Hunting Bag
Step 1, 2, 3
Step 5
Step 8
Finished hunting bag
Make a hunting bag of the type used by outdoorsmen on Missouri's frontier. The bag may be used for hunting articles, camera equipment, binoculars or other items.
Materials:
- 7-9 oz. cowhide for front (8" x 12" or 20 cm x 30 cm)
- 7-9 oz. cowhide for back (16" x 12" or 40 cm x 30 cm)
- 7-9 oz. cowhide for strap (1 l/2" x 10" or 4 cm x 25 cm)
- 7-9 oz. cowhide for divider (2" x 23" or 5 cm x 58 cm)
- 7-9 oz. cowhide for strap (1 l/2" x 54" or 4 cm x 1.4 m)
- 1 l/2" (4 cm) belt buckle
- 1" (2.5 cm) diameter button (antler or metal)
- heavy cloth or soft leather for button loop (l/2" x 4" or 1.3 cm x 10 cm)
- Review general instructions on leatherworking and gather the items listed under basic materials.
Procedure:
- Cut leather pieces.
- Mark stitch lines on the leather. Stitch lines should be l/4 inch (.5 cm) from the edge of the leather.
- Pre-punch stitch holes. Holes must be spaced accurately. Front and back pieces can be punched simultaneously by tacking them wrong sides together with rubber cement before punching.
- Dye leather, if desired. 5. Sew all seams using a saddle stitch. Sew
pieces in the following order:
- straps to back (longer strap should be sewn so it will be in front on whichever side the bag is worn),
- divider to back and
- front to divider.
- Sew belt buckle onto shorter leather strap. Put the longer strap through the buckle, put on the bag and adjust the length so the bag hangs near the hip. Mark where the longer strap and buckle meet, cut off any excess leather and punch holes for the buckle tongue. Attach the button loop and button as shown.
- Finish by treating liberally with conditioning oil.
- The bag may be decorated with heart- and diamond-shaped cutouts on the flap. These should be backed with colored felt held in place with rubber cement. The flap should then be lined with buckskin or heavy cloth
