Pickle Project: Storage bins using recycled yard signs

Since I was reorganizing my music room, I wanted to figure out how to get the most out of my shelves and also keep everything looking neat. Storage bins for cubby-type shelves are pretty common, but they only come in the sizes and patterns that they come in. If you make your own, you can make them however you want! 
Plastic yard signs are an ideal material for providing the internal structure for these, and election season is a great time to collect signs that people are done with. So for this year’s Pickle Project, I’ve made a video showing you how to make these. You can make them in whatever size you need, as long as you can measure and cut rectangles. 

This project is going up a few days before Election Day 2022 – don’t forget to vote! 

If you enjoy this or any of the previous projects, please consider making a donation to the cycling advocacy organization of your choice. 

If the YouTube embed doesn’t work, clicking the image should do the trick! 

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Pickle Project: BYO Silverware Roll

During the Covid pandemic, lots of us are eating take-out at times when we would have dined in before. That means a huge amount of additional trash in the form of single-use takeout containers, bags, etc. It’s pretty hard to get your food without the container, but at least the disposable silverware is easily avoided! 

Portable Utensil Rolls, three ways

Portable Utensil Rolls, three ways

These handy little silverware rolls make a compact and convenient package with a cloth napkin and real, washable utensils so you always have them when you need them. So you can still support your favorite local eateries during the pandemic, while creating just a little less trash. I like to ask for my food with no lid, no bag, nothing except what it takes to hold the food; then I sit down in the grass or on a bench outside and eat with my own portable utensils. 

Folding utensils and a cloth napkin

Folding utensils and a cloth napkin

As always, there are several options you can choose from or modify to suit your needs. There are many, many options out there for portable utensils – camping sporks, folding flatware, screw-together chopsticks, compact silverware, etc; and many of these come in packages with multiples, so you can put together sets for everyone on your gift list. 

And these little rolls are a great way to re-use and upcycle fabric in smaller pieces – good sources of materials include old clothing, pillow cases, tote bags, etc. If you have quilting cotton left over from making face masks, this is a great way to use some of it. Anything you can easily wash.

Enjoy! 

PDF of the full project:

Pickle Project – Portable Utensil Set

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Pickle Project: Learn to make a handy “snack sack”

These popular little bags are great for easy, one-handed access to your bike food, a spare water bottle, or other on-bike necessities. And they’re much easier to make than you might think! 

Handy and easier to make than you think!

In a free online presentation hosted by Charles River Wheelers on the evening of Thursday, May 21, I’ll demonstrate how to make one and answer any questions that come up along the way. You can purchase materials from a list of vendors I recommend (below), but if you don’t want to do that, I’ll even go over how you can make one using materials you probably already have around the house. 

The pattern is very simple, and the basic version only requires a rectangle. The modified version isn’t a rectangle, but the non-rectangular part is pretty forgiving. You can print pattern pieces for both versions here, with dimensions annotated.

Standard Version, JPG
Standard Version, PDF
Magnetic Flap Version, JPG
Magnetic Flap Version, PDF

 

They’re provided both as PDF’s and as JPG’s. Be sure to print them at full scale, so the pieces don’t come out smaller than you expect. The basic version fits on two sheets of 8.5″x11″ paper; the flap version fits on four sheets. Once you print the images, assemble the pages so that the labeled dimensions measure what they should. You may need to trim or overlap the edges, or leave a gap. Since the shapes are very simple, if your printer does scale the images smaller, you can always cut in between the labeled parts and spread the pieces until the dimensions measure as they should. 

This is a great project for beginners or experienced sewists. It requires only a small amount of materials, and is small enough that if you don’t have access to a sewing machine you can even sew it by hand in a reasonable amount of time.

We’ll also cover the quick’n’dirty basics of using a sewing machine, cutting your pieces accurately, and modifying the size or shape of the design to suit your needs. This basic design can easily be turned into a water bottle carrier with a shoulder strap, an extra pocket to strap onto your bag or backpack, or any number of other uses. 

You don’t need a special or fancy or industrial sewing machine for this; even though you may use a heavy-ish fabric, you will not need to sew through many layers at once, so any home sewing machine should manage it just fine.

Materials:

The short version is: Sturdy fabric, draw cord, and something to make straps out of, plus other hardware if desired.

The detailed version: 
   • Fabric for the outside, and fabric for the lining. A piece 14” x 14” will be plenty; a “fat quarter” will work.
I recommend a stiffer or heavier fabric for the outside and a thinner, lighter one for the lining. It’s nice if at least one of these is waterproof. For the sample I used coated Cordura nylon for the outside and coated nylon oxford for the lining. You can also find suitable materials by disassembling old bags or packs or jackets, blue jeans, etc. Even a tyvek envelope will work!

   • Webbing for the straps, about half a yard for the straps that must be sewn onto the bag; a bit less than a yard for the mounting straps.
Flat weave nylon webbing is perfect, but lots of other things will also work. If you can’t get ahold of webbing, you can even fold your own straps out of fabric scraps.

   • One “barrel lock” to hold the drawcord. Some barrel locks have slots on the side to tether them down, which makes one-handed access easier.

   • Shock cord for the drawcord, about 18”. 1/8” shock cord is ideal and will work well with most barrel locks, but you can make do with other types of cord or even a shoelace.

   • Buckles and/or straps to mount the bag. You can use straps you might already have, or you can make your own with buckles and webbing, or with velcro. A really quick and easy solution is Velcro “One-wrap”, which is often sold in rolls at hardware stores or even CVS, used for tying up cables and any number of other things. The type of buckle I used for the example is called “side release”.

   • For flap-closing alternative version, you don’t need the barrel lock or the shock cord, but you do need a couple of strong magnets. I used a pair of round rare earth magnets, 3/8” in diameter and 1/8” thick. You might have something like this kicking around, or you can order a box of them for cheap from Amazon or many hardware or craft stores.

 

Where to order more specialized materials:
Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics, www.owfinc.com<http://www.owfinc.com>
Located in Idaho and still shipping during the pandemic. They will have everything you need including fabrics, webbing, and buckles. I recommend asking for Priority Mail, which is way way faster than UPS Ground from where they’re located.

Rockywoods, www.rockywoods.com<http://www.rockywoods.com>
Also still shipping, and will also have everything you need.

Ripstop by the Roll, www.ripstopbytheroll.com<http://www.ripstopbytheroll.com>
They’re on the pricier side, but they do custom printing and also carry more high-end technical fabrics. Those are probably overkill for this project, but on the other hand, you only need a small amount so it’s not that big a splurge.

Spoonflower, www.spoonflower.com<http://www.spoonflower.com>
Custom printed fabrics using either your own designs you upload, or you can shop for designs uploaded by others. They don’t do technical nylon, but their heavier canvas for the outside with cotton lining would be a decent choice as long as you don’t mind that it’s not waterproof. It’s an easy way to make a personalized, customized, decorated, or monogrammed bag though.

Buckle Guy, www.buckleguy.com<http://www.buckleguy.com>
They don’t have fabric, but if you go in for fancier buckles or hardware they have a good selection.

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Pickle Project: Variations on the Tool Roll

Pickle Project_ Variations on the tool roll (PDF)

Tool rolls are a handy way to keep the tools you need ready to hand, organized, and contained. There are endless variations on this simple item, and they are pretty straightforward to make.

Three tool rolls outside

And they’re good for more than just cycling: The same basic concept can be used to carry drum sticks, knitting needles, knives, a set of travel silverware, toiletries, art supplies like pencils and brushes, all kinds of stuff. It’s a blank slate that you can fill with whatever slots and pockets you need, then roll up and carry with you. With so many ways to make a tool roll, they can be wonderful, personal, practical handmade gifts for almost anyone.

Tool Rolls Inside

You might not know this, but in addition to Dill Pickle bags, I also make soft cases for historical woodwind instruments, which you can find at www.canzonet.net. These are basically padded tool rolls, too!

Alto Recorder Roll

There are infinite ways to make them, as complicated or as simple as you like. They can even make a perfect first sewing project!

Under-seat roll

This tutorial will show you how to design your own tool roll to suit your own needs, or exactly how to duplicate the ones I made.

Click here to download the PDF: Pickle Project_ Variations on the tool roll

It doesn’t cover all the basics of things like zippers and sewing on straps though, because that is covered in last year’s tutorial on luggage and travel accessories (with a whole section just on zippers). So do check back to that one if you’re unsure on any of these steps!

As always, I created this free tutorial for your personal non-commercial use. If you enjoy it, please consider making a donation to Days for Girls (www.daysforgirls.org/). They harness the enthusiasm and skills of home sewing volunteers to make washable, re-usable sanitary pads for women and girls in developing countries who otherwise do not have access to feminine products, and often lose several days of school or work per month due to stigmas surrounding periods and the lack of available products to let them get on with their lives during that time. If you have ever wondered, “gee it must be inconvenient to get your period while on a long brevet”, you can imagine what an important but hidden cause this is for millions of women.

Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions, comments, or corrections, or just to show off your handiwork! I love to see what people make!

Thanks, and enjoy!

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#PickleProject: Travel accessories and zippers and Duffel bags, oh my!

Since I didn’t get around to doing a holiday project last year, I’m doing a big one this year. So big that it has morphed into two travel-themed parts that I hope will also work well as tutorials for generally useful skills and inspiration for other future projects.

Travel Accessories

Part 1 has some basics about sewing in zippers (it’s easy! really!!) and making various small bags and pouches that can be great as travel accessories, school supplies, a way to organize your backpack or all those chargers and cords, etc. 

Part 2 extends the same concepts a little further to make two different styles of duffel bag. These look complicated and fancy, but I promise you they are easier than they look and quite accessible.

Duffel Bags

And the variations are endless. If you look around, you’ll see all kinds of items made basically the same way; from designer luggage to dollar store pencil cases. They can be quilted, they can be waterproof, they can be colorful, they can be plain; use cotton, nylon, leather, clear vinyl, or recycled materials. 

I hope you enjoy these projects! I would love to see what you make. Please don’t be shy about asking questions, or making requests for future projects! 

As always, I make these tutorials available free of charge for your personal use. So if you enjoy them, please consider making a donation to a worthy bike advocacy organization. Thanks!

Part 1: 

Pickle Project_ Travel Accessories and Zipper Tutorials

Part 2: 

Pickle Project_ Duffel Bags and 3-D shapes for more travel accessories

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National Bike Summit

NBS_2017_Web_540x270_updated

 

Hello Everyone! I’m heading down to Washington, DC to represent the Medford Bicycle Advisory Commission (www.medfordbikes.Org) at the National Bike Summit this week. I think it will be a great opportunity to connect with other bike advocates from around the country, and learn about new ways to make bicycling in Medford even better. I’ll keep posting updates here during the week, so keep checking back!

 

Update 4, Wednesday:

 
 
Lobby Day! For today, everyone moved home base over to a church on East Capitol Street, convenient to the offices we were all visiting. Since I wasn’t scheduled for any meetings until 11:30, I took the opportunity to pop over to Union Station to see Amtrak’s demonstration of the bike facilities they’re rolling out. So far there isn’t a whole lot that connects to Boston yet, but they understand how bikes are important for connectivity, and they are working on adding these accommodations to more routes. 
The Massachusetts delegation were all assigned to visit a few Representatives’ offices apiece, and we all visited both Senators’ offices. The League provided folders for each office including polling data and economic statistics to support the cause of bicycling and walking, and had specific requests to make of our elected officials – protecting transportation funding for biking and walking projects, supporting the Vision Zero bill currently making its way through the House, and joining the Bike Caucus. In each office we discussed these issues with staff members, and particularly tried to emphasize bicycling as a method of building bridges with colleagues from across the aisle. 
After all the meetings were over, we had a reception in the Hart Senate Office Building, with a wonderful sunset view. Representative Earl Blumenauer of Oregon’s 3rd district (includes Portland) and Senator Cardin from Maryland both spoke to the group. They’re both working hard to support alternative transportation in general and bicycling in particular.
I was pretty tired by the time I left, but since it was actually not all that late I decided to ride by my high school and check out a few other things on the way back to my mom’s house. Only at a bike summit would the whole conference be abuzz about a bike lane, but all week I’d been hearing about this new two-way protected cycletrack in the middle of Pennsylvania Avenue, so I had to check it out. It’s really pretty well thought out; it provides for turns, it connects well when Pennsylvania Ave. makes a weird jog at 15th street by the White House and the cycle track ends. It even has turning lanes at the approach to intersections!
The section of Pennsylvania Ave right in front of the White House has been closed to cars for many years, but you can still bike and walk across it. However, once the traffic resumes on the other side, the cycletrack is gone. From there I hopped a couple of blocks over to G street, to ride by my high school. When I went there, only a small handful of kids rode bikes to school, and we locked our bikes to a railing out back. But the school has since been renovated with a new wing added; and it has bike racks all around the front! I’m curious how full they are during the school day!

 

Update 3, Tuesday: 

 
Today started bright and early, with a plenary session at 8 AM, although fortunately there was plenty of coffee provided! We heard a presentation about the future of smart intersections, autonomous vehicles, and what that might mean for bicycling and walking interests. Next up was a time slot that had multiple sessions in it that looked really interesting; I wished I could have been in two places at once! But since I can’t, I went to one about raising state and local funds for biking and walking projects, and state legislation and funding. We heard about the importance of building coalitions between multiple stakeholder groups, and making the case to state legislators for why these projects are important for their districts. The four panelists discussed the work their groups have done in their states, what they learned along the way, and what they would have done differently. It was a great oportunity to learn from the successes and pitfalls others have encountered during this process.

Over lunch, we heard more about other programs the Bike League runs to help make biking better for everyone: Bicycle Friendly Communities, businesses, and universities. These progams work both as incentives to improve conditions for cycling, whether it’s infrastructure or bike racks or workstands and repair facilities; and also as ways for the League to see what strategies are being used in different places to help develop best practice recommendations.

After lunch I attended a session given by Jamie Gaskill-Fox about a program she developed in Fort Collins, CO to educate motorists about safely sharing the roads with cyclists, called “Bicycle Friendly Driver”. I have to say that this session might just be the single most valuable thing I have attended this week. The program is centered around a 90-minute class to teach motorists about how to handle encounters with bicyclists on the road, and how to best use the road infrastructure as it currently exists (rather than just wishing for more bike lanes in the future). The class concludes with a test, and participants who pass receive stickers and certificates. Not only did Jamie tell us all about how she made this program successful in Fort Collins, she has also made it freely available online, complete with a detailed curriculum and step-by-step instructions on how to implement this program, customize the examples and situations and data for our own communities, get started teaching the classm and market it to businesses, schools, and other groups. This is something we could run with in Medford with the resources that we currently have, to reach people we aren’t reaching now and make the roads safer and more comfortable for everyone.

Lastly for today, everyone got back together to plan for tomorrow when we meet with the Senators and Representatives (and/or their staff) from our states. Caron Whitaker and Ken McLeod went over the materials the League has provided including information about the Vision Zero Act (H.R. 1266); data about the job creation case for funding the construction of bicycle facilities; and polling data about public support for biking and walking projects. Then we got together with the rest of the attendees from our states to discuss the logistics of meeting with our elected representatives tomorrow. I’m looking forward to the day!

Update 2, Monday:

 
 
This morning started the day by re-living a bit of high school! Since I’m staying at my mom’s house and the Summit venue is not too far from where I went to school, I’m riding in on a lot of the same route. But it’s been awhile; DC had no bike lanes back then at all, and lots of things have really changed here. But other things really haven’t; in high school, I rode a lot of this route on the sidewalk believe it or not, which I *never* do in Medford. But in DC it’s legal in many places, and the roads I’m taking have some parts where traffic comes to a standstill and other parts where it goes by fast with no room for safe passing. So I found myself going on and off the sidewalk at various points, which was what I saw all the other cyclists doing too. So I guess some things haven’t changed after all!
The first session I attended today was for first-time Bike Summit attendees. It was a good chance to get oriented, figure out how things work, and connect with other first timers. I’m finding that attendees come from all different corners of the advocacy world – some work in public health, some are involved in planning, some are involved in outreach. They all seem to really share a commitment to making cycling safe and practical (and fun!!) for everyone in their communities, not just the people who consider themselves “Serious Cyclists”. The afternoon started out with a session focused on the power of storytelling to change hearts and minds. A common thread to many of the stories we heard was people who started cycling as adults after thinking for years that they couldn’t do it, and finding that it transformed their lives to the point where they became passionate and committed advocates for the cause.

Also here for the Summit are a number of vendors and sponsors, with a variety of products and projects to exhibit. My friend and studio-mate Bekka is here with her “Bikeyface” comic books. There’s AnneeLondon, a startup working on a collapsible bike helmet, that meets all the same safety standards as the familiar styrene foam ones but folds up into a small, convenient package. There are a couple of bike rack manufacturers. There’s LoveToRide, which runs bike challenges and marketing campaigns to help businesses and communities worldwide encourage more new riders. There’s Elly Blue, whose book “Bikenomics” makes the economic case for biking. There are a couple of small cycling clothing companies. Neat stuff!

In the afternoon, I attended a session given by Caron Whitaker about lobbying Congress, which we’ll all be doing on Wednesday. We learned a lot about how Congressional and Senate offices work and the importance of the various staff that help the legislators evaluate policy and write bills. But lots of what she had to say was actually really useful for trying to persuade anyone to support bicycling and walking causes. She discussed finding out what motivates members, bringing in specific success stories from the member’s constituency, and discussing how bicycling fits in with a community’s other priorities (such as business development).

The last event today was the awards dinner, where the League honored some amazing people with incredible stories who have made exceptional contributions. It was really inspiring to hear about all the things these people have done to help the cycling community, both locally and nationally. I sat at a table full of other folks from our figurative back yard – Mattapan, Dorchester, Roslindale, as well as some MassBike folks. I hope we can coordinate with some of these folks in the future too!

Update 1, Sunday:
I flew into National Airport with a folding bike, which made it really easy to just hop on and ride over to the venue from the airport. The Mount Vernon Trail is a nice paved multi-use path that conveniently connects National Airport with the downtown area of DC. Although I grew up here, things have really changed a lot! There are lots of bike lanes, some protected lanes/cycle tracks, and lots of sharrows. And there are lots of really neat bicycle-oriented wayfinding signs with distances and directions to points of interest.
The first event was a little mini-tour of the area immediately around the summit venue, plus Capitol Hill. Some riders had brought their own bikes, some rented bikes, and some used the Capitol BikeShare bikes (like Hubway in Boston). After that was the LAB’s annual meeting and reception. The annual meeting had a long Q&A session where we got to hear more about the League’s activities and programs. I met a couple of other attendees from Kansas who work in public health, who told me about some of the various groups they’ve involved in their outreach efforts, a guy from the DC area involved in the same kinds of long distance events that I help organize in New England, and other activists from all over the country. Tomorrow will be a full day!
 
 
 
 
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Announcing Dill Pickle Gear’s first benefit raffle: Shop Aprons

As cyclists, we spend a lot of time in the outdoors. We love the fresh air and the scenic countryside. We may not all have the same feelings about the outcome of last week’s election. But I hope we can agree that whatever the choices made by the incoming Congress and President, the outdoor environments we love are worth protecting. 

So for this month, we’re raffling off four of these Dill Pickle Gear shop aprons to benefit the Sierra Club and the incredible work it does to defend against an incoming administration whose top priorities include dismantling existing protections of air, water, wilderness areas, endangered species, and global climate change. The aprons are made of pre-washed high-quality cotton denim with a variety of pockets of various sizes. Each apron has two places where the pockets are reinforced with vinyl so they can hold up against sharper items such as scribes, mechanical pencils, cable cutters, etc. They have comfortable 1″ straps that cross in back instead of pulling on your neck, and they buckle with adjustable side-release buckles. 

Apron front, short version

Apron front, short version

 

Apron back

Apron back

 

Apron front, long version

Apron front, long version

 

As you can see, there is a shorter version and a longer version, and there are two of each. I’m the one in the picture, and I am about 5’6″, to give you some idea of how the sizes look. Raffle winners will get their pick of short or long in the order of the drawing. 

Raffle tickets are $5 apiece, with no additional purchases necessary. The drawing will take place on December 15 and aprons will be shipped promptly to the winners.

All proceeds will go to the Sierra Club, which is perhaps the most influential environmental organization in the country. Its programs range from advocating for legislation at the state and national level to doing the everyday maintenance of trails in our back yards. Last summer, a music workshop I was a part of shared camp with a group of Sierra Club members who were spending their vacation doing just that – working to build and maintain trails in public parks, picking up trash, and controlling invasive species. If you had to pick one organization whose efforts extend from picking up trash in a state park to holding polluters accountable for the damage they cause to promoting the development of renewable energy, the Sierra Club would be it. 

Raffles are fun and all, but please don’t let it stop you from giving directly, either. If you want to make your own tax-deductible donation, you can donate to the Sierra Club Foundation here. Please donate what you can; environmental damage is not something that can just be repealed later. Destroyed habitats and rare species do not just grow back, and climate change doesn’t reverse itself, just because someone got sued for it later.

Dill Pickle will be running some similar event on a regular basis from now on. We’re interested in your ideas! This time around the beneficiary is a large national organization, but if there is a small local group you’d like to recommend, please do.

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Hoping to be a force for good in dark times

I’m horrified and appalled at the direction this election has taken. I apologize if that offends anyone, but I hope it doesn’t surprise you.
Part of me wants to hide under the covers and cry. But instead I’m going to take action. 
I want to start a regular charity benefit through Dill Pickle, aimed at the causes and the people that I believe will be the most adversely affected. At the top of my list are climate change and other environmental issues, and issues pertaining to discrimination and harassment against women, non-Christians, people of color, and immigrants. 
I don’t yet know what shape this will take, but I am thinking of making special items on some regular basis to auction or raffle off, and donate the proceeds. These may be large items or small, standard products or special one-off’s. Maybe sometimes it will be a bunch of small things instead of one big thing. It could also just be a voucher for the bag of your choice. I would love to hear your thoughts. 
I am also interested in your thoughts about people or organizations that have the most immediate impact on people’s lives or environmental causes. Is it better to donate to a large national organization, where the money is a drop in the bucket, or is it better to donate to a smaller, more localized effort where the same amount of money makes a bigger impact?
At present, I think I’ll rotate through a new organization on a monthly or bi-monthly basis, in order to help gain visibility for as many of them as possible.
So, please let me know your thoughts. I want to get something going very soon.

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Pickle Project 2015 – Backpacks and Tote Bags

It’s finally here, the 2015 Pickle Project! 

This year’s free pattern isn’t exactly a pattern – it’s more like a formula, or a recipe. Previous free patterns have all been for items small enough that the pattern pieces can fit on normal paper that you can print out. But this year, the project is a backpack or tote bag. Those won’t fit on letter-sized paper. But fortunately, the structure is very simple, and they can be made entirely out of three rectangles of material. The “recipe” will tell you everything you need to know to cut the pieces the right size for whatever size or shape of bag you want to make. It will work for a toddler’s preschool bag, and it will work to carry your groceries and beer home. 

This project is a great way to repurpose old tarps and banners, but it also includes a list of places you can buy new materials as well. They make great gifts for cyclists and non-cyclists alike. 

This tutorial is available for free, but if you like it, please consider making a small donation to a worthy cycling advocacy organization. 

Click here for a PDF

Or click here for a Google Document

Here are some examples:

These all came from one banner from West Medford Open Studios

These all came from one banner from West Medford Open Studios

2015-11-30 16.51.33

This was a giant banner with the Saucony logo on it.

This was a giant banner with the Saucony logo on it.

 

Preschooler-sized backpack for my nephew.

Preschooler-sized backpack for my nephew.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As always, if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask. If you ask them in the comments, then other people can see the answers too. I’d love to see what you make!

Enjoy, and happy holidays!

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Living a double life!

Hi Everyone,

This is just a quick post to share with you my big project in my “other life”: I’m making a solo album! It will be unaccompanied music from four centuries (including three brand new pieces written for this project), played on a modernized tenor recorder.

There’s more information on my Indiegogo page, but here is a very quick-and-dirty handful of excerpts:

 

But don’t worry, I’m still cranking out Dill Pickle bags, too. There are a few new things coming down the pike too, so keep checking back!

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