My first sporran, and a desperate plea for help!

[Brian K]

I have to admit I kind of like it, except for the stitching. I would not worry about the tooling under the flap, just the outer flap.

One of the things I like best about this sporran is the tooling under the flap. When a craftswoman puts that much effort and detail into something that few people will ever see it speaks to the attention she has put into EVERY part of the project. That sort of care was common in the 18th and 19th centuries but, sadly, is not common any more. Look at the works of an old clock or watch, for example. They were as beautiful on the inside as they were on the outside despite the fact that the delicate scroll work or guilloche finishes would rarely, if ever, be seen.

Regards,

Brian

[Lea Evans]

Thanks so much Brian.

I don't intend to stop tooling the interiors.... I take a certain amount of pride in everything I do and hope that it can be beautiful even on parts that would not be exposed to anyone but its owner. It may not be traditional... but I am considering my sporrans more like individual works of art, not a "product", if you understand my meaning.

Tooling and carving leather is my forte.... I just need to learn to properly meld my "art" and find out just how "outlandish" people are willing to go with a sporran. And of course, make my work cleaner and more professional looking... stitching specifically.

@Tobus.. thanks for that explanation. My tanner I visited yesterday actually sat down with me and saddle stitched a couple of little pieces of leather together to show me how its done. All a learning process... I am very excited.

[Joe Gondek]

It looks like you are using nylon sinew
5 cord waxed linen works better and available in black,brown and natural

I like that long hair highlander hide,it has a great texture

The best way to figure size and design is to wear the sporran and use it for a day or two

[tyger]

Lea- you have all the right instincts. Your work is really unique, and I look forward to seeing more of it. Good to have you amongst us.

[fluter]

from blessedly chilly South Carolina. Keep up the good work! Many of us would wear your first effort as it is, and I'm sure you'll only get better.

Please come out to some events where the kilted folk assemble, and you'll get an idea how we use our sporrans. There are a couple of threads you may find by searching, where Xmarkers posted photos of their sporrans' contents...

Here is one--enlightening, and sometimes frightening.

Normally a belt-loop like yours is a bit wider, as others have noted, and may be used with a short strap connecting 2 D-rings. So if your sporran strap or chain has snap-links on the end, the little strap just connects them. Some sporrans come with one.

One neat idea I've seen on a Buzz Kidder sporran, is two loops (distributing the load as one very wide one would do) with a D-ring at the top of each.

Again, welcome, and we look forward to seeing more of your work.

[turpin]

You've already received all the critique I could provide, Lea. I like the way you incorporated the tooled leather and hide in the front.

As for colored leather, you shouldn't waste your time dyeing, ecept for the veg-tan, of course. There are plenty of sources for leather of all colors, although generally you'll have black and 2 or 3 shades of brown.

I use a 4-pronged diamond shaped punch to make my holes, and use embroidery thread waxed with beeswax and a blunt-tipped lacing needle. To ensure the holes on the front and rear panel are exactly opposite each other I clamp them together with those littel black paper clamps and punch at the same time. Otherwise, if they are off a bit, sewing on teh gusse can pull them awry. It doesn't look like you had any problem with that though. Most of my sporrans are in soft leather, so I need to do it that way.

[Tobus]

As for colored leather, you shouldn't waste your time dyeing, ecept for the veg-tan, of course. There are plenty of sources for leather of all colors, although generally you'll have black and 2 or 3 shades of brown.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but what you're referring to would be an oil-tanned leather (or other process) that is already 'finished'. Those are unsuitable for tooling, right? I've never heard of anyone tooling on pre-dyed leather. It's always done on plain hides because they have to be cased with water, tooled, and allowed to dry, and then dyed and finished.

Do you do tooling on pre-dyed leather? If so, what kind of leather and what tanning process is it? I'm curious now.

[Ryan Ross]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but what you're referring to would be an oil-tanned leather (or other process) that is already 'finished'. Those are unsuitable for tooling, right? I've never heard of anyone tooling on pre-dyed leather. It's always done on plain hides because they have to be cased with water, tooled, and allowed to dry, and then dyed and finished.

Do you do tooling on pre-dyed leather? If so, what kind of leather and what tanning process is it? I'm curious now.

The "veg-tan" that Turpin spoke of is tooling leather.

I believe you are correct in saying that pre-dyed leathers are not suitable for tooling.

[Tobus]

OK, I re-read what he said, and I think I understand. Veg-tanned, chrome-tanned, and other standard tanning methods do indeed give you a suitable hide for tooling. I guess my point was that the pre-dyed hides are usually oil-tanned and won't be usable for tooling. Since all of her work is tooled, she will be unable to use pre-dyed leather (except possibly for lining, gussets, etc., and then it might be hard to match colors with the dye she puts on the tooled leather).

[dutchy kilted]

I take back what I said about not tooling under the flap before. I see know how the tooling extends down the side, so it does work. Keep on trying - your work is unique!