Making a Shooting Bag: Questions

[longcruise]

I'ver built the Tennessee bag several times and simply left out that inside flap. I guess it's supposed to be some kind of reinforcement but I found it to be superfluous.

FWIW, I sewed mine inside out and turned them. It makes the interior a little roomier and easier to use.

Also did one with a gusset the full length of the front piece to that it added a bout 3/4" of inside space. There's all kinds of things that you can do to modify how you do any of his patterns. After a couple you will get the gist of it and be making your own patterns. Takes about ten minutes max!

If you are going to sew it inside out and then turn, be sure to sew the inside pockets on first!!

 

[Steve R.]

You are absolutely right, also if you decide to put a outside pocket or even a knife sheath on the backside do it first before any other pocket no matter if inside or not !

 

[longcruise]

You are absolutely right, also if you decide to put a outside pocket or even a knife sheath on the backside do it first before any other pocket no matter if inside or not !

Guess I'm not the only one been there and done that.

 

[smo]

This a pouch I made from that book.

Here’s my version of that one…

 

[Okurok]

Finished it up and rubbed it with mink oil. Gonna give it to a youngster. Way too small for my hand. I'm gonna make it again but sew it flat and cut it out an inch wider than the pattern.

 

[Notchy Bob]

View attachment 106896

Finished it up and rubbed it with mink oil. Gonna give it to a youngster. Way too small for my hand. I'm gonna make it again but sew it flat and cut it out an inch wider than the pattern.

Your pouch looks really good, @Okurok ! I appreciate the simplicity of it, and I really like the coloration. The somewhat uneven color is very appealing. Also, veg tan will darken considerably with age, use, and UV exposure. I like it just as it is. Further decoration will only detract.

I understand that it is small... That was illustrated pretty well in Post #34. If you give it to a child, you're going to make someone very happy. However, small pouches can be useful for bigger folks, too. That would make a very good case for a strike-a-light, for example.

If that's your first pouch, you did a very nice job of it. You next one ought to go faster and be even better.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

 

[smo]

Good job on the bag! Congrats
They are small… adding an inch make a difference … maybe 2…

I used a softer leather on mine too allow some stretch …
Mine carries a strip of ticking, a few balls and a cap of tins for my H&A .36 under hammer .

 

[Artificer]

View attachment 106896

Finished it up and rubbed it with mink oil. Gonna give it to a youngster. Way too small for my hand. I'm gonna make it again but sew it flat and cut it out an inch wider than the pattern.

That's a really nice pouch, even though and especially as it is your first. Don't blame yourself for it being too small, as you followed the pattern. That's about the only criticism I have on the pouch patterns listed in that book, that they can TOO easily be TOO small for modern hands.

If you have some heavy blue jean material or maybe better still some pillow ticking, there is an easy way to see if your next pouch will be large enough. Fold the bottom of the material upwards and run sewing pins parallel to the sides of the material to form a pinned up pouch, to see if it will be large enough before you cut more leather. That way you don't have to sew the cloth and can just remove the pins to use it for something else.

I have to say I mostly like that flap design, being tapered downward to complement the upward taper of the pouch. I might suggest rounding the corners of the flap a little more as they look just a bit too sharp. That way they will complement the rounded corners at the bottom of the pouch.

While you can sew the pouch flat, I think your inside out option looks much better and protects the stitching better. Personally, I would add enough extra width for your hand and once again sew the pouch inside out. Though of course since you will be doing it, whatever you decide will work, though.

Gus

 

[Brokennock]

View attachment 106896

Finished it up and rubbed it with mink oil. Gonna give it to a youngster. Way too small for my hand. I'm gonna make it again but sew it flat and cut it out an inch wider than the pattern.

Gus is right.
Make your next pattern, maybe, 2 inches bigger (your hand isn't in the photo for us to see just how "too small" the bag is for your hand) and still plan on am inside out bag. This give the bag a little more volume. If you really want to do flat sewn, you will need a welt, and, you cab gain the volume of inside out bag by wetting the leather and stuffing it with a heavy duty plastic bag full of sand or shot. Then let it dry.


Flat sewn "Lyman" style belt pouch. Pretty much useless as it is just out of the stitching clam.


Add some water, a bag of #7 1/2 shot in each section of the pouch, and, a much more please shape with useful space is created.

 

[Artificer]

Agree w/Brokennock,

2 inches wider would be how I would pin up material to see if it fits your hand better. Of course, with the pinned up material "pouch," you can more easily see what works.

Gus