Elleth wrote:That's your first from-scratch leather project? WOW! Nicely done.
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
(For what it's worth: a plain old dinner fork also gives you great spacing for leather sewing, if you want something cheap and easy to find)
That makes sense for indenting the hole locations, but what do you use to back the piece while you drive the awl through?
Your closure looks interesting - I assume the knot in the thong on the flap is captured by the loop in the thong at the base of the pouch?
I've been experimenting in the same general space to see what feels right:
I like the idea of the toggle-and-loop closure, but this still doesn't feel quite right.
Metal buckles feel too high-class, antler buttons feel too mountain-man, etc etc. Maybe a wood toggle? Maybe a Birka-style strap? Not sure.
The "Pig nose" piece of leather is the toggle. The lower thong loops up around that and then cinches tight...ish. I think I need a wooden bead to add friction to the thong.
I would've gone with a smaller toggle, but I'd already punched the holes in the flap itself...
I really like the birka type closure--it feels like the type of closure one would implement if possessed of a large amount of skill but comparatively little material wealth. Unfortunately...I don't feel confident in how much skill
I possesses to make that work well, and additionally this specific bag can be anything from quite flat when empty to quite plump when full, with the flap resting at a different place on the front of the bag based on that. As such, I don't think a birka closure would work for this specific situation. A toggle and loop, where the loop can vary in length, is a lot more usable.
A simple but well-made wooden toggle feels like it'd fit well, like
these guys. I feel like a bone, antler or horn toggle would also be fine if it was actually a worked piece of material and not just made intentionally 'primitive' feeling.
The capacity on yours is nice! I assume this is sort of a "everything you need for a dayhike in one place" kind of thing?
Yup. Although, honestly...it'll probably largely carry my camera gear for the most part. In-character, it'd probably be things like a tinderbox, coinpurse, and copious snacks.