Keep it simple and it works every time lol.

Man, 16oz is a pretty standard coffee size. And a ziplock bag? That's just admitting defeat before you even start. I've seen people use beeswax wraps or cut up clear vinyl folders as makeshift covers. Keeps the pages dry enough for a quick wipe down. Still gotta be careful with the edges though. That's the weak spot.

Oh man, "my seams were screaming at her" is EXACTLY the kind of thing that'll haunt you for weeks. Here's the dirty little secret I figured out after way too much trial and error: start pressing every seam BEFORE you topstitch it. I used to just sew the seam, flip it, and immediately stitch it down. But taking that extra 30 seconds to actually press it flat with an iron makes the topstitching line come out perfectly straight every time. The fabric lays flat, no shifting, no fighting it. That 1/8 inch wiggle room disappears real quick when your seam is properly set.

My buddy saw a guy doing basically the same thing at a yard down in San Antonio. The dude was swapping a Chevy 350 into a beat-up old stepside using nothing but a harbor freight engine hoist and a pack of smokes for motivation. He had the old motor out in like 45 minutes flat, no cussing or drama. My buddy said he offered to help and the guy just waved him off like it was no big deal. Makes you wonder what these guys could do with a proper shop and some real tools.

Holy crap that drift story gave me chills man I would've lost it.