You can make your own ditty bags and stuff sacks from leftover nylon pieces from other gear for a fraction of the store prices. As a plus they are an EXACT fit for your gear. You can make them out of anything you want- nylon packcloth, poly fleece (good for sleeping bags as it will double as a pillow case but is not waterproof), or mesh for dunk sacks.
With a little imagination you can make any size or shape you want. You can add straps and other goodies on the outside to make them perfect for your uses.
Ditty Bag
Materials needed:
- Lightweight nylon packcloth- twice the width + seam allowance; of and 1″ + seam allowance taller than the ditty bag you wish to make.
- Nylon cord or shoestring- twice the width of the desired ditty bag + 2″
- Polyester thread
- Needle
Directions:
Cut material to desired size. If you are using fleece or mesh skip the next step, otherwise complete it.
Sew a 1/4″ fold on each side of the material (blue/purple line). Make sure the fold is on the inside of the fabric.
Sew a 1/2″ sleeve at the top of the fabric, folding it to the inside. (red line)
Fold along center (dotted line)
Sew all the way around the edges, making sure you don’t seal the sleeve.
Run the cord or string through the sleeve. It’s easier if you pin a safety pin to one end of the cord and push the pin through the sleeve. Tie a knot in the end of the cord and turn the bag rightside out.
Congratulations! You just made a Ditty Bag!
Variation
A rectangular ditty bag is good for some items.
Cut a piece of fabric as shown in the picture.
Fold along the dotted line and sew the edges.
Fold along the orange line and make a sleeve like the one in the standard ditty bag.
Sew the bottom edges together (blue to blue, purple to purple, etc.)
Run the cord or string through the sleeve. Tie a knot in the end of the cord and turn the bag rightside out.
Another way to do this is to make a regular ditty bag, then sew across the corners (on the ‘inside’ of the bag) to make the bag deeper and more three dimensional.
Congratulations! You just made a Rectangular Ditty Bag!
Stuff Sack
Materials needed:
- Lightweight nylon packcloth- the circumference of the circle you need for the base of the sack (circumference= 2PIr or dPI where r is the radius -half the height- and d is the diameter-the height of the circle. For PI use 3.14 and add a little bit, just to be on the safe side.) + seam allowance and 1″ + seam allowance taller than the ditty bag you wish to make. Also a circle of cloth the size of the stuff sack you want, plus seam allowance.
- Nylon cord or shoestring- the circumference of the desiredstuff sack + 2″
- Polyester thread
- Needle
Directions:
Cut material to desired size. If you are using fleece or mesh skip the next step, otherwise complete it.
Sew a 1/2″ sleeve at the top of the fabric, folding it to the inside.
Sew the edge closed making sure you don’t seal the sleeve or bottom.
Attach the circle to the bottom.
Run the cord or string through the sleeve. Tie a knot in the end of the cord and turn the bag rightside out.
Congratulations! You just made a Stuff Sack!