My Completed Sewing Kit

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Manveruon
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My Completed Sewing Kit

Post by Manveruon »

I mentioned in a previous thread that I have been trying to get all of my various kits-and-bits finished for this summer's camping season, and so far I'm quite pleased with my progress. Last year when I did my overnighter my kit was woefully incomplete. I had to use a lot of modern items, like Ziploc bags, etc. in place of more period/Middle-Earth-appropriate gear, because I simply didn't get around to finishing a lot of it. This season, however, I want to be as close to 100% primitive as possible, so I've been working hard to fill in the gaps.

Here is the first thing I consider 100% complete (or at least... like... 95%): my sewing kit.

Here is the whole thing laid out and numbered:

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1. Various scraps of linen and leather (for use patching garments and/or boots, should the need arise) bound up with a length of leather lace.
2. Drawstring pigskin pouch to contain the entire sewing kit (hand-sewn with waxed linen thread).
3. Small hand-sewn linen bag with hand-wound waxed linen drawstring, containing a round cake of pure beeswax for waxing thread, etc.
4. Scrap roll of canvas used to hold larger needles (for lacing, heavy leather-sewing, etc.), tied with a bit of synthetic cord.
5. Wooden thimble
6. Wooden needle case, containing several steel needles (these are modern, but I'm not too concerned. Perhaps someday I will get some brass or bone needles).
7. A few lengths of different types of leather lace, for repairing various garb items.
8. Wood-handled awl for punching holes in leather, bound in a leather sheath (hand-sewn with waxed linen thread).
9. Artificial sinew, wound onto a leather thread-winder.
10. Wooden spool with two different colors of plain thread, for repairing clothing (This may be replaced before too long, as it takes up quite a bit of room).
11. Heavy brown synthetic cord, wound onto a leather thread-winder, for sewing leather.
12. "Period" snips, bound in a leather case (hand-sewn with waxed linen thread).
13. Dark brown waxed linen thread (5-ply), and walnut brown waxed linen thread (2-ply), wound onto a leather thread-winder.
14. Heavy black synthetic cord, wound onto a leather thread-winder, for sewing leather.

A few of the items outside of their various containers:
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Thread:
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Thread-winders:
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Patches:
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Here are the awl and snips, with their sheaths. I was quite proud of how these came out, especially the sheath for the snips. It's funny, ever since I learned how to make leather toggles, I'm putting them on EVERYTHING, haha:
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And lastly, here's the whole bag, with everything all packed up:
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All together, the kit itself weighs exactly 8 ounces, and measures roughly 5X6".

I know other people carry buttons in their sewing kits, but none of my garb actually has any buttons on it, so I left those out. The only things I think I may want to do to the kit at this point are to add a couple of antler toggles that match the ones on a couple of my pouches, just in case one of them were to fall off on the trail, and perhaps to eliminate the wooden spool, as it's large and somewhat awkward. The leather thread-winders I made were perfectly suitable, so I will probably make another one and just wind a couple colors of plain thread onto that.

And that's about it! I hope there are some folks who may find this interesting and/or useful!
Last edited by Manveruon on Sat Apr 02, 2016 11:30 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Maerondir Perianseron, also called “Mickel,” Halfling Friend - Ranger of the Misty Mountains
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Udwin
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Re: My Completed Sewing Kit

Post by Udwin »

Solid stuff, looks like you have all your bases well covered.
Constructive criticism (Just some thoughts, take 'em or leave 'em):
*You're on the right track in thinking about losing the wooden spool. I had one for linen thread in my Mark I sewing kit, and it took up way too much space/weight in the pouch (which is only 3x7", so space is at a premium).
*Any reason in particular why you keep your beeswax in a linen bag? (Getting wet isn't going to hurt it, and it isn't as if you have several small pieces to keep together.) Since you've clearly put some work into the little bag, why not use it to hold herbs or something?
*From the pictures, it looks like the main pouch was constructed flesh-side-out--if you flipped it so the leather grain is on the outside, it would be easier to grease and make it more water 'resistant'.

I love the sheaths for the awl and snips, those came out great! It's always a nice feeling of accomplishment when you can put the finishing touches on a bit o' kit!
Personae: Aistan son of Ansteig, common Beorning of Wilderland; Tungo Brandybuck, Eastfarthing Bounder, 3018 TA; a native Man of the Greyflood, c.850 SA
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Manveruon
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Re: My Completed Sewing Kit

Post by Manveruon »

Thanks for the feedback! You bring up some good points.

I constructed the pouch flesh-side-out simply because I liked the way it looked. Almost all of my gear is made with the grain on the outside, and I thought this might be a nice change. I also thought it might allow me to find it by touch when rifling around through my haversack. That said, if I did want to grease the bag to make it more waterproof, I could easily just turn the whole thing inside out and use it that way instead. I wasn't overly concerned with waterproofing this kit, honestly, but for my upcoming fire-kit, I have constructed a similar bag from black leather, and that one I did construct grain-out, specifically because I intend to waterproof it.

As for the bag for the beeswax, it's funny you should mention it, because I had the same thought as I was taking these pictures. I suppose I don't really need the bag for the wax, since the cake is pretty solid, but I figured if it got quite hot out during a trek, it might be nice to have it contained, so it doesn't cover everything inside the main pouch in wax residue. It's probably a case of over-engineering on my part though.
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Greg
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Re: My Completed Sewing Kit

Post by Greg »

Very thorough, sir. Reminds me that I could stand to update yet another section of my tools.
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Re: My Completed Sewing Kit

Post by Elleth »

I like it!

Personally, I like your idea of a bag or something for the wax - while it's not necessary at all, it keeps it from accumulating quite as much lint and thread ends and cruft and such. I've thought about trying the disc type that's sandwiched between two slivers of bone, but I think that may be overkill.

I've fallen out of love with artificial sinew: it just ages into ratty nylon stitches to my eye: I use a little of the real stuff on braintan/primitive pieces, but mostly have gone entirely to linen.

And I really like your threadwinders!

Gah.. really need to get a proper travelling sewing packet put together. Someday soon.


PS.. I don't know if you've fallen on the same trick, but I've an awl just like yours, and find the divot from the turning point on the back makes a perfect "sailors palm" for pushing needles through leather. You have to watch the angle so as not to stick yourself, of course. So far, so good. :)



edit: a couple things you might want to add:

- if you have anything with drawstrings or lacing cords, a bodkin will save you no end of time and trouble.
I like this one for travel: http://www.wmboothdraper.com/store/inde ... cts_id=282
and the "17th century bodkin" from Goosebay was a Christmas gift a year or two back and I love it! A little bulky for a portable kit though:
http://www.goosebay-workshops.com/Sewing-Items

- scissors over snips will be better for leather. I've the same type as you, and as handy as they are for thread that fail on much more than that.
The little Chinese bonsai ones everyone and their uncle has may not be perfectly period, but they work great.
Of course, you can use a knife.
Persona: Aerlinneth, Dúnedain of Amon Lendel c. TA 3010.
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Manveruon
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Re: My Completed Sewing Kit

Post by Manveruon »

Thanks for the feedback, Elleth!

To be honest, I've never absolutely loved artificial sinew, for similar reasons, but it's strong, and it's useful in that it can be separated into threads of whatever thickness I want, so I threw it in the pack. You'll notice the linen thread is what I have the most of here, because like you I find it the most useful. I included the braided synthetic cord as well because it's extremely durable, and currently what is holding my boots together. Just figured I'd cover all my bases.

And OF COURSE! A bodkin! Don't know why I didn't think of that! I did actually put a pretty huge steel needle in there with an equally huge eye, for the express purpose of lacing drawstrings, but it's still a bit small for that. I may have to grab a bodkin eventually.

As for the scissors, I agree. I had considered getting a pair of the ones you mentioned, but I felt they were just too bulky. In the end, I feel like the snips will work for trail purposes. I won't be doing any amazing sewing projects while I'm out there or anything - just the possible occasional patch job, for which I've already cut several sizes of small leather and cloth scraps - so I think they should be fine for my purposes at the moment. Time will tell though. I may give in and get a pair of the others.
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RikJohnson
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Re: My Completed Sewing Kit

Post by RikJohnson »

A very nice kit. It gives me some ideas to improve my own kit at http://ranger.budgetauthenticity.org/fo ... sewing+kit

A few comments.
Re the thread spool. Thread winders are lighter, easier to carry and they use up all those small bits of leather that you would normally toss into the trash.
The actual spool, however, can be used to safely hold your arrowhead when you set it onto the shaft:
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Thimbles are nice but also bulky. I have an eskimo thimble also made from scraps of leather which is basically an oval with a curved slot cut for your thumb. The heavy leather over your thumb pad does the work and saves your thumb.
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In Arizona we need to wrap beeswax to prevent it from melting all over everything. I poured mine into a small altoids tin. I then press the thread onto the wax, hold it with my thumb and pull the thread as it is coated.

I've never liked that artificial sinew ONLY because being so waxed, it is almost impossible to tie any knots.

The bodkin and link that Elleth provided is wonderful. LOTS of good ideas. I have an ivory bodkin and needles i made from fossil ivory. I had a friend from Siberia who imported fossil ivory and made handgun grips for the police... until the govt banned inports of even fossil ivory. Igor would give me all the scraps that were 'throw-away' and I would carve them into needles and bodkins and the like.
Now I want to make some from brass as I still have some of that brass rod laying around.

I totally forgot to add leather and cloth patches to my kit. Thanks for the reminder.

My biggest problem is that I tend to overpack! I carry a half-hundred needles instead of a half-dozen<g>. But I find that a heavy curved needle to be useful!
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Re: My Completed Sewing Kit

Post by Rifter »

Hmm? OH! sorry I thought I was looking at WETA's new production prop guy except that it's all real...NICE.
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