawl up to you from below.
The mesh I developed can be used with equal success both on the ground and in a hammock. It can also be used as a mosquito net for the head. The shape of the mesh is an envelope tube, tightened at hip level. Made of ultra-fine mesh (“no-see-um”), through which midges and ticks cannot crawl. Weight - 50 grams. Suspended from an awning, branch or rope. In the photo below, the net is raised 20 cm above the head of the imaginary sleeper. This option is ideal for lightweight athletes who walk like this: they came in the evening, set up camp, immediately went to bed, then got up in the morning and walked.
Report, 2008
I used the net while hiking on. The idea may be a good one, but it turned out to be very difficult to climb inside the mesh while sitting in a sleeping bag. From such muscle tension, at the end of a 12-hour day's march, you become completely exhausted.
Super-ultra-light backpack June 2008
How light can a backpack be? I think it’s not much lighter than my latest brainchild, which weighs 45 grams and holds 22-24 liters. The body of the backpack is made of a single piece of silicone (75 x 75 cm and 24 grams of weight). The backpack is designed for summer hikes in Crimea with a base backpack weight of up to 1-2 kg and a maximum load of 6-7 kg.
Report, 2010
Subsequently, this pathetic backpack visited the top of Elbrus behind the shoulders of my friend. My next ultra-light silicone backpack will have a double bottom, external pockets and thicker foam in the straps. A full-fledged backpack for summer PVD can weigh about 100 grams.
Mosquito net for two November 2008
Now I gravitate towards the most simple and functional equipment. I wanted to make a mosquito net for two, which could be easily used at rest stops as well as at night. The size should be large enough for two people to sit and dine under the net. In Colorado, we already realized how inconvenient it can be without such protection from insects, and decided that we would need to come up with something for our next trip. I had been eyeing a mesh tent from Ray Jardine's site for a long time, but gradually I abandoned this design. Firstly, the tent requires pegs and trekking poles or branches to set up, which makes it useless for short rest stops. Secondly, it is too low to sit in. It was necessary to come up with something simpler and more convenient.
In the end I came up with this design. Essentially it is a pyramid with the top shifted forward and the bottom open. The length of the structure is 2.6 m, width - 1.8 m in front - 1.5 m in back. Top height - 1.2 m. Weight - 200 grams. Pieces of nylon are sewn to the bottom corners, and the bottom edges of the mesh can be held either with something heavy (say, sneakers) resting on the pieces of nylon inside the corners of the tent, or with pegs. Loops for pegs are sewn to the corners and the middle of the long sides. You don’t have to stretch the edges, but simply hang the mesh at the top, on which there is a special tensioner, so that the mesh can be easily raised or lowered without tying knots. It is enough to find a branch to hang a tent in half a minute and protect yourself from mosquitoes. If the awning has a loop at the bottom, then you will attach the mesh to it. We will try this design at the end of December.
Report, 2010
Subsequently, this grid underwent a number of changes. First I added a vertical zipper at the entrance. Then I cut off pieces of mesh at the sides and back and sewed loops around the perimeter of the mesh. But I went too far with reducing the size: I no longer fit under the mesh. I added new pieces of mesh and sewed the entire structure to the rescue blanket for complete protection from insects (particularly ticks). However, we didn’t like how the walls of the “interior” sagged and touched our faces. We leave experiments with mesh and move on to using a two-person bivouac with mesh or shelters with integrated mesh (like the “Hexamid Twin” from Zpacks), that is, essentially, ultra-light single-layer tents.
Rain skirts December 2008
How to protect yourself from such rain, which falls from morning to night at temperatures of 10 degrees or lower? The umbrella protects the torso well, but the pants (shorts are cold) invariably get wet. Gore-Tex rain pants don't breathe enough and get hot under heavy loads. A poncho is good if you are alone, but if you are alone, you want a large awning instead of two poncho awnings. The simplest and, it seems to me, effective solution is a “rain skirt” or a kilt made of silicone. The design is a partial cone (imagine a glass without a bottom, with a wide end at the bottom). Fixed with Velcro. It couldn't be simpler. It can also be used as a cover for a backpack or a small bedding for rest stops. It is not hot in such a skirt due to good ventilation. I made one for myself and one for a girl. Weight is 70 grams for me and 55 for the girl. The main difficulties when sewing are to determine the most convenient length, to make bottom part wide enough, draw the bend correctly (see photo on the left) and choose the optimal places for the Velcro (and so that they match at both ends of the skirt!).
Vapor barrier gloves December 2008
There was a need for vapor barrier gloves for girls, because... her hands often get cold. The mittens were sewn from pieces of silicone left over from rain skirts. We were lucky with the size of the mittens: they fit both her and me. They are loose enough to be worn as tops over thin gloves. This way they protect from rain or snow. True, in this case the hand does not breathe, but in certain conditions this can even be a plus (if the hands are cold). Having outlined the hand and 5-10 cm of the wrist on paper, you need to add about 2 cm around the perimeter and a little more in the wrist area so that the hand can fit through the hole formed. Then we cut out the resulting pattern and apply it to silicone or other fabric and outline it with chalk or a marker. Cut out four “handles” to make two mittens. Well, then everything is clear, I hope. The mittens work. Now I want to add elastic at the wrist area to prevent the mittens from slipping. The weight of the pair is 8 grams.
Report, 2010
You don’t need to add 2 cm, but 3-4, depending on whether you wear mittens over gloves. The elastic is a necessary thing, but you need to sew it on before sewing two pieces of silicone. Sew on an elastic band - it’s not a field to cross :)
Waterproof pants August 2010
Numerous moves and the inconvenience of using strangers sewing machines over the past two years they have prevented me from developing self-tailoring projects. But now these issues have largely been resolved. In addition, I feel that the accumulated experience and understanding allows me to sew more intelligently than before. I'm starting to develop new equipment... Waterproof pants are designed to correct the shortcomings of the rain skirt. They protect the entire length of the legs from precipitation and do not interfere with stepping over obstacles. You can wear Gore-Tex socks underneath without the risk of water running down your feet and getting inside the socks from above. The trouser legs weigh 66 grams (from 50 for smaller people).
Report, 2010
Preliminary result after testing in: I like it. When combined with Gore-Tex socks, they protect the entire foot from external moisture. Pants should be worn in conjunction with a poncho or raincoat, the lower edge of which is below the groin. Otherwise, moisture will get under the legs from above, and the legs will gradually get wet from the inside. Putting on pants legs in the wind can be difficult. I partially solved this problem by sewing a thin jumper between the legs (see photo on the right).
Card bag No. 3 October 2010
It seems perfection has been achieved! The bag weighs only 11 grams without carabiners and has easier entry and tightening than the old one. Now the fabric does not get into the lock, and the “Atlas of the Crimean Mountains” slides in easily. In addition, the bag can also be used as a cover for things.
Windproof mittens October 2010
Why windproof mittens, even 15 gram ones? And then to a) protect your hands from cold and wind on summer hikes, b) protect your hands from mosquitoes and c) wear over warm, breathable gloves in cold weather. This combination now weighs only 57 grams. When sewing the mittens, the hardest part was sewing on the elastic. As it turns out, this needs to be done before sewing the two handles. I only succeeded in doing this the third time. Not counting the first glove failure, the project took two hours. By the way, the fabric for the mittens was taken from my wife’s worn-out windpants.
Trips
If the big city isn't your thing, you like to travel, or you're looking to get started, then you might need some information about what you can do in extreme conditions to survive.
There are many ideas on how to make things that will help you on your trip.
You can do a lot with your own hands useful tools, and you can find out about some of them below.
1. Quickly ignite a fire for active tourism
In wet weather, you may have problems starting a fire. So that this does not bother you, make preparations that will help you quickly and easily light a fire.
You will need:
Fuzz (threads) sticking to clothing or cotton fiber
Cardboard packaging for eggs
Wax from old candles
1. Place the fiber into the egg holes.
2. Melt the candle wax.
3. Pour the melted wax onto the fibers in the carton.
4. Wait for everything to cool and dry.
5. Cut out the blanks as shown in the image.
When lit with a match or lighter, each of these blanks will burn for up to 20 minutes.
You will need:
Two identical plastic jars
Baking paper
Wire or rope to create a handle
Small battery operated candle
Glue stick
Adhesive tape
Drill or awl
Superglue
1. Clean the jars of any debris and grease. You only need one jar lid.
2. Measure and cut three pieces of baking paper to fit inside the jar.
3. Glue the ends of all three parts together to form a tube that can be conveniently inserted into the jar.
4. Make a hole on opposite sides of one plastic lid (from a jar).
5. Insert the wire into the holes and bend it to form a handle.
6. Make a large hole in the other lid. This time the holes are on top.
7. Insert the candle inside the hole (there will be a switch outside). Secure the structure with glue.
8. Now glue the lid with a handle to the bottom of the jar, and simply screw the top lid (with the candle) back to the jar.
3. What should a tourist do in the cold - hand warmer
You will need:
Calcium chloride (or something that contains it)
2 packages different sizes with clasp
1. Pour some calcium chloride into a large bag.
2. Take some water into a small bag.
3. Place the small bag inside the larger one.
4. Upon contact with coolness, calcium chloride begins to heat up, and you get a comfortable hand warmer.
4. Wood-burning stove made from tin cans for lovers of outdoor activities and tourism
You will need:
2 tin cans(diameter approximately 7.5 and 10 cm)
Metal cutting scissors
Can opener
Screwdriver or awl
Ruler
1. Cut the bottom from a large jar. Make holes in it to turn it into a ring.
2. Place the ring on a jar of smaller diameter.
3. Make several holes in a small jar (top and bottom, large and small).
4. Insert the small jar into the larger one.
5. Mobile stove for lovers of extreme tourism
You will need:
Small metal box
1. Cut the cardboard so that it fits comfortably in the tin box.
2. Melt the wax.
3. Fill the cardboard with wax. Fill so that there are no empty holes.
Ready. It will burn long and hard.
6. What a tourist needs: one thing fresh coffee bags
You will need:
Paper for straining coffee infusion
Dental floss
Measuring spoon
1. Place straining papers in measuring spoon.
2. Add 1-2 teaspoons of coffee.
3. Use dental floss to secure the coffee paper.
4. Cut off the excess (if the tail of the paper is long).
5. Place all pouches in a ziplock bag to help them last longer.
To brew coffee, use coffee bags in the same way as tea bags:
1. Place the bag in a cup and pour boiling water over it..
2. Wait a few minutes.
* Boiling water can be poured for you free of charge on the plane, airport, cafe and other places.
3. Before drinking coffee, remove the bag and throw it in the trash.
7. Very interesting ideas: mobile toilet paper holder
When it rains, toilet paper can get wet. But if you make a holder like this, you can get rid of this problem.
1. Prepare a wide plastic jar.
2. Remove the lid and put toilet paper inside.
3. Make holes at the top and bottom and insert wire to make a handle.
4. Cut an oblong hole to insert the paper.
8. How to make an organic spray to repel bugs from plants
You will need:
1 head of garlic
1 small onion
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 liter of water
1 tablespoon liquid olive soap
1. Place the garlic and onion in a blender and blend until liquid.
2. Add 1 liter of water and a tablespoon of cayenne pepper to the contents.
3. Cover the mixture and leave for 1 hour.
4. Strain the mixture through cheesecloth and add 1 tbsp. l. olive soap.
5. Fill your spray bottle and you can use the contents to repel bugs from your plants.
9. DIY compass
This craft can be done together with your child, it is so simple.
You will need:
Plastic cover
Magnet (rod)
A piece of cork or foam
Some water
1. Use a knife to cut a piece of champagne or wine cork.
2. Pass the needle along the magnet several times, but only in one direction. If you did this enough times, the needle will also become a magnet.
3. B plastic cover pour water.
4. Place the cut circle from the cork on the water, and place a needle on top. Take your time, make sure the needle lies flat.
Soon the needle will begin to rotate slowly and its tip will begin to point north.
10. DIY snowshoes
11. DIY water filter
12. DIY hammock
Those who like to spend time outside the city, but rarely go hiking, know how difficult it can be to keep matches dry, quickly light a fire or prepare a hot breakfast. However, experienced travelers know how to special effort make homemade items for a hike with your own hands. Each of these devices will make life much easier for beginners and experienced tourists at a minimum cost.
Camping jet stove
This is probably the most expensive tourist homemade product for the hike that will be discussed. The fact is that to make it you will need to purchase two small stainless steel mugs in advance. This stove makes it easy to heat water for tea or fry eggs. Of course, a gas stove is much more convenient in this regard. But the gas may run out, and this small device runs on firewood, which can be found in abundance in any planting.
To work you will need:
- inexpensive mugs with a diameter of 10 and 12 cm, made of stainless steel;
- masking tape or strip of paper;
- a stainless steel strip 25 cm long and 3-4 cm wide.
In addition, you need to prepare the following tools:
- grinder or hacksaw;
- roulette;
- hammer;
- drill and drill bits;
- marker;
- pliers;
- core;
- metal scissors.
What to do
In order to make such a homemade product for a hike, it is important to act very carefully and in accordance with the following instructions:
- We start by processing a mug of smaller diameter. First of all, cut off the handle - it will not be needed.
- Now we carefully grind off the places where it is attached using a grinder using cutting disc. If necessary, we help ourselves with pliers. The result should be a kind of stainless steel glass.
- Stepping back about one centimeter from the edge of the workpiece, apply masking tape around the circumference. Peel it off again and mark the strip into 12 divisions. This is necessary in order to drill 12 holes around the circumference of the workpiece at the same distance from each other. If you don’t have tape, you can use a regular strip of paper, moistening it a little with water.
- Transfer the markings back to the mug and paint the right places Using a marker and a drill, we make small holes.
- Remove the tape and drill out the resulting holes to a diameter of 10 mm.
- Let's move on to the bottom of the workpiece. There you need to mark 21 holes. To make it look beautiful and neat, you can outline the outline of the bottom on a sheet of paper in a checkered pattern and start by marking the holes there.
- Having slightly moistened the paper with water, we glue the workpiece to the bottom and core the places of future holes. We mark them with a thin drill, and then increase the diameter of each to 7-8 mm.
- Now let's start working with the second, larger mug. We turn it over and mark a circle with a diameter of 10 cm in the center on the bottom.
- We drill a convenient hole in the center of the mug and cut out a circle with metal scissors.
- In the upper part of the mug, also stepping back a little from the edge, we drill several holes with a diameter of 10-12 mm, evenly distributing them around the circumference.
- We assemble the stove. To do this, turn the large mug upside down and insert a metal glass with holes made from a smaller mug into the resulting hole (in the normal position, bottom down). It will be difficult for the workpiece to fit in, so you can place a small board on top and gently tap it with a hammer.
- All that remains is to make a cross. For this you will need a steel strip. We cut it in half, then cut each half in the middle so that the parts can be inserted into one another.
The stove is ready. If you install it on a flat area and heat it, the fuel supply is enough even to boil a kettle. In this case, the handle will remain cool, so that the device can be safely extinguished or moved to the desired location.
"Bombs" for the fire
When considering homemade products for hiking and tourism, it is impossible not to pay attention to lighting a fire. Those who often do this outdoors, especially after rain, know that this is not an easy task. To ensure that the fire always flares up quickly and easily, it is better to stock up on special paraffin “bombs” before going out. They are very easy to make. You will need:
- egg cartons;
- cotton fiber, such as cotton wool;
- wax candles (2-3 pieces).
Everything is done very simply. Place a lump of cotton wool into the cells of the cardboard stencil - it is better to tear it and compact it a little. In the unnecessary tin can Melt the candles in a water bath, after cutting them into pieces.
Pour melted wax into the cells with cotton wool, wait until everything hardens. With the help stationery knife cut the stencil into pieces and wrap each “bomb” in cling film. Each piece set on fire with a match or lighter will burn stably for at least twenty minutes. This is quite enough to dry the wet brushwood a little and light a fire.
Bottle filter
And here's another one useful homemade product for a hike. With its help, you will not be left without tea, even if the entire supply is drinking water will be used up. The main thing is that there is a small river or river nearby.
To make a simple filter you need to prepare:
- plastic bottle;
- a small ball of cotton wool or 3-4 cotton pads;
- plastic bag;
- a piece of cloth, for example a clean handkerchief;
- a package of activated carbon - if you don’t have it, a few charcoals from yesterday’s fire will do.
Operating procedure
Creation scheme homemade filter very simple:
- We cut off the bottom of the bottle and make several holes in the cork. Screw on the cork and turn the bottle upside down.
- We plug the neck with a wad of cotton wool or place 2-3 disks there.
- The next layer is crushed activated carbon tablets. The more there are, the better. If you use charcoal, then the pieces should be broken a little so that they lie as tightly as possible to each other.
- Coat the coal again cotton pads or cotton wool.
- To prevent the filter from becoming clogged, place a clean handkerchief on top.
- Cut off a corner of a plastic bag or make holes in it. Place the cellophane in the bottle.
- Now add a layer of clean river sand. If there are small pebbles on the shore, you can also use them, placing them in the topmost layer.
Pay attention! The layers should be such that there is room on top for water.
The filter from scrap materials is ready. The water obtained in this way must be boiled (at least ten minutes) in order to finally get rid of various microorganisms and pathogenic bacteria.
Hot gun without electricity
It happens that while on a hike you need to fix something urgently. How to do this? Your best bet is to grab some hot gun rods from home. But how to use them? Now you'll find out.
To make a camping hot pistol you will need:
- lighter;
- can;
- insulating tape.
Make it so useful and the necessary homemade product It’s very easy for a hike:
- Using a knife, we cut off the bottom and top of the can, and cut it lengthwise so that we get a sheet of thin tin;
- roll it into a small bag and secure it with electrical tape;
- cut off the tip so that the glue passes into the hole;
- using electrical tape, screw a lighter onto the bottom like a pistol trigger;
- Insert a glue stick into the hole.
The device is ready! Now it will be very easy for you to seal a torn shoe or make minor repairs equipment.
All dacha owners one day think about decorating it, adding something special to the atmosphere. Of course, you can go to specialized stores and buy whatever your heart desires. But if summer residents want their vacation spot to be unique and inimitable, then it will be much more interesting to make the decorations with your own hands. Jewelry made independently will give the owners both a creative mood and aesthetic pleasure.
Choosing original ideas for a summer residence
Each dacha owner, if desired, can find a lot of the most different ideas to decorate your site. To make most of the decorations, only improvised means and minimum costs. And old, unnecessary furniture and interior items will inspire creativity even more. Often seemingly completely useless and forgotten things can come in handy. Country designers use in their work everything that comes to hand: broken old furniture, unnecessary toys, various bottles and dishes, car tires, remaining building materials and much more.
No dacha decoration is complete without intricate, interesting flower beds. Uniqueness flower arrangements you can add them by planting them in old containers. These can be barrels, pots, and even carts. Many summer residents build various picket fences for flower beds.
Original paths on a summer cottage will always add coziness. They are made from timber or stone. And leftover materials can always be used to build another composition.
Bottles and plastic jars are especially popular among country designers. From them it is easy and simple to build many interesting sculptures, decorations for flower beds, and borders. There are no limits for imagination here.
You should definitely place a bird feeder in your dacha. Children usually love to watch birds. And with a feeder, birds will be a frequent visitor to your summer cottage. It can be made from a plastic bottle, from an unnecessary block of wood, or from twigs.
Without much difficulty, you can make a variety of figures that will bring comfort and individuality to the countryside atmosphere. For their manufacture, you can use a variety of design solutions and materials. For example, polymer clay, leftovers polyurethane foam, gypsum and other building materials. You just have to start creative work and it will immediately become clear that nothing is impossible.
Crafts from improvised materials
The most popular among available materials for crafts are bottles, various plastic jars and boxes. Before starting work, you should definitely think through the details so that the result is truly beautiful and does not resemble a pile of plastic waste.
Plastic bottles are easy to cut and can be easily shaped into the desired shape. And if you cover the result of the work suitable paints, then you get bright, unique decorations for your dacha. For example, you can make animal figures (pigs, cows, bees) or fairy-tale heroes. By making such decorations, you can unleash your creative potential, and each time the crafts will become more and more perfect. At large quantities unnecessary plastic, it is used to make not only crafts, but also pieces of furniture.
If you have a glass cutter among your tools, you can make original pots from glass bottles. Such crafts look very stylish and easily fit into any design. Candle stands can be made in the same way.
Bottle caps can also be useful for decorating furniture, decorative fences, creating compositions and even curtains. You can also use containers from chocolate egg toys.
Leftovers natural stone Perfect for decorating a pond in your country house. A small pond will add unique comfort to the atmosphere of the dacha. Flower beds, crafts or a recreation area will look good around. If the pond turns out to be large enough, then it can be decorated with an interesting bridge.
Every motorist always has old tires. You can simply paint them and make bright bases for a flower bed, or you can show your imagination and cut out various shapes.
Arrangement of a play area at the dacha
Doing landscaping and decoration summer cottage, don't forget about the children. They need their own territory for games and entertainment. Children of any age love swings. They can be made from regular boards and rope, or you can use metal chains and old tires painted in bright colors. It’s easy to build slides and swings from scrap materials. The main thing is that everything is strong and reliable.
For kids, you will definitely need a sandbox. Its borders will look interesting from colorful bottles or wooden log houses. A sandbox in the form of a ship or car will look original. It is recommended to make an awning over the sand to protect from the bright sun.
Children will certainly love having their own playhouse in their summer cottage. Benches, a table or other furniture can be placed inside. It all depends on your imagination. The house can be decorated with a bright flower bed or homemade decorations. Usually the children themselves are happy to take part in decorating their territory.
Ideas for decorating a fence at the dacha
The uniqueness of the dacha plot is best emphasized by its fencing. A fence is not only the protection of the territory, but also the so-called calling card of the owners.
Simple wooden or iron fence– it’s banal. It definitely needs to be decorated. You can decorate the fence in the most different materials: flower pots, crafts in the form of animals, painted landscapes and everything your imagination allows for. For example, unnecessary brightly colored rubber boots will look original as pots.
You can decorate the fence with old disks. They reflect sunlight and look interesting in any lighting. You can also apply different patterns to the discs.
A fence made of round timber, painted to look like colored pencils, looks impressive. This fence can also be used to fence off a children’s area in a dacha.
Any fence will look cozier if some climbing plants grow along it. Eat various types, which grow very quickly. For example, decorative beans or morning glory. You can plant vines. They grow much slower, but also look more expensive. There is no comparison in this case with wild grapes. Grape leaves gradually change their color and retain their beauty until frost. It looks original when the “grape fence” turns into a canopy. This design gives the fence an antique look.
Beautiful decorations for a low fence will be flowering shrubs, planted along it. You can combine plants with different colors and flowering times.
In the evening, different lanterns on the fence look beautiful. It’s also possible to make them yourself from scrap materials. Or you can just paint them glass jars attached to the fence, place candles. The main thing is that the flame does not reach the fence.
Lovers of drawing will have a lot of room for imagination. You can draw anything on the surface of the fence: nature, scenes, cartoon characters, ornaments, small patterns in the form of flowers, butterflies, ladybugs. It’s easy to draw on any fence, but it’s easier on a fence made of corrugated board.
Compositions made from lids, shells, stones, and dishes look original. It’s easy to make plastic flowers from the bottoms of bottles and paint them in rich colors - they will look beautiful on a wooden fence.
We design flower beds and flower beds
Flower beds will help transform your dacha plot and add color to its atmosphere. When choosing plants, you should definitely take into account their individual characteristics. First of all, you should decide on the “soloist” flowers, that is, the main plants in the flowerbed. The choice can be made of three or four types.
Decorating flowers with ornamental grasses and interestingly shaped leaves looks beautiful. With them, the flowerbed will be original, even when the flowers are not blooming. But you shouldn’t try to place a lot of different plants. The territory of the site should look holistic and harmonious.
Of course, it’s not enough just to plant flowers beautifully. Flowerbeds also look more original if they are decorated around them. The composition must be complete.
Flower beds can be decorated using any unnecessary items. The article already mentioned that it is not difficult to make small flower beds from old tires painted in bright colors. You can use a wheelbarrow, cart, an unwanted beehive, or even an old car. The main thing is that everything is done carefully and aesthetically. If desired, you can add decorations to the flower garden in the form of homemade bees, butterflies, and interesting stuffed animals.
You can make a small fence around the flowerbed. To make it, you can use plastic bottles or cups, fences made of tyna, and stones. The flower bed looks beautiful and smoothly turns into a lawn.
Setting up a relaxation area
The dacha must have a comfortable place to relax. fresh air. This issue must be approached very responsibly. It all depends on the preferences and desires of the owners. This could be simply a laid out area with a table and comfortable chairs or hammocks placed in the shade.
A gazebo, which can be made from the remaining building materials. Gazebos whose walls are decorated look beautiful climbing plants. Bright soft pillows or blankets look cozy as decorations.
Swings can be not only for children, but also for adults. It will not be difficult to build wide wooden swing for relaxation or make canopies somewhere in the shade of trees. For convenience, they can be decorated with soft pillows.
You will definitely need a barbecue in the recreation area. It can be made, for example, from old barrel. For evening and night time, flashlights can be provided.
When designing and decorating a dacha plot, it is worth remembering that a dacha is a place of rest from the everyday life and bustle of the city. It should be comfortable and calm here, and the environment should be pleasing to the eye. It is important not to overload the area with crafts or other design solutions, everything should be in moderation. Imagine, create, surprise!
