Thistle tassles

[Alisdair]

Hi Guys,

I'm currently making new sporrans for myself and my two wee bairns. It's a steep learning process, as I have no experience in metalwork and little experience in leatherwork (I did a bit when I was at primary school as an extracurricular activity), few tools and no workbench. So it's going to be a fun challenge with a steep learning curve.

I'm making brass cantles and intend to make a dark brown sporran for myself and rabbit-hair for the kids. The cantles will soon be ready and I've yet to start on serious leatherwork.

Over the last two evenings, I've been working on tassles. I had a to fashion an appropriate tool to cut the leather as I wanted it. I repurposed an old carving fork using a hacksaw and files!

So here's the result, which I'm pretty happy with:

tassels.jpg

[Tarheel]

I admire that you can make a tool to fit your need. Your tassel look good and I think will look great on the sporrans.

[Profane James]

Looks great! I don't believe I've seen thistle tassels on a sporran ever before, interesting.

[Alisdair]

I can't claim to be 100% original in my tassle-making - the inspiration came from the tassles in this video:

https://vimeo.com/21021027

[llyd]

Making one's own tools is the heart of craftsmanship....

Tasseps look great!