How to make a teddy parachute back-pack.

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How to make a teddy parachute back-pack.

• Number 3 in the series by
• Arthur Dibble
• (and the Ted Berets)
• November 2007
• In conjunction with the web site
• www.tedberets.co.uk

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MAKING A PACK

• To ensure a good deployment of the 'chute I
  prefer to use a tube to pack it. This may be
  frowned upon by the purists who like to zigzag
  the shroud lines into elasticated loops in the
  pack and use a static line through the middle. I
  find this very difficult to do tidily and unless
  great care is taken something always catches and
  spoils the release, ending in the feared "Roman
  Candle". The tube method is also much quicker
  especially when packing in the field with people
  watching you fumble. Therefore this is the
  technique that will be described below.

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MAKING A PACK

• The same technique described hear can be used for
  any Fauna, Flora, Fungi or what ever takes your
  fancy as every thing is done by measuring against
  it with no hard and fast rules once the 'chute is
  completed. The harness I have used is the
  simplest and you can come up with many variations
  to suit yourself and your bear.
• This presentation is based on my web pages so if
  you want any of the information or pictures later
  they are readily available.

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MAKE PACK 1

• Having completed your parachute from the previous
  section pull it out into a long sausage shape and
  measure the length and circumference. Add about
  1cm to each dimension for hems and make a tube of
  ripstop this size with hems at top and bottom and
  a seam down the edge. Leave the edges outward so
  that the inside of the tube is smooth.
• Stitch a length of the same line as you used for
  the shrouds to the seam overlap. This will act as
  the static line.

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MAKE PACK 2

• Now pull the 'chute and shrouds into the tube and
  fold it in four
• Measure the dimensions of this pack.

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MAKE PACK 3

• From the material you are using for your back
  pack, ( I use denim but try leather cloth etc.)
  cut one piece the same width and 3X the length of
  the folded tube and a second piece the same
  length and 3X the width of the tube. Hem these
  pieces.
• Lay the narrower, vertical piece over the wider,
  horizontal piece to form a cross. Make sure that
  this has equal lengths left to right and top to
  bottom. Mark this position on both pieces.

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MAKE PACK 4

• Sew a length of ribbon or tape centrally half way
  down the wide section. This will be used to
  suspend the bear from the drop rig.

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MAKE PACK 5

• Fold a length of elastic in half and sew this in
  place directly below the ribbon. This will become
  the harness.

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MAKE PACK 6

• Turn over material and place your bear on it.
  Pass the elastic lightly stretched between his
  legs and back over the shoulders, then half way
  down the material. Cut it at this length. Sew
  this in place on the inside of the material.Make
  sure the elastic is the correct way round with no
  twists.

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MAKE PACK 7

• At this point the tapes from the parachute must
  be attached to the same face close to the edge
  marked earlier.

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MAKE PACK 8

• The vertical section of material is now lined up
  over the marks made in Step4 and sewn round 3
  sides.

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MAKE PACK 9

• From an old ice cream container or similar cut a
  section of flat plastic that will just fit in
  between the two layers of material. Insert this
  and sew up the fourth side of the pack. This is
  not essential but adds some stiffening to the
  pack to give it a better form and improved
  release.

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MAKE PACK 10

• Now sew a loop of line on to one of the
  horizontal flaps on the pack.
• With the parachute and shrouds in the tube and
  folded in four, fold the top and bottom flaps
  over the 'chute and then the left and right ones.
  Mark where the loop of line meets the opposite
  flap and make a small hole through the material
  and fit an eyelet.

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MAKE PACK 11

• At this point it is best to prepare your release
  pin. I use old knitting needles bought from a
  charity shop. The pin should be about 10cm long
  with a point at one end. Cut a small grove round
  the pin at the other end and drill a hole through
  it close to the point. This will take the safety
  clip.

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MAKE PACK 12

• Pass the loop through the eyelet from Step10 and
  put the pin from Step 11 through the loop.
• The static line sewn to the tube in Step1 should
  be out of the top of the pack. Tie this round the
  groove in the pin and fix in place using a spot
  of glue. Ensure that you leave enough slack so
  that the pin can be pulled clear of the loop.
• Tie the end of the static line through the loop
  at the end of a safety pin and pass the point of
  the safety pin through the hole in the end of the
  release pin.

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MAKE PACK 13

• Fit the parachute to the bear and suspend it by
  the ribbon attached in Step 4. Cut off this
  ribbon about 5cm above the head of the bear and
  fold it back to form a loop. Sew across this loop
  and fit it with a split ring.

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MAKE PACK 14

• You are now ready to go Fauna bombing. Suspend
  the Fauna from your rig by the split ring, remove
  the safety pin from the release pin and attach it
  to a fixed point on your rig.

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THATS ALL FOLKS

• That's it. Happy bombing. But if your bear starts
  singing soprano you have got the elastic too
  tight!
• MOST OF ALL GET OUT THERE AND HAVE AS MUCH FUN AS
  I HAVE HAD FOR SO MANY YEARS.
• www.tedberets.co.uk

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If you want to see more Please come to WHKF Kite
Festival in May At A location near
Swindon www.whkf.org.uk
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OTHER PRESENTATIONS BY ARTHUR DIBBLE

• 1. HOW TO PARACHUTE A TEDDY
• HOW TO MAKE A TEDDY PARACHUTE.
• HOW TO MAKE THE WHKF SLED KIT
• AN INTRODUCTION TO KITES
• (a brief outline of what kites are about)
• 5. KITES AND TRANSPORT
• (a picture history of kite powered vehicles)