same old question from a Newbie - making a full face sporran

[paulchristie]

Hello to you all.

I have just discovered this amazing forum, and have spent a long time going through old posts, and apologise for asking all this a again, but here is what I would like to achieve….

I have just been given a hide of Vegtan top quality leather for an Christmas present.
I also have a badger skin which I have had for quite a few years (see photos bellow), and have waited until now for inspiration to hit…..

http://i1020.photobucket.com/albums/...n/SN855418.jpg
http://i1020.photobucket.com/albums/...n/SN855419.jpg
http://i1020.photobucket.com/albums/...n/SN855420.jpg
http://i1020.photobucket.com/albums/...n/SN855421.jpg
http://i1020.photobucket.com/albums/...n/SN855422.jpg


So what can this mean….. I want to make a full face Sporran…...

From what I have read so far, I have gathered the following

Cut the skin to the same template as the lid, front panel and gusset of the sporran.
Either sew the eyes shut or purchase glass eyes.
Shape the head or leave it flat.

Does anyone have any photos to compare the difference between formed or flat, eyes or sewn shut?
Should the fur be on the back panel as well?
How do I attach the skin to the leather, is this sewn, glued or both?

Looking forward to learning and sharing wih you all

Paul

[piperdbh]

The sporran makers should be along any moment now. Good luck with the project!
How about posting a little about yourself, so we can welcome you properly?

[MacLowlife]

Greetings and welcome.

DO form the head and install some eyes. You will be glad you did. I have seen articles about using Papier Mache to fill the head. If you are really clever, you might use insulation foam ( Great Stuff) but I don't know how you would.

I believe that it is advisable to detach the head, so that you can show the back fur on the front, but I may be crazy. The seam (to reattach the head ) would make a good hinge for the lid. I would make the back from smooth leather

If you haven't, try using the handy search feature to find old threads.

Good luck
MacLL.

[paulchristie]

should of started with the intro, didnt want to bore anyone

Well, as you may have guessed my name is Paul, Born in Troon, Scotland and currently live in Southampton, England.

I have been making various craft pieces for a few years, including leather, Bronze casting, wood carving, pottery and a few other things... although am still an amature at most as family commitments have taken most of my time for the last 3 years (i.e. 2 children)

I am a member of www.deeds-of-arms.org.uk, which is a stage combat group specialising in Gladiator and Medieval combat, so have had to make various bits of kit for the different eras.

Have decided to start making a few bits to go with my Kilt, starting with a sporan, then moving onto a Bronze Sgian Dubh in the Summer.

wont go on any more for now.

Paul

[turpin]

The most important thing to do is always keep the finished product pictured in your head and take time to think three or 4 steps ahead before you do anything. Take your time. European badger is a protected species I believe, so those pelts aren't readily replaceable.

For the full masks I have made I cut off the face about 2" down from the ears so there is enough neck to sew onto the flap. You will probably need to soak, and I mean saturate, the mask in water in order to properly form the ears and pop out the nose (although it looks pretty good already). I end up soaking the msk 2 or three times during the total process, and let it dry out fully in between so that I minimize any hair slippage.

Print out several pictures of badger head from different angles for reference.

Also, it is good to dry the mask over the headform you expect to use to reform the skull. I start with either a wooden egg cut in half, or I take a papier mache hollow egg and use it as a mold with a paper product called Sculptamold.

Using the half-egg as a base you add material to it as needed to match up to the final shape of the mask. Once it is hardened you position the wet masl over it and carefully mark where the eyes go, then fasten them onto the spots. I use more sculptamold for this, and build up eye shape through the mask befor the material sets.

I have prepared and punched the flap to receive the mask by shaping the flap to match up to the mask. While it is stil damp, and therefore easier to sew, I sew it on with a whip-stitch around the edges and a running stitch across the neck.

For the front piece glue the veg-tan, flesh side, to the flesh side of the back fur (usually right across or just below the arm pits so you get the center of the back fur). This gives the best bond. Clamp the front and back pieces together and punch around the edges, so that you have the same number of holes. This becomes important when you join the two panels with the side gusset, which is necessary to give the sporran depth. I usually trim about 1/4 inch of fur away from the edge to make sewing the gusset on easier.

Before you remove the clamps, mark the center bottom of both panels so you know where to start sewing. I always sew my fur sporrans starting at center bottom to avoid skewing the gusset between front and back panels.

Pre-punch the gusset. To do this, fold it lengthwise and punch both edges at once, to ensure the same number of holes on both edges. Mark the center set of holes and start sewing from bottom center of the front panel up each side, making sure the grain side faces the fur so that when you turn the gusset after sewing the grain side is out.

Sew the belt tab onto the rear panel before you sew it to the gusset.

Sew on the back panel then add an edge binding piece to it to cover the raw edge that would otherwise show on the rear panel.

[longhuntr74]

Turpin...those are some great bits of advice...makes me think that somebody should do a sporran construction video...or pdf...with a step by step "how to"!!

Post Edit: I decided to go looking for a video on youtube and found this....this guy's work is impressive. Thought I'd share for any other aspiring "do it yourselfers". http://ssa.nls.uk/film.cfm?fid=0958

[Pleater]

Hello Paul, and welcome.

We are almost neighbours - I am in Poole, Dorset, and I have made costumes in the past - I was with John Lilburn's Regiment of musket and pike when I lived in the Midlands and have done a little am dram - but I have limited knowledge of leather work

I did make a lab rat into a purse once, but then I got a cat and it vanished - though a suspicious trail of coins led from my bag to the back door cat flap, so it didn't take Sherlock Holmes to deduce the likely chain of events.

I use non waterproof white wood glue for a lot of things - it means that if it all goes horribly wrong, or there is damage done at some future date, the glue can be unstuck with warm water (or more slowly with cold) and repairs made.

It does mean that things left in the damp are likely to come apart - I am justnow gluing together some furniture left outside, covered, but which fell apart around the feet due to the damp.

It also makes good papier mache - which is surprisingly lightweight and, incidentally, good for restoration work where there is very little to work with.

Anne the Pleater :ootd: