First Selfmade Dress Sporran

**gairloch** · 2nd February 08, 04:52 AM

Hello everybody,

Now my first self made dress sporran is almost finished.. I only have to cover the seam on the backside properly yet.

Here is the history of the progress:

First was making patterns for front and back part. I found a picture from exact the same cantle I've used, so I copied it to the real measures. Then I cut the pattern out of a paperback piece.

Then I've cut out the leather pieces, the lining pieces an 2 reeinforcement pieces out of "Macrolon", which is Polycarbonate. The fur and the side pieces were also cut out.

Picture shows the pieces of the sporran.

Then I glued the leather pieces and the fur pieces together with the Macrolon pieces in the middle. A piece of red felt for the underlay of the cantle was cut out with a pair of zick-zack sissors.

Picture shows the pieces glued together.

On the rear piece I sew another piece of leather with 2 ears for the sporran chain rings.

Front and back of the sporran pieces.

Then I sew the side pice together with the front part of the sporran. The fur for that piece was devided into 2 pieces, because the hair direction should go downwards. The edge I bordered with soft black leather stripes.

Side piece uncut and sewn together.

After that I made the holes for the tassel chains into the front piece. I sewed the back piece together with the rest and made a reeinforcement for the small sides out of smooth black leather. I have cut the chains to proper length and put them through the holes in the front part of the sporran. Hard work was making the tassels because I had not a clue how to make them. Finaly I made small wooden rings and drilled a hole in the middle. This piece of small wood I glued together with a rectangular piece of fur (hair direction down!) The piece of fur I have glued together was rolled so I had a nice round and fluffy tassel.

Then I put a ring screw through the hole of the bell from the top and screwed the tassel together with the bell. Than I put the chain on the ringscrew and ready it is.

The top edge from the back part of the sporran is braided with small leather pieces in a spanish edge lacing one loop.

The top is fastened with a small piece of leather, which has a press button on the rear.

Picture shows the ready made dress sporran made out of silver-grey rabbit with cantle and bells from Clanart.com.

This is my first self made dress sporran.

The next one I will make a little bit different, because some of the steps are not usefull.

The leather should be a little bit softer and I won't use the Macrolon-plates anymore.

Any suggestions wanted!

TC

Dirk

**cavscout** · 2nd February 08, 05:57 AM

Looks Great!

So the Macrolon isn't an inner lining that's visible when the sporran is open? For a dress sporran I think that's a nice touch to have a satin lining on the inside.

**Bryan** · 2nd February 08, 06:15 AM

Wow, you did an excellent job!

**gairloch** · 2nd February 08, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by cavscout

Looks Great!

So the Macrolon isn't an inner lining that's visible when the sporran is open? For a dress sporran I think that's a nice touch to have a satin lining on the inside.

No, the Macrolon is glued between the lining and the leather. Outside the leather the fur is glued an sewn on.

TC

Dirk

**turpin** · 2nd February 08, 07:49 AM

That's an excellent job, Dirk. It looks like you've put that Clan Art cantle to good use. I just put in a rather big (for me) order with them myself.

Your resolve not to use the macrolon suggests you've decided that the bag is too stiff. Is that the case? I am hoping to make one with a relatively flexible bag to facilitate getting stuff in and out.

A Comment - I note that the side gusset bends outward at the top instead of inward, making the sporran appear wider there than it should. If you want it to crease inward you might try adding a few stitches at each top corner that "persuade" the gusset to crease inward. That may reduce the effective opening size somewhat but still be very functional. If you don't like them they can always be removed. Another thing that might help is a really thin leather for the edging, like doe kidskin, and slit the edging on the inside center to encourage it to bend in the inward direction (you sew at right angle to the slit).

These are just comments, FWTW. I'd have no problem wearing that baby just the way it is now. Good Work!

**Panache** · 2nd February 08, 07:57 AM

That is a very handsome piece you should be proud of.

If that is your first effort one can only imagine what you will accomplish next!

Well done!

Cheers

Jamie

**kevinkinney** · 2nd February 08, 08:15 AM

Wow,

I'm reading this with baited...err, umm...eyes.

Thanks for the inspiration.

Kevin.

**muirkirkca** · 2nd February 08, 09:00 AM

Excellent work without question - hope you make some more.

**gairloch** · 2nd February 08, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by turpin

Your resolve not to use the macrolon suggests you've decided that the bag is too stiff. Is that the case?

Hi,
Turpin,

yes I think the front and back piece are too stiff in my opinion. And the Macrolon plate ist still too big. I've should left 2cm of space for stiching. That's the reason why the side gussets bend outwards instead of inwards. It is too stiff to bend to the inside.
But it is not a realy big of a problem. I take it as just another style of sporran sides.

The side gussets are without Macrolon plates and are made of much thinner leather with only the fur on the outside and the lining on the inside. That's ok.

I'll keep this dress sporran for an example for a first try.
As it allways is--the second try will solve the first problems.

Next projects are the making of 2 scottish / english longbows and a semi-dress sporran out of a skunk fur.

Thanks a lot for comments.

BR

Dirk