tutorials

[cwr89]

I have been looking all over for a tutorial for making a sporran, but I am not able to find anything.

I don't have one, but I have a bunch of raw leather.
I would also like to change it up and make one out of chainmaille if possible. (but that is just an idea I am toying with in my mind)

I searched the forums here and could not find anything, so any stuff you guys have would be great! or if you could point me in the direction of some sporrans that could be afforded by a 17-year-old-unemployed-highschool student. that would be wonderful!

thanks
~Casey

[Phicong]

Hi Casey,
I made a cheapo sporran by tracing an outline from an expanded pic here on this group, both front and back, no center piece. Then I bought a yard of fake leather at a fabric shop for 3.50$ US. Then I sewed the two together inside out, , turned it right side out, and added some sticky back velcro and here is a pic of the sporran, with a strap of an old narrow woman's belt form a swap meet.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p.../stuff2001.jpg

Gordon

[cavscout]

Other than the kilt, the sporran is the most functional and versatile piece of equipment you will buy in this addiction. It might as well be a quality piece.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...porran+pattern

For starters, hit all the advertisers web sites of this forum. They all carry sporrans of varying styles and prices. Pick the one that fits your budget and preference.

Now, If I were you on a budget and knowing what I know after clsoe to 2 years of analyzing kilts and their accessories...

1st - PM Turpin or A-Hay! about a custom sporran. They both do very different styles but are both quality pieces.

2 nd - If neither of those work out, Check out the Buzz Kidder Sporrans available at several of the advertisers here. They are better known as the Rob Roy, Celtic Knot sporrans. These are a great deal on a sporran that will serve you well for a long time.

Personally, I'd steer clear of the cheap and economy rigid sporrans you see on ebay. You will be satisfied with them for a short while and before you know it you will be shelling out the money for another sporran that is better quality and truthfully only a few dollars more than what you paid for the cheaper one and you will never wear the cheap one again.

[A Hay]

Casey,

Welcome to a world wide community of kilt-wearers.

If you look through the Do It Yourself forum you will see examples of several types of sporrans. Some are soft, bag like (made by Turpin, Blazen and others), and some are more traditional in form with thicker, stiffer leather, like mine (A_Hay!).

Recommend you choose the style you like and what could be made from your leather. Then contact someone who makes that style and I'm sure we can provide you with some tips. My first one was modeled on an inexpensive one that I bought. I modified the pattern several times in the course of making the first 5. I learned a lot from those from the mistakes I made.

You don't need a lot of tools for the carved leather type of design I'm doing, but it would take some investment. For example, you really can't carve soft, pre-dyed leather. You have to have vegetable tanned leather. If you go that route you can get all the supplies you need from Tandy Leather or others on line.

You can also buy inexpensive sporrans for about $30 for starters from some of our advertisers or on e-bay. This would get you started and give you a pattern.

Good luck, If you have more specific questions, I'll try to help, as will others.

Tom

[cwr89]

Thanks for the great advise!!

I am looking into the basic construction, thats what gets me, I haven't ever actually held a sporran.

You don't need a lot of tools for the carved leather type of design I'm doing, but it would take some investment. For example, you really can't carve soft, pre-dyed leather. You have to have vegetable tanned leather. If you go that route you can get all the supplies you need from Tandy Leather or others on line.

the lucky thing here is, my father is a woodworker, he owns a woodworking store, and I fortunately have a full wood shop in my house. (table saw, band saw, lathe, scroll saw, chop saw, 9 foot long 3 foot wide hardwood workbench, and many many hand tools because he collects them and restores them) I have also in the past tried to make some leather armor (and failed miserably!) so I have basic idea about leather.

as for my material, the local craft shop sells 1 pound grab bags of Tandly leather scrap/cut-off so I have a very wide selection of soft leathers.

I think my main question is, what size is it? I really don't have any for sizing properly. Also how think are they usually? do you want them to be more flat or a little larger?

thanks for the great help again!
oh, and here is for fun, if you want you can tell me all the things I am doing wrong! (keep in mind I bought it thinking it would be a costume, and then it turned into something so great!)

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y76..._55resized.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y76..._53resized.jpg (the shield is my own design)

[Caradoc]

I would also like to change it up and make one out of chainmaille if possible. (but that is just an idea I am toying with in my mind)

I used to knit mail. A *lot* of mail. I'd highly recommend that you NOT make a sporran out of mail, as it will literally eat your kilt.

Chain is abrasive. If you do some looking around in these forums, you'll find a number of people recommending that you not use a chain strap for your sporran except on infrequent formal occasions as the strap will abrade the kilt.

Now, if you did that with a full chain sporran, you'd accelerate/exacerbate the problem on a grand scale.

[cwr89]

I used to knit mail. A *lot* of mail. I'd highly recommend that you NOT make a sporran out of mail, as it will literally eat your kilt.

Chain is abrasive. If you do some looking around in these forums, you'll find a number of people recommending that you not use a chain strap for your sporran except on infrequent formal occasions as the strap will abrade the kilt.

Now, if you did that with a full chain sporran, you'd accelerate/exacerbate the problem on a grand scale.

hmm... really, that is interesting! I was thinking of a small ringged aluminum for more of a dress look.

but you know, I really don't have a great kilt, its actually mostly cotton...

thanks for the warning!
~Casey

[neo71665]

I think one would look cool if you put a mail front over the leather front on a more traditional made sporran. Like instead of having the fur on a semi formal sporran have chain mail. That way you still show off the chain mail and the kilt is protected from it.

[Freelander Sporrano]

You may like to try to get hold of this book... It's how Sten Rune and I started

"So You're Going to Wear the Kilt! - All You Want to Know about Tartan Dress"
It's by J.Charles Thompson .Published by Lang Syne Publishers Ltd

It has a great starting point for two types of Sporran.

My advice go slow and try everything first with cardboard before you even cut into a piece of leather
Good Luck and most importantly have fun

[BLAZN]

You may like to try to get hold of this book... It's how Sten Rune and I started

"So You're Going to Wear the Kilt! - All You Want to Know about Tartan Dress"
It's by J.Charles Thompson .Published by Lang Syne Publishers Ltd

It has a great starting point for two types of Sporran.

Both of which I have turned out. Both look great. The stiff one pulled duty as a pouch for my wife at the AZ Ren Fest this past weekend.

My advice go slow and try everything first with cardboard before you even cut into a piece of leather
Good Luck and most importantly have fun

Definately. I personally used some faux leather that we had left over from some garb projects. You certainly want to practice a couple times before you tackle real leather.