Drawstring Belted Plaid

**Bugbear** · 18th December 07, 09:26 PM

That makes sense to roll it up. I plan on using the plaid in many different ways including hanging it on the wall along with wearing blankets for a little extra decorative insulation when not in use, so it's good that paracord is soft and won't be in the way.

**ChattanCat** · 18th December 07, 09:42 PM

Ted,
How bout some pictures or sketches of what you are planning and how it turns out. This sounds like it might be a good DIY thread.

**Bugbear** · 18th December 07, 10:02 PM

I really can't come up with pictures and drawings, see signature and profile, but I can describe what I want this plaid to do. I will look up a couple of things and post a description.

Originally Posted by ChattanCat

Ted,
How bout some pictures or sketches of what you are planning and how it turns out. This sounds like it might be a good DIY thread.

**Bugbear** · 18th December 07, 11:04 PM

Here's what I want the plaid to do. I'm planning on putting a loop of thread or fabric where I want each pleat to be. The paracord goes through the loops, then the pleats can be drawn together kind of like opening a curtain. This idea comes from Matthew Newsome's albanach.org in an artical called "Did the Belted Plaid Have a Drawstring?" http://www.albanach.org/drawstring.htm
I will be using the plaid as a blanket/ sleeping bag by folding it in half width wise. It will be twelve feet long and so six feet when folded.
I also use wearing blankets a lot during the winter, so the plaid will probably be used in this way from time to time. I want to be able to put the plaid on fairly quickly because often I will be gathering up my blanket and going outside early in the morning to keep citrus and other plants from freezing. More often it will be to stop the cats from fighting in the un-heated end of my house.
Another way I will use the plaid is to hang on the wall either in the winter or summer for a little extra sound and heat insulation. I tend to only heat and cool one end of my thin walled house and I've found that hanging my wearing blankets and that type of thing on the wall makes things a little quieter and a little easier to heat and cool. Keep in mind I live in the desert.

**Tartan Hiker** · 19th December 07, 11:04 AM

After posting my reply suggesting paracord I thought...man, you're going to get trashed for that.

It is great to know that I'm not alone in my 550 mania. I never hike without about 100 feet of it.

Oh yeah...a roll of duct tape and four carabiners, too.

**ChattanCat** · 19th December 07, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by Tartan Hiker

After posting my reply suggesting paracord I thought...man, you're going to get trashed for that.

It is great to know that I'm not alone in my 550 mania. I never hike without about 100 feet of it.

Oh yeah...a roll of duct tape and four carabiners, too.

Ok, I am curious. What have you used the paracord, carrbiners, and duct tape for while in the woods, meadows, and mountains?

**Bugbear** · 19th December 07, 12:14 PM

No, after I read up on paracord, I was thinking I need some of that for around here. A lot of times I use 100 test fishing line and different kinds of wire.
I don't hike, but it seems like a belted plaid might be a good garment for that.QUOTE=Tartan Hiker;462637]After posting my reply suggesting paracord I thought...man, you're going to get trashed for that.

It is great to know that I'm not alone in my 550 mania. I never hike without about 100 feet of it.

Oh yeah...a roll of duct tape and four carabiners, too.

[/QUOTE]

**Tartan Hiker** · 19th December 07, 02:20 PM

Originally Posted by ChattanCat

Ok, I am curious. What have you used the paracord, carrbiners, and duct tape for while in the woods, meadows, and mountains?

Duct tape repairs packs, raingear, tents and tarps. I use it a lot to mark trail areas that need work...wrap it around a branch and write instructions for the trail crew to follow. Boot repair.

With 550 you can make a dog leash for lost pets, tool hoisting lines when doing tree work, tarp support lines, extra tent fly tie-downs in high wind areas (try camping on top of Mt. Mitchell some time...the winds blow down the tents of the uninitiated on a regular basis. Pretty much every night someone loses their fly or their entire tent). I used 550 last year to lash two branches to my leg for a splint when I blew my ACL, then when I found that I kept banging my foot on the ground I rearranged it to lash foot to my backside so I could hop down the mountain more easily.

Carabiners are invaluable when making a z-drag to move really heavy objects (but this requires heavier line than 550 and a couple of Prussik loops, all of which I also carry when doing trail work). They're also handy for attaching gear to your pack loops, and having several hanging on your pack makes you look like you know what you're doing even if you don't.

How's that?

**Bugbear** · 19th December 07, 03:13 PM

Wow! never thought of tieing my leg to my butt to hop down a mountin. Guess you got to do what you got to do. I would probably use paracord to stake trees and things like that. That nylon garden twine doesn't always hold up too well.
How does paracord hold up in the sun over time?

**ChattanCat** · 19th December 07, 06:36 PM

Originally Posted by Tartan Hiker

Carabiners are invaluable when making a z-drag to move really heavy objects (but this requires heavier line than 550 and a couple of Prussik loops, all of which I also carry when doing trail work). They're also handy for attaching gear to your pack loops, and having several hanging on your pack makes you look like you know what you're doing even if you don't.

How's that?

That is quite a utilitarian piece of equipment. What the heck is a Prussik?