Henry Rifle Forums

As a few of you may remember, one of the reasons we sold the Farm in Va and moved here, is that we have a daughter here in OK with medical issues. Her condition can result in situations where she has respiratory issues and needs an epipen or two immediately. She carries a med-pouch everywhere, that contains the pens. Of late, she has had to include MEDS for the dang service dog. HE has started to have seizures. Cruel World, Huh?

She had found these Ballistic Cloth pouches she likes, but daily use is hard on them, and they aren't cheap. She was up last week and asked if I could make her one out of leather. Just the basic pouch, didn't have to have the zippered pocket. I told her sure, I'd give it a shot. She came up to bring the leather she had picked up for me... and a bag of snake skins. (Sweet.) She told me the GREEN leather would work, BRIGHT was better since the bag needed to stand out if she went down.

I spent some time going over the original pouch, taking measurements and looking at the layout.


It would have been easy to cut a number of individual pieces and put them together, but a lot more work, as many of them would have to be hand sewn in the final assembly. So, I worked thru a number of rough sketches to get an idea of a single piece layout, then a firmer idea of the layout with penciled measurements. Then, on butcher paper, I drew it out. Yup... butcher's paper.


Measured it twice, then thrice, then cut it out. I folded it and checked the design. NOPE. I redrew the design, making corrections from the first paper pattern. Cut it out and folded it. Yup.

Satisfied with the paper pattern, I transferred it to poster board for a permanent pattern. I was very careful as I expect to use this pattern for years as her pouches wear out.



I then transferred that to the leather adding an 1/8th at the sides and bottom folds for sewing. Using the template I was as careful as possible so that the leather would conform as closely as possible. Once I had the drawing made, I cut out the leather. Excellent.


That really is an UGLY green. I decided to do two things. Change the one green. Make the other a bright orange. I used my leather dyes and mixed colors, and using a scrap from cutting out the patterns, made a test strip.


From left to right on the test strip:

Green 2/3 and yellow 1/3 Nah.
Green 1/3 and yellow 2/3 Yup
Orange 1/3 and yellow 2/3 Yup.

Time to dye some leather.

*** You might have noticed that I cut out two patterns and am dying two colors. She is hard on the pouches, and I figured I am making one, might as well make two. They will either turn out, and she'll START out with a backup... if I'll get in a lot of practice and learn some valuable lessons before I Start Over.

I started with the lime green, and while dyeing the main part of the pouch, I chose a 1" x 8" scrap to dye with it. I will be mounting two D rings at the top of the pouch for her to hook a lanyard to. Jess carries the pouch like a messenger bag. That's what she wanted, it's what she gets. I didn't want to have to go back and try and match the dye, or ... realize later I forgot and dye them black to match the velcro and claim I planned it that way. I applied the dye back and forth between the two pieces until I had exhausted the dye I had blended.


Wow, that lime really pops the green. Much better that that original color. Hoping it evens out a bit once it dries, but either way, it'll work. If it doesn't, it gives it character, and "I planned it that way."

Next up was the orange. Same deal, the main pouch cutout and a scrap for the D-Rings. It doesn't pop as well. I think the green underneath muted it. Maybe when it dries?


I left it to dry overnight... The orange didn't look any better and when I sent a pic to the daughter her reply was "Barf." I dyed it red.

Now time to Fold the pouch. To fold without cracking the leather you have to groove the inside of the fold with a grooving tool. I usually try and groove about 1/3 the thickness. You can get away with that because the strength comes from the hide, not the grain. Especially here, as there isn't much strain. I cut the groove and then wet the leather to make it more flexible. No worries.


Then got busy, there were more grooves to cut. I cut each one slowly and carefully, then moved on. Wet them all down and gave the water time to soak in.


Now for the test, I folded the pouch and checked the fit. NICE.


What? The bruise on the back of my hand? No, not sparring with Miss T. The meds I take, I bruise if a fly lands on me. I bumped my hand on the rim of the dryer taking t shirts out. I always look like I went ten rounds with Rhonda Rousey. (I wish).

Now it is time to make the D-Ring assemblies. I gather all the things I need, including the strip cutter and the leather strip I dyed earlier when I dyed the main panel.


I measure the inside width of the D-Ring, 7/8". I set the strip cutter at 7/8 and pull the dyed leather strip thru. Sweet. Works like a charm. I flip the strip over and mark the back for two 3" strips, and a center at 1/5 with a 1/4" wide protected strip in the center.


I paint the strips with contact cement on both sides of the no fly zone. It has to stay glue free so the D-Rings will move freely in the assembly.
Once the contact cement is tacky, I ease the strip thru, and fold them over. I clamp them and let them set up. They are set aside for much later.

Time to glue the Velcro on, in preparation for sewing. I glue the Velcro hook square inside the flap. The hook panels tend to wear out first, so I put it on the one portion you can still be expected to sew on after the project is completed.


I glue the Velcro Loop square on the outside of the front panel.

The panels dry overnight and I come out and get ready to sew them into place. This will be only my second time sewing on the new machine.
This is the Cowboy 3200 if you haven't seen it, we just got it in and assembled a couple weeks ago.


So, I sewed around the edges of the hook patch on the inside of the Flap, then a diagonal across the square. A view of the inside.


and of the outside. I will be sewing a red cross patch OVER these stitches to hide them. The patch also glows green in the dark to help Jess find the pouch in a night time emergency. It should be here Wednesday.


The next step was sewing the velcro loop sqare down on the outside of the front panel. Again, around the square and across.


And inside.


Last thing today? I fitted the D-Ring assemblies in place and marked them, noting by letter code, which one was marked in which spot. Then painted a stripe of contact cement on the pouch and on the assembly. I let the cement get tacky, then pressed them home. Then Clamped. They will cure overnight then be sewn down.


That's it until the patches come in. One for each pouch. I could start on the other, but I'm waiting, because the only other step on this one is hand sewing the bottom and edge seams. NOT doing that until I have sewn the flap. Not starting the other until this one is done.

There are OTHER jobs. I have to install a ducted vent fan in the boathouse and intake vents on three garage doors.
I have piles (Plural) of dirt to move for the range berm. Whoo Hoo. Should be shooting soon!

Watch this space.

Oh, You may have noticed that I did dye the inside of the project, pretty much. I dyed the inside of the flap, and all the edges, and halfway down the front panel. You won't be able to see the rest, but I'll probably go back and finish dyeing. I usually do fully finish the interiors.

Very creative. That’s an incredible amount of work your putting into the pouches. Good on you Dad!

I'll sew the d-rings today. The patches on Wednesday. I'll need to burnish all the edges.

The bottom and side seams have to be box stitched by hand after everything else is done.