Hi

I have been looking for a thread that explores my exact inquiry, I have learned heaps and been inspired by all the fabulous creativity of people in this forum, but nothing as yet answers my full question. I live in a rural area, so it's a 5 hours drive to a shop to have a look at other sporrans, I don't have access to a "sporran reference pool". I'm kind of flying blind, and hoping I can use people's experience...

I am about to begin making two formal sporrans, to go with Prince Charlies for a wedding, one for an adult and one for a child. I will use a purchased cantle for the adult sporran, but will probably make the kid's one with a plain flap (and hairy front- see below).

I live in Australia so I think it will be nice to use hair-on kangaroo hide for the front but am thinking I will use cowhide for the back (and possibly gusset). I'm thinking of lining them with either pigskin or suede. I have some 25mm cowhide and a small amount of 15mm cowhide that I could use for the gussets. My questions are:

1. I'm thinking of bonding the roo skin to a cowhide front (I don't have the roo skin as yet but i think its fairly thin and wouldn't hold its shape). Is this a good idea? Should I just stitch it in?

2. Should I use the 15mm hide for the gusset? I don't want it to be too stiff (especially the kid's one). The other alternative is I could use kangaroo for the gussets ( or a double layer of the lining pigskin or suede???) Any comments/ideas? I'm more concerned about opinions re practical pros/cons than aesthetics here.

3. Is a 25mm back going to keep it stiff enough? Should I bond 2x25mm pieces? Or are there better ways to approach this?

4. Lining???? Any opinions or ideas welcomed, once again, practical rather than aesthetic...

5. magnetic or snap closures?

6. Any opinions on the (practical) pros and cons of an all-hairy (front/gusset) rather than hairy front/hairless gusset construction?

7. (Phew) is there anything else that I haven't asked about the adult's and/or kid's sporran that I should know about? (Either practical or aesthetic?)

thanks in advance