I've been busy making this sporran out of a skunk pelt I bought recently. Here are some pics of some of the steps. I got so engrossed that I missed shooting the gusset-sewing process. I call it a semi-mask because it's not taxidemy quality and doesn't have eyes or a mouth, per se.

Here is the pelt. I sewed the eye and earholes shut. You need to soak the pelt and sew it wet to do this. I dried it with a hair dryer to fluff the fur.


Some of the pieces cut out


The pelt pieces glued to medium-stiff leather. I lined the inside with black felt and used a three-inch piece of soft leather for the gusset. What with sewing the edges onto the front and back the gusset width is actually about 1.75". I punched holes in the front and back pieces and "felt" for them through the gusset leather. The rings are riveted to the leather back and pulled out through slits in the pelt.


Here's how the finished product looks on a SWK saffron. The head is filled with wood putty and has enough weight to hold the sporran closed.


And on my Gordon Modern.




The sporran is really roomy, and with the felt lining it's comfy to feel around in for loose change. It's no Craigie Original, but then it only cost me about $60 total for materials, and about 5 hours to actually assemble. (I spent a lot of running miles designing and building it in my head.)

Does this look like it's worthy of formal wear?