Thorfinn Sporran 55 - The Frankenchuck

[Wompet]

WARNING: THIS THREAD CONTAINS IMAGES OF A SMALL FURRY ANIMAL MADE INTO HIGHLAND WEAR.
If this is objectionable or offensive to you, please don't read any further. Thank you.

Okay, on with the thread.
As most of you have picked up on by now, I commissioned Turpin to make a full-mask sporran for me. And as I wanted something different than the usual badger or skunk or muskrat, I asked him to make me a woodchuck sporran. I'd actually gotten the idea from Thompson's So You're Going to Wear the Kilt, and that the dog when he was healthy caught woodchucks on a semi-regular basis (never did get a chance to skin one while it was fresh enough, though).

Anyway, Turpin had never done a woodchuck sporran before, so I went looking and found a local provider of skins. After consulting with Turpin, I stopped at their warehouse, bought the two best woodchucks they had, and mailed them down to Turpin. And it was a good thing I sent him two - the one had a good mask, but there was some bad fur slippage on the neck, and the other had a good back but a bad mask and shoulders.
Turpin was able to sew the good mask to the good nape to the good back for the flap, and use the good back for the front. With all of this stitching together, he named it "The Frankenchuck."

And now, the pictures:

Opening the box, remove the air pockets ... and it's staring at me.


Sue the Cat meets Frankenchuck.


And a good picture:

[Surly Dave]

Cool! Some thing else to add to the ole wish list!

[Wompet]

Okay, now we all know how large Turpin's regular TCS sporrans are, right?
For comparison, TCSs #28 and #55:


Frank with his flap open:

I know it's kind of hard to read the tape measure, but the sporran body is 10" x 10". You can see the nice thick leather Turpin used for the flap backing and the sporran body. Also, notice how the fur on the front blends into the separate strips on the gusset with only a slight indentation, and no gaps. And the fur extends all the way up to the trim around the top, and over the edge of the flap, so no leather is noticeable on the flap when it's closed.

Shot of the inside:

Not the best shot, I'll admit - it's hard holding the sporran upright and open with one hand, and hold the tape measure in place with the same hand, while taking a picture.
You can see the standard phone pocket (with business cards) and can just make out the key holder. The pen holder next the phone pocket blends in to the back of the sporran. If you look behind the cell pocket, you can see where the flap slips in and snaps in place - yes, the flap is convertible. It is a TCS after all.
The tape reads 4" (or it would if my fingers weren't in the way).
And though you can't quite see it from this angle, there is no snap or catch for the flap. Frank's head is heavy enough to stay down while being worn.

[ccga3359]

Congratulations Gary. It is certainly an interesting way to remember your dog.
I assume that it is up to the typical turpin quality, now keep that thing away from me.

I guess I'll get it out of the way now:

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

[Wompet]

A couple more things.
One, how I said that two skins were sewn together three ways to make the flap - I can't tell where Turpin sewed. And I have the "work in progress" pictures to compare against. That is how good a job Turpin did piecing this sporran together.
Second, when Turpin e-mailed me when he put the sporran in the post, and told me that my satisfaction was guaranteed or my money back. After all the work he put into creating this sporran, something one of a kind, if I didn't like it I would get my money back.

Turpin, no person with the least bit of respect for quality and workmanship could ever be less than thrilled to own one of your sporrans. Satisfied does not even begin to describe my appreciation. Thank you, and expect my order for a brown TCS after the holidays.


One last picture - the cat has decided she approves. And it's a good side-view and size comparison shot.

[Wompet]

Congratulations Gary. It is certainly an interesting way to remember your dog.

I know, but it just seemed appropriate somehow.

I guess I'll get it out of the way now:

How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?

It's a Turpin! If this woodchuck could chuck wood, how much wood would this woodchuck chuck?
One quarter cord.

[Warhoover]

Wonderful sporran, its the first Woodchuck sporran I think I have seen. The cat sure seems to like it! Great work Turpin!

(Hmmm might have to come up with something you don't see everyday like you did. I wonder how many lives the neighbor's Seal Point Siamese has left) Just kidding!!!!!! (He is a big'un! I bet it would be pretty though!)

[Arizona Scot]

That is an amazing bit of craftmanship you truly have a beautiful new sporran, congratulations. One thing though when I saw the first picture of the face I could have sworn that it looked just like the gopher from caddy shack. Now there would be a sporran gopher. Wonder how many it would take?

[Woodsheal]

That is an amazing bit of craftmanship you truly have a beautiful new sporran, congratulations. One thing though when I saw the first picture of the face I could have sworn that it looked just like the gopher from caddy shack. Now there would be a sporran gopher. Wonder how many it would take?

Gopher and woodchuck are two names for the same critter!

I really like this sporran, though it does have sort of an astonished look on its face. Kind of like, "what just happened to me?!"....

[turpin]

Gopher and woodchuck are two names for the same critter!

I really like this sporran, though it does have sort of an astonished look on its face. Kind of like, "what just happened to me?!"....

So he's a cousin of Groundskeeper Willie?

Maybe I made the eyes too "cute", which accounts for the look. It is amazing how a good quality set of glass eyes can bring a mask to life and give it a personality.

I really got to practice my suturing skills on this one. I didn't want an overlap of skin edges so I butted them together and sutured, using artificial sinew with a forceps and hemostat.

Although the outside dimensions may be 10x10, that includes the head and halo of fur. The actual bag dimension is more like 7.5x8.5x2.5. Anything larger and it looks disproportionate when worn. I was actually thinking of reducing the bag size with longer-furred pelts.