These are the Swedish side pouches that usually go with the LK rucksacks. When i bought them, they were part of a yoke system, to be attached to a belt via metal hooks.
I decided to MOLLE them instead of direct sewing of the pouches on my LK35. Reason is I want to have the option to attach larger side compartments and change in between various setups according to my needs. I could leave the hooks in place, but I decided to take them off since I am not planning to use them with such a belt. Having done that, an old saying crossed my mind: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". I cut the threading just enough to take the hooks out and left the webbing in place, because it can work as Molle webbing, albeit a little wider.
Then the sewing got underway. It was hard to do the stitching of the parallel webbing because you don't have enough space to work the thread on the inside of the pouches. Still, it got done.
Hand sewing it was, with a speedy stitcher awl. Threads used were of two kinds, 210D 1mm Black Leather Sewing Waxed Thread and COTTON COVERED POLYESTER SEWING THREAD SIZE 36. The second one is army surplus and it so happens that it is the exact thread that was used to create the pouches! Anyway, the waxed thread proved to be thicker than needed (it is perfect for use with the speedy stitcher) and #36 is very thin and not easy to work with the speedy stitcher awl. In a couple of days I am expecting my #69 polyester thread which I think will be just the one for all sewing from now on. It was just that I couldn't wait and wanted to exercise my sewing with what I had in hand so far. Practice makes perfect and i still have a long way to go, but i find sewing a new and exciting skill. My confidence is increasing. Initially i was thinking of going to a stitch and sew shop for opening the lk35's seams for the large pouch zipper sewing. Now i have started thinking with a lot of work i can do it my self.
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