Hare Robe

[Teno]

I just finished reading Bushcraft, from Mors Kochanski!!! What an amazing book!!!

Anyway, anyone knows how to make a Hare Robe? Is similiar to a Rabbit Skin Robe, like this?

Thanks!

 

[Toddy]

No idea Our rabbit skin blankets are just that. Patchwork blankets of rabbit skins.
Never enough hares around us to make a blanket.

Curious though, what have they done to the skins to make them look so rumpled ??

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Tengu]

Im mors book the skin is cut into a strip and sort of knitted.

Great if you like shed fur everywhere.

 

[Toddy]

Just thinking the same thing..........why would they do that to a skin ??

cheers,
M

 

[Tadpole]

I guess because it you cut it ‘round’ the skin you get longer strips, (like making leather lace) so you have less sewing to do when the blanket is woven as you can just tack the corners where the lace overlap (basket weave seems to be the way to go.)

 

[stuart f]

Hi Mary,if you can get a copy of this book it will tell you the why's and hows of Rabbit skin robes as made and used by the native Californians.http://books.google.ca/books?id=qSR...ILLS+of+NATIVE+CALIFORNIA+by+Paul+D.+Campbell
If you don't want to purchase it i have a copy,and i could let you have a squint the next time i can make a meetup.

Cheers Stuart.

 

[Toddy]

Thanks Stuart, but I've actually got that one and Mors' too......I still don't really see why cutting the skins up finer helps..........I know about air pockets and the like, but the waste of fur........just different ways of doing things I suppose.

cheers,
Mary

 

[stuart f]

Hi Mary,no worries, i think the reason for cutting the hide into strips was because they used the hides green i,e not tanned.Using a green hide would go as stiff a board and sewing the hides together you would end up with a stiff blanket.In short it would mean you ended up with a supple blanket without having to go through process of tanning umpteen pelts.

Cheers Stuart.

 

[Toddy]

Ah, now that makes sense, the skin will curl inwards pulling the fur around...kind of like little tubes....no ?

It would need to be kept either awfully dry or awfully cold though. Can you imagine the stink as it starts to rot and the messs as the hair falls, out in our climate ?

cheers,
M

 

[stuart f]

Yup you hit the nail on the head .Thats probably why it worked for the natives of California,scorching hot in summer and bitterly cold dry winters.Where as it wouldn't work here,but mind you if you like the smell of rotting pelts!!!!!

Cheers Stuart.

 

[Teno]

Thanks!!! Never seen this before.

 

[forestwalker]

I've seen them mentioned in Canadian context in the early parts of the 20th century. One feature of the "knitting" would be to increase the "loft" of the blanket. One day I'll get my hands on 150 rabbit skins and proceed to prove my insanity...

 

[MikaelMazz]

You would need alot of rabbit skins for a blanket. Probably 50 or more for a medium size one. Alot of different native american tribes over here made these types of blankets. If they get wet you just dry them and they wont rot. There are many ways to make these but one way I know is this.
First case skin the rabbit and flesh the pelt. Then cut around (in a spiral fashon) the cylindrical skin leaving the eye hole at one end and cut a small hole at the other end of the strip. I forget the width of the strips. The holes are for connecting strips. Build a frame the size of the blanket. Then twist the strips into a long tub and wrap it on the frame side by side as you go.
Then twine it all together from side to side with string. You twine row every 8 inches or so untill you get to the bottom and its done.

Hope you can understand. Like I sade there were many ways. Some were made using a knotless netting style.

 

[MikaelMazz]

I spent all that time describing it and then fond this site. It is all the same exsept how the skins are cut. This will help you though.
http://www.primitiveways.com/rabbit_skin_blanket.html