I know it's not exactly feild kit, but I'm interested in making things and always have been. A rucksack with all the back support is a bit technical so i'll leave that to the pros but I've been thinking about making a duffle bag. I'd like to outline my original plan and see what you guys think and if you can make any suggestions. Especially in the area of leatherwork where my experience is pretty limited!
I plan to use a nice heavy cotton canvas - sand in colour. What grade would you recomend? I was going to go for the heaviest I could find. Assuming it comes in a width of 1500 I figure I'll need 2000mm.
Next the plan is to cut the main bit, 1500 by 1500 and hem the edges by folding a bit about a cm deep, twice over, along two parralel edges. Next, a piece of leather 1700 long and about 40mil wide. Preferable a bridal but strap in through dyed dark havannah. This is cut so that there are two 100mm strips, 15-20mm wide at each end - like a bottleneck shape. Then, a cut is made all the way along the centre of the wide bit, leaving enough at each end to be strong.
Next, run a grove 4mm all the way along the outside edges of the chunky bit in the middle (not the two little tapered strap - well, you could for looks) and the same, a stitch groove 4mm from the inside of the central cut on each side. Next run a small stitch wheel up these grooves.
You're left with a wide strap with a cut all the way along the middle making two straps, these are prepared for stitching along their inside edges and out.
Next - a good quality heavy brass zip the legnth of the central cut is sewen in (glued too?) the outside edges prepred for stiching are sewen to the hemmed edges of the canvas creating a cylinder with a zip..... Turn it inside out and securly sew the two ends up, flat in the direction of the zip so when the right way around again, you can lay it flat like a rectangular envelope with a zip along the top. Some bits where the zip is shorter than the legnth of the top seem will need sewing up...
Now for handles, bridle butt straps run around like a duffle bag, sewen to the canvas like the zip. Run a groove and stich mark the whole legnth. On the handles where its not sewn to the canvas, the leather is folded over, with some rope of the right thickness inside and sewn to itself to make the handles.
Nexy, the two little 15mm straps at each end of the zip bit of leather get sewn in a loop with a brass D ring at the top, a row of stitching to seperate them, and a little brass buckle in the bottom of the loop. The D ring is for a shoulder strap - another bit of bridle but with a trigger hook on each end. The buckle cooresponds to a little punched strap sewen to the other corner of where the ends fo the cylinder has been sewn up... when you pack these are undone, then you bring the corners together and fasten them up compressing your stuff a little ang giving the classic duffle look.....
I'll do some pictures after my dissertation!
When I get around to doing it, if it works I'll add some photos and make a little tutorial.
In the mean time, does anyone have any suggestions?
I plan to use a nice heavy cotton canvas - sand in colour. What grade would you recomend? I was going to go for the heaviest I could find. Assuming it comes in a width of 1500 I figure I'll need 2000mm.
Next the plan is to cut the main bit, 1500 by 1500 and hem the edges by folding a bit about a cm deep, twice over, along two parralel edges. Next, a piece of leather 1700 long and about 40mil wide. Preferable a bridal but strap in through dyed dark havannah. This is cut so that there are two 100mm strips, 15-20mm wide at each end - like a bottleneck shape. Then, a cut is made all the way along the centre of the wide bit, leaving enough at each end to be strong.
Next, run a grove 4mm all the way along the outside edges of the chunky bit in the middle (not the two little tapered strap - well, you could for looks) and the same, a stitch groove 4mm from the inside of the central cut on each side. Next run a small stitch wheel up these grooves.
You're left with a wide strap with a cut all the way along the middle making two straps, these are prepared for stitching along their inside edges and out.
Next - a good quality heavy brass zip the legnth of the central cut is sewen in (glued too?) the outside edges prepred for stiching are sewen to the hemmed edges of the canvas creating a cylinder with a zip..... Turn it inside out and securly sew the two ends up, flat in the direction of the zip so when the right way around again, you can lay it flat like a rectangular envelope with a zip along the top. Some bits where the zip is shorter than the legnth of the top seem will need sewing up...
Now for handles, bridle butt straps run around like a duffle bag, sewen to the canvas like the zip. Run a groove and stich mark the whole legnth. On the handles where its not sewn to the canvas, the leather is folded over, with some rope of the right thickness inside and sewn to itself to make the handles.
Nexy, the two little 15mm straps at each end of the zip bit of leather get sewn in a loop with a brass D ring at the top, a row of stitching to seperate them, and a little brass buckle in the bottom of the loop. The D ring is for a shoulder strap - another bit of bridle but with a trigger hook on each end. The buckle cooresponds to a little punched strap sewen to the other corner of where the ends fo the cylinder has been sewn up... when you pack these are undone, then you bring the corners together and fasten them up compressing your stuff a little ang giving the classic duffle look.....
I'll do some pictures after my dissertation!
When I get around to doing it, if it works I'll add some photos and make a little tutorial.
In the mean time, does anyone have any suggestions?
