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So I know technically it is not historically accurate based from any surviving examples, but I saw Terry's bag on the cla and I just had to make one for myself. No measurements of any kind, just a roughed out patter from looking at cla pictures. I just gotta say, I really like this bag its smaller than Terry's and a bit different in shape, but it feels good when worn and holds everything you need to go hunting and maintain a gun. What say you, let's see what everyone else is working on?
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Wow, fantastic! You did a really good job! And who is the say ‘one like that did not exist’, as someone very well could have made it for themself, but no extant example exists.

I say … good job!
 
Since you asked for a critique, I'll offer up this response. You acknowledged that the bag isn't exactly historically accurate, so I won't judge the whole pattern and everything to those standards. It has the look of a historically accurate bag and follows the lines pretty well. It is a bit more complicated than it needs be, but being a bit more complicated than needs be is probably just as historically accurate today as it was in the past. Maybe not the norm, but to deny it's representation would be to deny that there was any individualism in the past. Anyhow, while you have a good looking bag, I would pay a bit more attention to the finer things. The consistency of your stitching and how you plan on either ignoring or finishing those odd parts that we end up with when making shooting bags.
 
Apologies for being a bit cryptic last night. The looks pretty good, especially from a distance. If you made that pattern yourself, you are on a very good path. Figuring out how everything is going to go together and making a good pattern takes up about as much time as actually cutting the pieces and stitching them together for me. Of course, I do mostly complicated projects and everything is custom, so simpler stuff doesn't take so long. I would concentrate on refinements. How you finish the edges of your leather and how you terminate the ends of pieces have a big effect on the final look of your piece.

Finishing the edges is pretty simple. Make sure your cuts are clean and trim off any fuzzies. Wet the edges and rub something smooth up and down them rapidly. The groves in a Gatorade bottle can work well for this if you are cheap and don't want to spend money at the beginning stages of a new hobby. Do this before stitching everything together for edges that will be stitched flat. For edges that will will be stitched together, trim them after stitching and then slick them up so they look like a single piece of leather.

Figuring out how to terminate the ends of edges where they are bound with leather is a bit more complicated. That is more of a design issue and less of a technique thing. Spend a bit of time studying stuff other folks have done as well as modern things like purses, etc. I will frequently snap a few pics of purses when see a design element I like while my wife is shopping so that I can go back and figure out how they made it.

Develop your own style and remember, nobody is going to pay you even half of what your time is worth. There is no point in trying to rush things and make sloppy stuff because the only thing worthwhile that is paying you is your own personal satisfaction.
 
Apologies for being a bit cryptic last night. The looks pretty good, especially from a distance. If you made that pattern yourself, you are on a very good path. Figuring out how everything is going to go together and making a good pattern takes up about as much time as actually cutting the pieces and stitching them together for me. Of course, I do mostly complicated projects and everything is custom, so simpler stuff doesn't take so long. I would concentrate on refinements. How you finish the edges of your leather and how you terminate the ends of pieces have a big effect on the final look of your piece.

Finishing the edges is pretty simple. Make sure your cuts are clean and trim off any fuzzies. Wet the edges and rub something smooth up and down them rapidly. The groves in a Gatorade bottle can work well for this if you are cheap and don't want to spend money at the beginning stages of a new hobby. Do this before stitching everything together for edges that will be stitched flat. For edges that will will be stitched together, trim them after stitching and then slick them up so they look like a single piece of leather.

Figuring out how to terminate the ends of edges where they are bound with leather is a bit more complicated. That is more of a design issue and less of a technique thing. Spend a bit of time studying stuff other folks have done as well as modern things like purses, etc. I will frequently snap a few pics of purses when see a design element I like while my wife is shopping so that I can go back and figure out how they made it.

Develop your own style and remember, nobody is going to pay you even half of what your time is worth. There is no point in trying to rush things and make sloppy stuff because the only thing worthwhile that is paying you is your own personal satisfaction.
Yeah I have a wooden burnishing rod, I guess I better start using it, the edges would look nicer. Thanks for all your tips I really appreciate it! Have any tips for embossing leather? Been looking into it and I am gonna practice on some scrap pieces.
 
What exactly did you mean by embossing leather? If you mean like carving and fancy junk, I would skip it for the time period you seem to be focusing on. Concentrate on making clean looking bags that don't need any extra adornment.
 
IMO, you did well, Pilgrim - I especially like the contrasting use of a different leather for the internal pockets. (and, your stitching is top-draw) :thumb:
 

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