Assorted projects

[Todd Bradshaw]

The wet-molded sporrans are actually pretty easy to make. It takes a little work to make the mold, but there isn't much about it that is difficult, expensive or very time-consuming. I used scrap lumber, and once you have the mold built, the actual leatherworking part is pretty quick. The mold has a base (with the sporran-shaped wooden bump) and a top frame. The frame has a sporran-shaped hole, slightly larger than the wooden bump. I varnished mine, but you wouldn't have to.



Using a pretty sturdy piece of leather, you soak it until is stops giving off bubbles (maybe 30 minutes or so), rough-cut it oversized, lay it over the bump and tack or staple it to the mold at the top on either side of the bump, just to keep it in place. I use one staple on each side. Then you start coaxing and molding it into shape with your hands. Pretty soon you will be able to begin forcing the frame down over the leather and it will really start to take the shape of the mold. You won't get far by hand, so it will take half a dozen C-clamps spaced around the mold to really get the frame pulled down tight - just working your way around the mold evenly, turn by turn until the frame is all the way down. In the process, you will probably need to get in there with a knife or scissors and cut a few "relief notches" in the leather's edges to prevent wrinkling. Just don't cut them any farther in than you have to, as you'll eventually need a bit of a flange around the sporran's edge for the sewing.

The entire molding process takes about ten minutes, then you let it dry for about three days. Once dry, you pry the frame off, pull the staples, pop it off of the mold and rough-cut the flange around the edge down to maybe 3/8" wide or so (leave a little excess at this point). Get out the leather and cut a flat back piece the same size and shape with an extension up top to form the sporran's flap. Also cut the small "tunnel" piece that the strap will pass through and sew it to the back before joining the molded front and the back. Interior pouches, dividers, key fobs, etc. can be added as desired.

Add any desired finish to the leather and attach whatever clasp mechanism you choose. A bead of contact cement or leather glue along the edges is a good idea for basting the front and back together before stitching. Then sew the molded front to the flat back panel with a line of heavy stitching - 30 seconds with a good machine, or maybe 30 minutes by hand. Finally trim and polish the edge and you're ready to roll. For as silly-simple as they are, they have a certain amount of understated elegance.