Leather sporran cantles

[LKM]

I am wondering what style of leather sporran cantle people like more and is there is a reason. I have made two different styles of leather cantles and found that both have advantages and disadvantages to both styles.

The style I used for the skunk sporran in black is less common. It is easier to sew by hand, is based on the old style functional metal cantles, yet it sometimes needs a stiff leather to help hold the shape.

The more abundant style, shown with the brown sporran below, is more challenging to sew by hand yet has a great look. I think it would be far easier to sew with a machine, and wonder if that is why it is far more common.




Yes, I made both of these sporrans.

As I am thinking about making myself a new hunting sporran for day wear, I am also wondering if different colors of embroidery would stand out in a bad way on a hunting sporran. The idea I had was the battle between the red and white dragons from Welsh legend. I am not sure if the knot-work dragons would look out of place on a sporran if they were sewn with red and white outlines and not just a black outline as the brown sporran above has.



Information about the dragons can be found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Dragon

[Todd Bradshaw]

When I want stiffness on the top of mine, I do it with multiple layers of leather. These were only 4 oz. leather, but once you get to about four layers along the top edge you're getting some fairly serious stiffness. I use a combination of hand and machine stitching, but everything that shows on the front side will be hand stitching.

[Tarheel]

I believe you answered one of your questions, in that a cantle that is easier to sew by machine is easier to mass produce. I think that a thicker leather (that must be shaped prior to mounting) would last longer as a cantle. I also think that a formed (wood or metal) cantle can be covered by a thinner leather. A company that provides quantity will give the buyers a popular design that is easy to make. Uniqueness and quality will draw the buyer to a product viewed as an heirloom.

Bright colors sewn on a dark sporran will be an eye catcher for sure. Will it distract from the kilt? Probably will work well with a solid fabric but not a tartan.

[MNlad]

I am not sure if the knot-work dragons would look out of place on a sporran if they were sewn with red and white outlines and not just a black outline as the brown sporran above has.

Bright colors sewn on a dark sporran will be an eye catcher for sure. Will it distract from the kilt? Probably will work well with a solid fabric but not a tartan.

Sometimes less is more. If you are going for the two color embroidery, consider a more muted choice of thread that still conveys the same theme—perhaps a burgundy and gray. It would blend in more with the leather, be less likely to clash with your kilt, and wouldn't scream "I'm embroidered."

[LKM]

Thank you for the input on the colors. I was debating going with a gray that would not stand out as much as white. Red would not stand out that much, but white would.

I have also thought about using metallic threads and and not having the rivets around the dragon knot. If I go with metallic, I thing silver and gold would look better then silver and red. Owain Glyndŵr carried a gold dragon standard, Uther Pendragon is said to have also had a gold dragon (most likely the Roman bronze draco standard), and gold dragons are mentioned in Y Gododdin. Perhaps a braided leather circle around gold and silver dragons? That might be to much for a day sporran.