Things went wrong with this pouch, learning experience

[Brokennock]

Looks okay at 1st.
But, things aren't right. I always try to make a template to play with how things go together when making something I haven't made before. The template worked out fine. I also try to do a "proof of concept" made of material that is either sacrificial or that I have a lot of.
In this case I wanted to make this of thicker veg. tan but don't have much. This leather looks really nice, I have made shoulder slung shot pouches of it before, and I have quite a bit of it. Because it is thin I used some scrap leather that is thicker and almost cardboard stiff for the belt loops so the bag doesn't flop in use.
So, everything worked out with the template. I carefully traced and cut my pattern with the leather. And tried my new stitching clamp.

The clamp is one thing that went right, it makes things a lot easier,

But here is the first minor problem. The linen thread has a little end sticking out the side where more fiber was added while spinning the thread. I hoped it would land in a hole, nope, hoped wax would hold it down, nope. Not sure what if anything can be done about it. Minor problem compared to the rest.
Everything lined up nicely with my template. But, that was thin cardboard, the leather is half again as thick, maybe a little more. I didn't allow for this thickness at the fold across the bottom. So, when I add the center divider, none of the edges line up any more. I trimmed some material off the bottom of the divider, that helped a little. I'm hoping I have enough material from the stitch line to the edges to be able to sand the edges fairly even.
So I called it done except for standing the edges, maybe wet molding some volume into it, and oiling/greasing the leather.



Next, and bigger, problem. I didn't want to fight sewing inside such a small pouch to attach the button after it is sewn together. So I marked out the hole, and the button placement and attached the button before assembling the pouch. Everything lines up nice, when it is flat.
But, when I put anything in it, even something as thin as my phone, the flap doesn't reach the button. I should have expected this, I usually make my shoulder slung pouches with an oversize flap because I have had this issue before. Not sure what I'll do to fix it. The button hole is too close to the flap edge to extend it down much. If I try to move the button up, I'll be left with two holes in the front of the bag.

Hopefully someone can learn from my mistakes. Luckily I would call this a "proof of concept" and can correct these issues on the next one.

 

[Sicilian Hunter]

View attachment 29973
Looks okay at 1st.
But, things aren't right. I always try to make a template to play with how things go together when making something I haven't made before. The template worked out fine. I also try to do a "proof of concept" made of material that is either sacrificial or that I have a lot of.
In this case I wanted to make this of thicker veg. tan but don't have much. This leather looks really nice, I have made shoulder slung shot pouches of it before, and I have quite a bit of it. Because it is thin I used some scrap leather that is thicker and almost cardboard stiff for the belt loops so the bag doesn't flop in use.
So, everything worked out with the template. I carefully traced and cut my pattern with the leather. And tried my new stitching clamp.
View attachment 29974View attachment 29975
The clamp is one thing that went right, it makes things a lot easier,
View attachment 29976
But here is the first minor problem. The linen thread has a little end sticking out the side where more fiber was added while spinning the thread. I hoped it would land in a hole, nope, hoped wax would hold it down, nope. Not sure what if anything can be done about it. Minor problem compared to the rest.
Everything lined up nicely with my template. But, that was thin cardboard, the leather is half again as thick, maybe a little more. I didn't allow for this thickness at the fold across the bottom. So, when I add the center divider, none of the edges line up any more. I trimmed some material off the bottom of the divider, that helped a little. I'm hoping I have enough material from the stitch line to the edges to be able to sand the edges fairly even.
So I called it done except for standing the edges, maybe wet molding some volume into it, and oiling/greasing the leather.
View attachment 29977View attachment 29978
View attachment 29979

Next, and bigger, problem. I didn't want to fight sewing inside such a small pouch to attach the button after it is sewn together. So I marked out the hole, and the button placement and attached the button before assembling the pouch. Everything lines up nice, when it is flat.
But, when I put anything in it, even something as thin as my phone, the flap doesn't reach the button. I should have expected this, I usually make my shoulder slung pouches with an oversize flap because I have had this issue before. Not sure what I'll do to fix it. The button hole is too close to the flap edge to extend it down much. If I try to move the button up, I'll be left with two holes in the front of the bag.

Hopefully someone can learn from my mistakes. Luckily I would call this a "proof of concept" and can correct these issues on the next one.

Nock,
It’s a handsome pouch!!
In order to get the flap to accommodate closing on a full compartment you may consider adding a tongue from the flap with a button hole in it.
Not sure if you will like the look of that or not.
The Sicilian

 

[hawkeye2]

"the flap doesn't reach the button"

Cut the flap off along the fold line. button the flap to the body and fill the pouch. measure from the top back of the body to the top of the flap and add overlap and seam allowances. Cut a strip of leather to suit, stitch together then file the lesson for the next time.

 

[Daryl Crawford]

Add a leather thong under the flap and the point that adds an extra two inches of length. Use that to go over the button.

 

[Brokennock]

Interesting that those were pretty much the solutions I've been debating in my head for fixing the flap issue.
Right now I'm leaning toward cutting a piece of this leather the correct width, but overlong, cutting off the flap, wetting the whole thing and stuffing it full with a ziplock bag of sand or shot, one in front and one behind the divider, then, using those tiny binder clips attach the nee piece of leather in place and mark it for size. Then I will sew it on and cut the button hole.

 

[Grenadier1758]

That little piece of linen thread is not a problem. Cut it off flush with the leather. You have enough linen thread to hole the thread in plce and it is unlikely to be a weak spot. I think adding that piece of leather to the top of the flap is a good solution.

 

[hawkeye2]

If you use binder clips or clothespins, etc. on wet leather you will see the marks forever.

 

[Brokennock]

If you use binder clips or clothespins, etc. on wet leather you will see the marks forever.

The clips are just to hold the replacement piece of leather in place while I mark the size I need to cut. It won't be done while the leather is wet.

I figure if I do it this way I can use the replacement piece, once it is cut to size, to adjust my template. Need to figure out how to adjust it at the fold location to accommodate the thickness of the divider.

 

[smo]

Maybe you could move the button to the flap instead of the front of the pouch and attach a leather thong as suggested above.

Just a thought.
As too the holes in the front from where the button attaches, they will be covered by the flap when closed or add another piece of leather to cover the area.

It appears the button on the bag in the photo is attached below the buttonhole, I can’t find my pic of the front of the bag.

It appears the thong passes thorough the buttonhole from the backside then hooks back over the button....

IDK....

Here was my first attempt...

Not in the same sequence as described above , but similar.

 

[smo]

Double Post

 

[Capt. Jas.]

Cut the flap off a little below where it folds over the top, stitch another flap to it and then locate your button hole accordingly.

 

[Artificer]

Just a thought.
As too the holes in the front from where the button attaches, they will be covered by the flap when closed or add another piece of leather to cover the area.

View attachment 30076

I could be completely off base, but I'm going to suggest another reason for the two holes and leather lace in the pic in the attachment above.

During the FIW and maybe later, the British Army attached the buttons to their "Regimentals" or Uniform Coats by linen cords or leather laces, according to "A Soldier-like Way: The Material Culture of the British Infantry" [Gale, Ryan R.] This allowed them to remove the buttons to polish them and not soil the coats, then tie the buttons back on. Cuthbertson further recommended only leather laces would work.

OK, so what if that small center hole is where the first button was sewn onto the leather, it tore through or for some other reason the maker decided not to use it and instead put two holes for the lace that held the Button to the front of the pouch?

Of course it may have been as simple as the person who made the original pouch did not cut the slot in the correct position, so by adding the leather lace to hold the button, that gave enough movement for the button to then reach the slot in the flap already cut? IOW, the original maker may have made the same mistake that Brokennock did and that's how the original craftsman fixed it?

Gus

 

[Two Feathers]

Just my $0.02
For what it's worth. I'd go with Daryl Crawford's idea. I'd add a thong loop to the flap that extends just below the button. If you punch 2 small holes, just big enough for your thong, in that flap and thread the thong through one of them, from the outside and knot it then run the thong down under and around the button, then back up through the second hole (to the outside of the flap) and tie a knot. Now you just put the loop around the button and pull the thong tight from the outside where you can add a second knot. This whole idea works like one of those elastic Collar button extensions.

You might also consider "stitching" a buckskin or rawhide patch over the button hole before you do the "fix"? That will hide the unsightly hole AND give the bag that "slightly abused, aged" look that shows years of hard use and repair. A great Aging idea.
Again , just my $0.02
God bless:
Two Feathers

 

[Brokennock]

I've used the "loop from the bag over the button that is attached to the flap" set up before, and really don't like it. Too fiddly, and I already don't usually like button closures on my bag, but it seems necessary on a belt bag.
Cutting this flap off just below the foldover and sewing a new one on seems the neatest and cleanest idea. Maybe I'll even pink the edge where I cut this flap off to add some decoration.

 

[smo]

Here’s one with the button on the flap...

I agree a button is aggravating,

 

[Flinty Scot]

For that minor issue of the slub in the flax thread, have you tried waxing it, then pounding it(and the whole seam) flat w/ a smooth faced hammer?

 

[Brokennock]

For that minor issue of the slub in the flax thread, have you tried waxing it, then pounding it(and the whole seam) flat w/ a smooth faced hammer?

I haven't pounded the seam yet. I tried just laying it down with extra wax, didn't work.

Might get some work done on the modifications tomorrow.