Storage bag to kill some time (pic heavy)

[Tomcat1066]

I woke up this morning and was chomping at the bit. I have leather for my possibles bag on order and now I just have to wait for it to get here. I'm not the most patient person in the world. I needed something to kill a little bit of time...

...plus I needed a break from all the cleaning I've been doing around this house :wink:

So, I took some buckskin splits I had on hand, picked up a button, and made myself a little storage bag to go inside that possibles bag...when I make it :grin:

First, I cut the buckskin (obviously)

(pardon the mess in the living room. Young cat had just had way to much fun...plus the cleaning)

Next, I folded the piece over and started a whip stitch. I don't intend on using this stitch on my possibles bag - there I plan on using a saddle stitch - but this just felt like a decent time to try it out.

After that, I just flipped it right side out, sewed on the button and cut a hole for it and PRESTO! Here's what I've got.

I still don't really know what the heck I'm going to do with this, but I'm thinking about transferring my fire making stuff (striker, flints, jute for tender, etc) from the metal tin it's currently in.

I'm also planning on running some beads along the sides and around the flap, just to add a little something to it. Unfortunately, the needles I have were to big for the beads I've got (and the needles that will fit are to small for the linen threat), so that will have to wait.

I did learn a few things that will help when I make the possibles bag, though I expect it being cow leather will make a few things function differently. Still, I'm pretty happy with my bag and can't wait to crank out another bag or two.

I think I'm addicted already. Can that happen with just one bag? I think it may be...[strike]and I'm hosed[/strike] :grin:

 

[Tomcat1066]

Forgot something else. Photo credits go to my son Robby, who at nine shows some pretty decent talent with a camera :grin:

Hey, I'm a proud Dad. You better believe I'm going to brag. Who wouldn't? :wink:

 

[BrownBear]

Next thing you know he's going to want to go shooting with you, too. Darned the luck! :hatsoff:

 

[Tomcat1066]

He already does. :grin:

In fact, he's already put his bid on one of everything I make...and then some :wink:

 

[Capt. Fred]

Nice quick project to carry some stuff. I wonder how many thousands of those got made like that while sitting next to campfires and fireplaces in this country over the centuries. Cool little bag.

 

[Tomcat1066]

Thanks. And now that you mention it, I wonder how many of them were made too. It wasn't particularly difficult. I'd think they would want a candle or something for extra lighting though, because awl holes in buckskin ain't exactly the easiest things in the world to see :grin:

FWIW, it's a great little introductory project. It's small, the size of the buckskin made it fairly cheap, and if you mess up, you're not really out anything. At worst, you trim it up and just make a bag that's a bit smaller.

 

[David W.]

Nice quick project to carry some stuff. I wonder how many thousands of those got made like that while sitting next to campfires and fireplaces in this country over the centuries. Cool little bag.

Boy, i get blasted for some of my comments, but here goes anyway! I believe most of the eastern folks purchased their bags, but further out west where the population thinned and not as many options available, more of the bags WERE hand made, whether it was by the camp fire, or on broad daylight.

 

[gus13]

great little project.
and your right about learning something from it, every project has its own lesson IMHO. the question is whether your willing to learn from it or not! :wink:
if you have any canvas you could knock out a few with that... might be a bit cheaper than the splits. and easier to sew! :thumbsup:

 

[Tomcat1066]

great little project.
and your right about learning something from it, every project has its own lesson IMHO. the question is whether your willing to learn from it or not! :wink:

A fair point. FWIW, I certainly did learn from it. I can't wait for my new leather to get here so I can start on the next project.

Now I'm wondering if there's a twelve step program for this :grin:

if you have any canvas you could knock out a few with that... might be a bit cheaper than the splits. and easier to sew! :thumbsup:

I think my needle size had a bigger impact on what difficulty I had sewing it. I added a few bead embellishments on it just for fun and used a smaller needle because of the beads. It went through just fine. Yet another of those "lessons" I learned :grin:

 

[Ken Cormier]

nice way to spend an evening cool bag :hatsoff:

 

[BrownBear]

Now I'm wondering if there's a twelve step program for this.

Heck no. Just bigger and smaller projects. Save all your scraps, and you'll find ways to use them too. One of my favorites are little drawstring bags for balls and such. Pretty handy way to keep spares collected in the bottom of a shooting bag so they don't rattle around as you walk. I've got a couple small enough to hold only three or four 62 cal balls.

 

[Tomcat1066]

nice way to spend an evening cool bag :hatsoff:

Thanks Kenny, it was a pretty cool way to spend a couple of hours. I got to piddle around with it while still spending time with the wife and kid. It doesn't get much better than that.

As for the bag, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out, all things considered.

Heck no. Just bigger and smaller projects. Save all your scraps, and you'll find ways to use them too. One of my favorites are little drawstring bags for balls and such. Pretty handy way to keep spares collected in the bottom of a shooting bag so they don't rattle around as you walk. I've got a couple small enough to hold only three or four 62 cal balls.

I had planned on saving my scraps, but the drawstring bags just to make use of the little pieces is a pretty neat idea I may have to [strike]rip off[/strike] err...I mean borrow :wink:

 

[gus13]

Hi! I'm Gus and I'm a horner/ Bag Maker / etc. etc.!! :rotf: :rotf: I thought this was the twelve step program!! :rotf:
I only play at making bags but I think I'm up to somewhere around ten or twelve (plus or minus!)!! and those are only what I think I need at the time!! :rotf: :rotf:

 

[BrownBear]

Do you suppose we should let Tom in on RULE #1 for bag making?

Here 'tis:

1. You need a bag and horn for each of your guns.

Oh, and here's RULE #2:

2. If you ever make more bags than you have guns, you're honor bound to buy more guns to even things up.


:grin:

 

[gus13]

:rotf: :rotf: :rotf:
so true! oh! lets not forget a bag for the flint and steel, a bag for the cornmeal, the bag for the gun care kit, the bag for the sewing kit, the bag for.... etc. etc. (I'm sure I've made my point!)and thats not even getting into the bigger bags for Vous, like the ones for extra junk you don't have a cooler or box for! :rotf: :rotf:

 

[Tomcat1066]

Great. I'm hosed :grin:

The scary part is that I'm thinking about shooting bags and I don't even own a flintlock yet. I'm completely and totally hosed :grin:

 

[Capt. Fred]

Yup, you are probably right, but I wasn't talking about just the settlers. Lots of folks been here a loooooong time on this patch of dirt we call home. :thumbsup: