[Baldninja]

Remember, folks, if SHTF, you don't know how long manufacturing may be down, which means at some point you may have to fashion your own clothing. Depending on where you live, this could be a life or death issue, too. Winters get cold in some areas, so remember to, when gathering supplies in the moments leading up to and immediately after SHTF, stop by a hobby shop and grab several yards of various cloth. If in an area with colder climated winters, make sure to also grab a bunch of bags of cotton, to use for insulation. Or buy a couple of huskies. I just realized that in a SHTF situation, their annual shedding of their hair in the spring and fall will provide me with all the insulation I could ever ask for. But I'll still need that fabric so I can fashion clothing in which to place the hair.

This being the case, you may also want to take some sort of sewing course, if you never did it in school or have forgotten how to do it. I suggest either using a non-electric, old school, sewing machine powered by a foot pedal, or hand sewing. Hand sewing would be the surest bet, all you need is a needle and thread, and you're ready to go!

[Cajunlady]

And for bedding, start drying and saving feathers from all those ducks and geese you hunters bring home to make the luxury pillows, Too moss was a sought after item by our ancestors to use as filling for mattresses.

[Unswydd]

Great Post Bald. and I like the feathers too! there many things feathers can be used for......fishing lures, tickleing your honey, playing with the cat...lol

[lpm67]

Spinning and knitting are useful skills.....I wonder how husky hair would spin? I've tried human hair once and found best results when mixed with a wool fleece.

[Foxfire]

lpm you can use it to spin. Blacksmith uses dog hair for spinning.

[Baldninja]

Yeah, it can be done, though I'd not know how to go about it. I plan to use my huskies hair purely for insulation, which only requires me stuffing it in between two layers of fabric and then sewing the two layers together....all of which I can do by hand, or machine if available. And based upon their geographic origins and what I've personally witnessed from my huskies over the years, it will likely make for a better insulator than anything currently used commercially in clothing...especially since their fur tends to repel most water. Of course the negative aspect would be that I'd probably have to find a way to wash it regularly or it will start to get that wet dog hair smell after a while. Not that in a SHTF scenario I'd really be overly concerned with how I smell. In fact, that odor may help me to easier fit in with wildlife, since it would essentially make me smell like a really big wet dog....lol

[lpm67]

Originally Posted by Baldninja

Yeah, it can be done, though I'd not know how to go about it. I plan to use my huskies hair purely for insulation, which only requires me stuffing it in between two layers of fabric and then sewing the two layers together....all of which I can do by hand, or machine if available. And based upon their geographic origins and what I've personally witnessed from my huskies over the years, it will likely make for a better insulator than anything currently used commercially in clothing...especially since their fur tends to repel most water. Of course the negative aspect would be that I'd probably have to find a way to wash it regularly or it will start to get that wet dog hair smell after a while. Not that in a SHTF scenario I'd really be overly concerned with how I smell. In fact, that odor may help me to easier fit in with wildlife, since it would essentially make me smell like a really big wet dog....lol

Good thinking Baldninja!

[George]

There are some toy-like sewing machines just forward and reverse, battery operated sold as holiday emergency might be OK for light fabric, but if worse comes to worse we can sew by hand.

[carolina168181]

My Grandma sewed with a Singer treadle-powered sewing machine--how cool!
I think the Amish modify their electric sewing machines to run on foot power/treadle.
I've sewed some polar fleece caps,neck warmers, and wraps by hand and saved some money

[Hiline]

If it comes down to me having to make new clothes I'll go with buckskins and moccasins. It worked for the first people and vikings and caveman so I guess it'll work for me. Use the sinew for thread and I'm good to go. Easily replaceable and easy to sew up.