Thursday, September 4, 2008

Guitar strap


I finished both of them last night.

The alpaca was needlefelted onto a foundation fabric, then the lining fabric was fused to it. I ran a line of topstitching down all of the edges just to make it look purdy.

The friend that one of these is going to had to explain how the adjustable connecting strap thingy worked. I've never actually seen one in person, (at least not when I was trying to examine it to duplicate it, anyway) so I can only hope it is right. It seems to work the way he described.

The (deer) leather for the connecting tabs are scraps that I purchased from a glove company nearby. I thought it should be a harder, stiffer leather, but my friend said it would be fine. I originally got the scraps to make soles for felted slippers.

I don't know if the company still does it, but it used to be that you could bring your deer hides there, and they would tan the hides and make gloves/mittens/coats for you. I don't remember if they used the actual hide that you brought, or if they just gave you a credit toward what you purchased. I just remember receiving warm lined deer skin mittens from Dad. I remember it as an honor, because he wouldn't give them out unless he thought you were responsible enough to take care of them and not lose them.


4 comments:

cornbread hell said...

purdy cool.

LostInColor said...

That is very nice! Impressive! And i think it is cool that your dad got you mittens because you were responsible. How old were you?

Annie said...

Thanks.

Lostinco, I don't know how old I was. He would send his hides in and get a bunch of mittens made. Then he would keep them in his closet and dole them out as we needed/earned? them. I think I still have my last pair from him in my winter survival kit for the truck.

Cindy said...

I'll bet that's a really comfortable guitar strap, too. I love your mitten memory. Aren't they wonderful? Like finding a piece of chocolate in your lunch bag. Sweet surprise.