MYOG Field Guide No. 01 · Sewing
Frame bag for any bike
Your frame is the pattern. Trace your bike onto cardboard on Saturday, sew a custom-fit frame bag on a home machine by Sunday night. A 61-page PDF field manual.
Checkout isn't open yet. Email us and we'll write once when it is. No list, no spam.
Make and sell bags from it. Personal-use licence that allows small-batch handmade sales of the bags you sew.
Fig. 1 · Gravel frame, full-triangle bag
10 chapters, bookmarked and searchable.
Numbered, in big workshop-readable type.
From cardboard tracing to a finished bag.
Frame measurements, cutting list, materials.
Inside the guide
Trace it. Sew it. Ride it.
Fixed patterns don't fit your bike. This guide makes one that does: you draft from your own frame, so it works for road, gravel, touring, MTB and kids' bikes, and for odd frames that off-the-shelf bags miss.
What's inside
- A tracing method for any frame, plus a measure-and-draft backup method
- Full-frame, half-frame or wedge: how to choose, including water-bottle clearance
- Fabric guide: X-Pac VX21/VX42, Cordura 500D/1000D, ripstop, DCF caveats; zips, straps, thread and needles
- Design choices explained: zip side, dividers, gusset width and knee clearance, strap positions
- 17 sewing steps with colour-coded diagrams: panel A orange, panel B blue, gusset yellow, every time
- Fitting, mounting, frame protection, a troubleshooting table, care and repair
- Variations: half-frame, top-tube bag, kids' bike
Spec sheet
| Level | Confident beginner. If you can sew a straight line, you can make this. |
|---|---|
| Machine | A domestic sewing machine. No industrial machine needed. |
| Format | A4 PDF with bookmarks and searchable text. Worksheets print fine on US Letter at "fit to page". A press-ready version with 3 mm bleed is included for print shops. |
| Materials | About US$20–50 depending on fabric. Bag volume 2–7 L depending on frame and bag type. |
| Delivery | Digital download. No physical item is shipped. |
| Price | US$12, one-time. |
Personal use, plus you may make and sell bags. Sell the bags you sew from this guide in small handmade quantities. You can't share, redistribute or resell the PDF or the pattern itself.
The guide was written and designed with AI tools, and its photographs are AI-generated. The method behind it comes from real bikepacking and gear-sewing experience.
02 · About
Manuals for people who make their own kit.
Field Manual Lab publishes practical, magazine-style DIY field manuals built on real experience: bikepacking, sewing your own gear, photography. Every manual is meant to sit open on a workbench, with big type, real numbers and diagrams you can read from arm's length.
It's also an experiment. A bikepacker and product designer supplies the trips, the bags and the know-how; AI tools help write, lay out and illustrate the manuals. We say so on every product, because you should know what you're buying.
- Out nowNo. 01 · Frame Bag for Any Bike
- PlannedTop-tube bag
- PlannedHandlebar bag
Last updated: 28 October 2026
Terms & refunds
What you buy
A digital PDF guide, delivered as an instant download after payment. No physical item is shipped. Prices are in US dollars; applicable sales tax or VAT is added at checkout.
Payments
When checkout opens, orders will be processed by our online reseller, who acts as Merchant of Record and handles payment, invoicing, tax and order enquiries for the sale.
Licence
Each purchase gives one person a personal, non-transferable licence to use the guide. You may make bags from it and sell them in small handmade quantities. You may not copy, share, upload, redistribute or resell the PDF, the pattern, or any part of them.
Refund policy
If the guide isn't what you expected, email hello@fieldmanuallab.com within 14 days of purchase and you'll get a full refund. No forms, no questions. If your download fails or the file is damaged, write to us and we'll send a working copy.
Safety & results
Sewing involves needles, blades and hot tools. Use them with care. Check that your bag fits securely and doesn't interfere with steering, pedalling or brakes before riding. Results depend on your materials, machine and skill.
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Your rights
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03 · Contact