riffclown

I guess tomorrow will be the bridle test AND first flight but was able to get a few pics of the completed kite.

Kite is finished. Decided Red for the Edge Binding and Yellow for the wear strips. Will try a bridle test and a few pics tomorrow during daylight if possible. First flight will be Waynesboro (weather and wind permitting)

Only Edge Binding and Framing remain.. Little oops, I forgot to adjust my initial panel sizes for the symmetrical sail (due to the venting). When I got everything lined up I ended up having to do a bottom trim wedge to give me the proper size. Given the silver along the outer edge, I think it actually accented the overall look.

I also used a thinner material to pull the replacement leader through.. No issues there.. I personally like the freilein Handle but I prefer the 15" version.. I'f you ream the hole out you'll need to do a lot of extra finishing to make sure it's smooth.

Panels were sewn today. LE was formed and ready to fold. Bridle and bag are also completed. LE will be White with Red stitching. Trying to decide between Red or Orange for edge binding now..

Middle is merged.. Time to sew..

I'm tryingto get it sewn before the Waynesboro event next weekend.

Time to complete the middle and start sewing.

First panel basted..

Getting there quickly.

Fabric has been cut and arranged. Time to start the piecing.

Concept Drawing.. Silver, Wine, Red, Orange, Flo Orange, Yellow, Flo Yellow, & White Mesh. Started cutting the strips for this next project today. HOPING to have it ready for Waynesboro event next weekend. LE will be White, Edge Binding will be Orange. More to come this weekend.

New Karma has been posted. Locking this one down..

Back on topic with the Purple Fade. I redid the Leading edge and was able to test it today in very light wind 2-3 with gusts of maybe 7. It still has a slightly flatter glide slope (a bit of float) than I'm used to but flies like a dream.

FWIW, for a first kite I'd suggest a simple 2 piece sail. My first one I made was a simple an overlap.. I used the lightest I could find for it and it worked out pretty well. I have another one just like it in the build stage since I can't seem to keep these. I use Icarex almost exclusively now but I still have quite a bit of the challenge PolyMax if I want another very dark kite. Some of the Kite (.75) RipStop Nylon (RSN) would be very good as well but generally not a kite you'd want to fly around water. For Leading Edges I use Dacron Tape and Poly Screen. On very light kites like the Indigo Sunrise I use 1.5 Coated RSN. For Edge Binding I generally use the RSN 1" Ribbon or if I need a specific color I'll spring for a 1" Tail from Prism or Skydog. I buy my -caps from OSK, -Screen from FlyMarket or Lowes, -Dacron and Bungee comes from FlyMarket, Kites and Fun Things, or Goodwinds, -Icarex, Skyshark and Bridle Cord from Kites and Fun Things. (The PolyMax came from FlyMarket while it was on blowout.) That about covers my entire materials list FWIW, My LE still uses Screen. I'm not a fan of the holes there.

The only true advice I will give you is to don't be afraid to experiment and failure IS an option. Learn the basics and do it how you want to.. I'll answer any questions you have but I'm not the authority and I will never claim to know it all. The moment you stop learning you start forgetting. Personal experience. I've only been making sails from scratch about 2 year. I made them from Tails when I first started. Many of my latest kites are constructed with intentional straying from the wisdoms of kite making.. Some rules are there for a reason. Why does this work? Why doesn't this work? To be honest, with the exception of kites I've made specifically for other people, every kite I make (for myself) is experimenting with something (venting, sail shape, balance, weight etc..) I learn a bit from each kite. I had some true successes which I've shared here in the Kite Making and Blogs. I've had some that once finished almost never get flown after the first few flights. But the lesson they teach me makes every kite after that better. FWIW, I still don't use a pattern except for the leading edge. In my diamonds kites, even the latest ones, the diamonds are cut from what looks right. If I take scrap diamonds from several kites and put them side by side the diamonds have slightly different angles.. I still haven't found the perfect dimension that gives me the center panel I'm looking for without wasting fabric. The good news for me is the wasted trim from the panels makes a matching bag for the kite most of the time.

I guess you could get a kit kite..

Never said it was easy. Never said it was stressful.. This is honestly how I relax after a day of staring at computer screens. I make kites literally to unwind.. @frob Mike has the original Purple. One of the first three Icarex sails I ever made. @Mike Klaiber Eternal Friends The feeling is mutual.