Hair Sporran

[Ryan Ross]

I see what you mean... very good points! This accordion pocket idea sounds like a possible big winner, too.

Do you have any idea what a soft pouch in back would do? A front panel like you have now, soft gusset and full sized pouch, and the strap still attaches to the front panel, to try and ward off sagging? Think that would work?

And I don't mean to jack the thread, but I'm just a man who needs to store stuff in his sporran.

[artificer]

I see what you mean... very good points! This accordion pocket idea sounds like a possible big winner, too.

Do you have any idea what a soft pouch in back would do? A front panel like you have now, soft gusset and full sized pouch, and the strap still attaches to the front panel, to try and ward off sagging? Think that would work?

And I don't mean to jack the thread, but I'm just a man who needs to store stuff in his sporran.

In order to get any actual storage, the soft pouch would have to be fairly roomy (ie baggy) which would mean it would potentially sag out from below or out the side of the main panel. The accordion pouch, with it's bellowed gusset and firm panel, would allow for storage but still maintain some structure.

The big issue is that sporrans of this period were essentially for decoration. We can apply STORAGE to it, but always have to make some compromise.

ith:

[Ryan Ross]

Understood. And therein lies my issue with the true Victorian sporrans- I love the way they look, but can't bring myself to wear something like that just for decoration.

It sounds like you're well on the way to creating a fully functional Victorian style hair sporran, my friend. That shall be a day to remember, indeed.

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I have seen hair sporrans made with a full size pouch; and I can understand the desire for one. But I've come to realize that for this particular style of sporran, at least, one might have to sacrifice function for fashion. A full size pouch, especially when one begins to put anything into them, tends to mess with the smooth lay of the hair on the sporran. This traditional design (which often includes a pouch - as does mine - large enough for an ID card, credit card, or a few bills) allows the sporran to hang neatly and smoothly, and I think looks much better.

[Ryan Ross]

That is, of course, all true. I may be an idealist, but I still want to think it's possible to have at least most of the best of both worlds. LOL

[M. A. C. Newsome]

Well, for this event, I actually didn't have a single thing in my sporran. I had my wallet in the inside breast pocket on my Argyle jacket. I had my car keys in one of the side pockets of my jacket. My notes for the "Toast to the Lassies" were folded up and inside my other breast pocket. That was all I needed.

Anything else could have gone in my wife's handbag, but I simply did not need anything else.

[RAF]

Matt, the sporran is beautiful and congrats on your successful barter! Scott, I am consistently impressed with your work - nicely done. If I may interject a two-fold question, (which I'm sure has been addressed somewhere on X before,) based on the conversation between Matt, Ryan, and Scott, can/should we ascertain that the horsehair sporran is best suited for more formal affairs rather than a days outing? OR is it more the point of personal storage being a relative issue? I (like Ryan?) tend to put most of what I need for the day in my sporran (wallet, phone, keys, lip balm, comb, stache wax) so I think I want more function. But to Matt's point, jacket pockets can share the load. And I DO love the look of the hair sporran. I'll be curious to see how Artificer's modified pouch design pans out. Perhaps that will be the happy medium to pushes me over the edge :-) "Horsehair 2.0" anyone?

[tyger]

What can I say? Dittos on a job well done.

[dfmacliam]

A very nice sporran.... makes me even more anxious for my soon to be constructed Artificer goat hair sporran...

As usual, you look mighty dapper, Matt!

[creagdhubh]

Very nice Matt, and well done Scott!

Congratulations to you both!

Cheers,