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Most sewing machine problems don’t start with catastrophic failure—they start with the small maintenance habits makers ignore for too long. In this episode, Matt Evans joins us to break down the practical upkeep, adjustments, and troubleshooting skills every DIYer should know to keep their machines running smoothly and sewing clean.

In This Episode, We Cover:

• The maintenance habits that actually matter
• How to diagnose common sewing issues like skipped stitches, poor tension, and fabric feeding problems 
• The simple machine adjustments makers should feel comfortable making themselves 
• DIY tools, cheap shop hacks, and unexpected hardware store finds that can make patterning, cutting, and machine upkeep easier

Custom UL Hiking Gear for Dogs and Humans - Red Paw Packs 

Guest: Matt Evans, Red Paw Packs 

Shop the latest fabrics and materials here. 

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Most of us like the idea of American-made production, but very few of us understand the complexity (or the role DIY makers can play in rebuilding it). This conversation explores what it actually takes to build sewn products sustainably in America without losing sight of the people behind the products.

The Carolina Textile District helps businesses (big and small) create amazing products here in the US through educational courses, businesses connections, and operational support. 

Sewn Goods 101 Course

Industrial Sewing Program

[email protected]rg

Shop the latest fabrics and materials here. 

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Any project is a serious undertaking—but sewing everything for your thru-hike is next level. That’s exactly what Eliza did for the CDT. She breaks down what it actually takes to design, sew, and trust a full 15-piece kit when failure isn’t really an option.

In this episode: 

• Where to start when you want to make something big 
• Why the failed prototype helped in the long run 
• How Eliza approached fabric selection
• What she did this project for

Listen in to get inspired and see where your next build can take you. 

Guest: 

• Eliza Sweeney

Shop the latest fabrics and materials here. 

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The line between professional gear and great DIY gear is hard to define. Instead of guessing, we brought in a pro. A product developer with Patagonia and Yeti experience breaks down what actually matters and what makers can learn from the big companies. 

In This Episode, We Cover:

•  The real difference between product design and product development—and why it matters for makers / cottage companies 
•  How big companies turn rough ideas into finished products (and what you can steal from that process) 
•  Simple ways to define your project upfront so you don’t get stuck, overbuild, or lose direction 
•  How to handle feedback, check your ego, and iterate like a pro without burning out your creativity 

 Listen in and start building with more clarity, confidence, and intention before you even sit down at the machine.

Guest: Kyle Rogers - Project Waterloo, LinkedIn

Shop the latest fabrics and materials here. 

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Stop rushing your photos and start making your gear look as good as it actually is. Cinematographer and maker Chris Ellison breaks down how to think about composition, environment, and presentation so your projects hit differently the moment people see them. 

In This Episode, We Cover:

• Why most maker photos fall flat—and the simple shift that instantly improves them 
• How to use environment, framing, and depth to make your gear the clear focal point 
• Practical tricks like stuffing, shaping, and staging your bags so they photograph clean and intentional 
• How real-world use, travel, and feedback loops shape better design (and better visuals) over time 

Listen in and start taking photos (and making gear) that actually do your work justice.

Explore Ellison Handmade: 

• Website 
• Instagram 

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• X-Pac®

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Not every upgrade happens at the sewing machine. If you’ve ever felt stuck, burned out, or unsure why your work isn’t improving, this episode breaks down the mindset shifts that actually move you forward.

Filip Raboch joins us to share what he’s learned building custom gear at a high level. Listen so you can avoid the common traps and start making smarter, more intentional decisions in your own process.

• Why identifying a specific use is most important 
• How to say no and why you have to 
• The hidden reality of being a custom gear maker for a living 

Guest: 

Filip Raboch Custom Gear

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Foam might not be the flashiest material in gear making, but it’s responsible for some of the biggest performance upgrades in your packs and bags. In this episode, we break down how experienced makers actually use foam. Covering real techniques, hard-earned lessons, and the small tricks that make projects come out better. 

In This Episode, We Cover:

• When and why to add foam to a project—from shoulder straps and back panels to laptop sleeves and structured bags 
• How thickness, density, and foam type change comfort, structure, and sewability in real builds 
• Practical techniques for cutting, shaping, ventilating, and installing foam cleanly in your projects 
• Maker-tested tips for working with foam on home machines, avoiding common mistakes, and getting better results the first time 

If you’ve ever struggled with straps, structure, or padding in your projects, this episode will change the way you do your next build.

Guests: 

• Ryan Campbell from the Wandering Goat
• Matt Evans from Red Paw Packs 

Products: 

• New X-Pac® Fabrics 
• New Challenge ULTRA 200X Colors
• XLPE Foam

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If you're still using the closest scissors to your machine - you need this episode. We sit down with Kai Scissors for a deep, no-fluff breakdown of what serious makers actually need to know about cutting tools. From steel and geometry to maintenance habits that pros swear by.

Listen to the episode to get a 20% off discount for ROTR listeners. 

In This Episode, We Cover:

• Why premium scissors will radicalize your cutting experience
• How to choose the right size, style, or serration for technical fabrics, tight work, or heavy-duty materials 
• The secret maintenance tips you won't find on reddit 
• When rotary cutters, specialty blades, or niche tools outperform traditional scissors

🛒 Shop Kai Scissors and all of our newest products

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Ever wonder what actually happens before a fabric hits the shop? In this episode, we sit down with RBTR's own Carter Holland to pull back the curtain on product decisions, failures, tradeoffs, and future releases you won’t hear about anywhere else.

• How fabric ideas really get approved or quietly killed before they ever reach your sewing table
• What goes wrong during development and testing and why some “almost launched” materials never see the light of day
• The unspoken constraints of cost, MOQ, timing, and quality that shape every product we release
• Early insight into upcoming fabrics and categories that will define what makers are building next

🛒 Shop all of our newest products

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Traditional tailoring might seem worlds away from technical gear—but the principles are the same. In this episode, Alasdair Leighton-Crawford of Cimoro shares how skills learned on Savile Row translate directly into better-fitting apparel, smarter pack design, and more intentional making.

We talk about:

• Why tailoring is one of the fastest ways to truly understand fit
• How athletic thinking and craft obsession shape better gear
• What most makers overlook when designing packs and apparel
• Balancing bespoke work, scalability, and running a small business
• Why making by hand still matters in an age of automation and AI

Cimoro

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