After picking up some new materials and tools, here is Sporran #4.







Here are some technical specs for those interested.
Dimensions are 7 1/2 inches wide, 8 inches high, and 2 1/4 inches deep. Color is Tandy Medium Brown Antique. I like working with the antique stains rather than dye. I tried the dye on a test piece and it was a real mess. The stain is water based and easier to clean up. It is tricky getting the color to come out to match closely between two pieces of leather. I made the front and back panels out of a new hide I got a couple of weeks ago. It is much better than the leather I used for the first 3 sporrans.

Closure is with a magnetic catch.

I used a 3 inch strip of soft brown finished leather for the gusset. That makes it easy to get your hand into. I also glued a small pocket for coins inside, made of the same leather as the gusset. One of the new tools I got was used to put a groove around the edges. Makes a nice decorative frame for the lion I think. I also got an edge beveler which finishes the edges better.

On the back I made the piece that holds the sporran strap about 3 inches wide versus the 1 1/2 inches on my purchased sporrans. This makes it more stable I think. Next time I will move it about 3/8 inch higher, to about 1 1/8 inches below the top of the sporran.

I still have some technical details to work out. For example, I need to make the front panel about 1/4 inch narrower on each side than the back flap. This should make it look sleeker from the front. I also need to be more careful about where I start lacing the gusset to the back. One side is about 1/4 inch too low and it left me with a small pucker at the bottom that hardly shows, but I know it's there.

Overall I think it is a big step forward on the first 3 I made. Couple more and I think I'll almost have it down!

Hope I'm not boring anyone with these details. My interest is in leather, but I enjoy reading about other's efforts in making kilts and whatnot. I'm glad the moderators put this forum in.

Cheers,

Tom