K51 - Nova #1
A few items of note here:
Design
This design is representatively abstract, which is a slight departure from my usual designs, which are purely abstract. This design represents a star out in space.
Applique
This kite is all cut-away applique work, not pre-cut and assembled panels. I've done a bit of this in the past, but this is the first I've done that is 100% cut-away.
I've experimented before with hot-tacking, but I found it to be fairly unreliable and slightly damaging. This time, I tried using glue sticks, which seemed nice. I applied the glue stick to the seem before laying the layer of fabric on. This way, the glue stick just served to keep the layers in sync.
Center V
I usually have a squared off center V for better support, but it didn't really fit with the design, so I went with a traditional center V.
Wing tips
I've returned to bungie for the bottom wing tips on outdoor kites. I found the line to be a bit fussie, and more prone to failure when being flown by novice fliers. I have added a layer to cover the bungees, which I think is working nicely.
T-Fittings
Usually, I've rounded the corners on the cut-outs for the T fittings. I decided to just do straight ruler cuts this time. Seems maybe a bit cleaner, since free-handing the rounded corners is inconsistent.
Props to Josh Mitcheson
After watching the mini-Pulse build-along with Josh Mitcheson, I borrowed a few techniques. I've gotten a bone folder which allowed me to hem the trailing edge with very little glue (just a bit on the wing tips). I also found is process for applying tape to multiple items then tearing them apart to be very handy and more efficient than my historical approach of taping each piece explicitly and cutting inbetween.
