I've had my eye on attempting a recreation of the Gokstad backpack for a while now. http://web.missouri.edu/~rls555/SCA/research/gokbkpk/gokbkpk.htm is a great summation of the archaeological find, and if you look on pinterest there are a lot of modern recreations, either of wicker or leather. I felt like doing something a little different, and started a model size one in coil basketry. I've been wanting to give coil baskets a shot for a while now and this is as good a way to practice as any. My materials are very much modern, I'm using the twisted brown paper you use to make rush seats and some artificial sinew (nobody sane would use actual sinew in this project, unless they somehow had a T-Rex worth of the stuff).
Top and bottom were carved out of some spare thin birch lumber I had lying around (3/16" thick, leftover from wax tablets). They measure about 5" by 3".
Holes drilled about every centimeter, next up is sanding and some beeswax as finish.
And it's a good start! I'll make leather hinges for the lid and a button-type closure, plus tiny backpack straps. It's a bit tempting to get a teddy bear in the right size to wear it (and then make it teensy tiny period-accurate clothes).
I had another bag project this last month, too, but then the project scope grew on me. I'd made a hedeby style bag for a white elephant gift exchange, and it proved very popular (good for my ego, I'm not going to lie). But now I'm making another for commission and I'm doing some of the hard part to give away as kits.
This style of bag is neat because of the wooden closure at the top of the bag. Once you pick it up by the strap it closes itself, and just looks spiffy.
The finished wood parts, with goat hide tabs to connect.
Once again, with a cat helper.
I'll be doing another several of these over the next little bit, I'd like to carry my spinning and other portable projects in bags that look a little nicer than the motley collection of grocery bags and cardboard boxes I'm currently rocking.
Top and bottom were carved out of some spare thin birch lumber I had lying around (3/16" thick, leftover from wax tablets). They measure about 5" by 3".
Holes drilled about every centimeter, next up is sanding and some beeswax as finish.
And it's a good start! I'll make leather hinges for the lid and a button-type closure, plus tiny backpack straps. It's a bit tempting to get a teddy bear in the right size to wear it (and then make it teensy tiny period-accurate clothes).
I had another bag project this last month, too, but then the project scope grew on me. I'd made a hedeby style bag for a white elephant gift exchange, and it proved very popular (good for my ego, I'm not going to lie). But now I'm making another for commission and I'm doing some of the hard part to give away as kits.
This style of bag is neat because of the wooden closure at the top of the bag. Once you pick it up by the strap it closes itself, and just looks spiffy.
The finished wood parts, with goat hide tabs to connect.
Once again, with a cat helper.
I'll be doing another several of these over the next little bit, I'd like to carry my spinning and other portable projects in bags that look a little nicer than the motley collection of grocery bags and cardboard boxes I'm currently rocking.
You are very clever and very talented. You are my inspiration!
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