Jay Angler

Next I needed the trap. I had a smaller and larger aluminium bike rims from a local bike shop to use as the form. A neighbor had a scrap of netting he was happy to donate, and he gave me a homemade net needle also - I've never had one of those and it was cool learning how to use it effectively!
I also needed a float, so I made one out of a scrap of styrofoam. Version 1 was actually too large, so my net had too much buoyancy. I used a knife and cut out parts to make it smaller.
Cutting the netting is a little tricky in that it's important that you're actually cutting across pairs of threads to make sure you're on the straight line you want and not going off on a tangent.
We've gone crabbing 3 times now, twice since I made the float smaller which made it work better. Last trip out I caught 2 legal crabs (Red Rock's have to be larger than 4 1/2 inches across the back - we aim for at least 5 inches). Unfortunately a friend took that picture, so I can only offer a picture of the "too small, it goes back to grow" crab who was quite enjoying the dead chicken leg I'd baited the trap with (Hubby raises meat birds and this one died of heart failure so I chopped it up and put it to good use.)
I have no idea how long a professional would take to make such a trap, but judging from the way my neighbor operated that net needle, probably not more than a couple of hours. Since I was trying to figure out how to do it with no real instructions and had to scrounge parts, I spent at least 6 hours, but it was fun to do.

My friend was given a crab trap and *really* wanted me to take her crabbing. So I figured I'd make my own "bucket style" crab trap so we'd double our chances of catching something.
As usual, all the parts were scrounged or made.
First I made two bait boxes, as my friend needed one. The plastic mesh and baling twine were salvaged, the toggle fastener was whittled from a piece of Ocean Spray.

A neighbor gave me a 1/2 dozen mini-tomato plants so I needed to give them a trellis to climb. The uprights are hammered into the soil, then the cross supports were added in at least two stages as the plants grew (because I ran out of time at the beginning).

T Melville wrote:

We didn't want to do laundry immediately, every time someone showers, so I decided to use some bamboo and make a rack they could hang on to dry, right above the dirty clothes.

OK, ever since I was little, everyone in our house had our own coloured towel and our own rack to hang it on. I'm *clean* when I come out of the shower. If I hang my towel to dry so it doesn't go mildewed, it will easily last a week or two of showers. Since I'm not washing it as often, and *never* put it in the dryer (crunchy's not so bad - stimulates the skin), my towels have lasted for decades. So if it was me, I would put that lovely bamboo rack near the bathroom and save a bunch of water and electricity.

tilt

echo minarosa wrote:

We expect to purchase one but I am getting to the point where I think seeing a Bigfoot riding a unicorn will happen before I get to usable information on hospital mattresses.

There are permies members who have made their own mattresses and do so with non-toxic and biodegradable ingredients rather than foam that degrades just sitting there.
Just a thought to consider!

wilt

That looks like it has promise!

Does the raglan sleeve contribute to the neckline? (It looks from the picture that it does.) Have you any way to measure either from the "shoulder to the bust" or from the waistline up to the bust so that you can confirm that the "bust-line" you've created will more or less land where you want it? It's just that to me it looks as if the dart coming in from the side seam is lower towards your waist than you might need it.

As you say though, the mock-up will identify problems if there are any!

Jordon Barton wrote:

And we all know no one likes the jowls HAHAH!

So does this mean they are a delicacy or to be avoided at all costs?
Many people would avoid eating cow's tongue, and yet slow cooked, I find it lovely.

Rob Lineberger wrote:

Jay Angler wrote:

it did sprout a cantaloupe melon plant,

I have melons sprouting in my compost right now!  But when I try to grow them they fail!  What's up with that??? Yes, I am yelling!

I hear you! I put 4 inches of fresh compost in a slightly raised bed this spring and planted melons there. They did next to nothing. I put exactly the same compost in a 1/2 barrel to grow potatoes in, and 2 melons started spontaneously along with the potatoes. Melons are round-ish like zombie heads - and clearly they will do what they want and follow their own path, despite what any well-meaning gardener wants them to do.