Abo Dress

I'm sewing my wife's dress together. both of these skins are roadkill and one of them has some super cool scars on it. I thought I'd share. I'm using the standard X cross stitch and these pics are before I did any sewing. just held together by pins. The rawhide bits around the edge (from frame stretching) will be trimmed but mostly we want it to look like 2 skins wrapped around.

front side of the dress. oak smoked.
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...1118090910.jpg

Back side. Red cedar smoked.
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...1118090911.jpg

and the scars.. I think a bobcat attacked the deer when small.. It survived to be a VERY Large doe, around 180lbs. only to meet her demise at the headlights of a F150. Ironic, but still cool.
Teeth marks in the neck, just above the shoulder
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...118090911a.jpg

Claw marks in the lower rib area
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...118090911b.jpg

Claw marks on rump
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...1118090912.jpg

I'll post up the finished pics as soon as I get it done and let'er model it for us ;)

Very cool looking forward to the progress.

Cool YCC ! I too am lookin forward to seein the progress

wow! this is outstanding.
i cant wait to see the rest.

this got me kinda excited.

ive always wanted a deer hide jacket.
i might just look into it a bit more now.

Did you brain tan these? Very nice idea.

yessir they are brain tanned.

it's crazy that they were in better shape than the ones I got from the game processor.. and these were hit by a truck... You never get hunted skins in this good of shape. I've had them tanned for a while, just getting around to sewing them together.

I'll keep y'all posted. I'm tackin out a fur now to be salted so it's on hold for a little bit.

Bladen, I'm available for any questions you might have and if you want to learn more try braintan.com. It's a lot of work, but to me it's magic. totally worth it.

Are you gonna sew it or lace it?
My war-shirt is laced, took five hides, 'corse it long as is customary.
One pair of buckskin pants was sewed on a tredle sewing machine, (think the other pair is also.)

I sewed it together, H63. all done by hand, of course I used modern needles, but it's difficult to get sinew into a sewing machine ;)
Y'all keep in mind we wanted it to look abo, so it's nothing fancy but it feels so good inside and out, beautiful colors (sorry for the crappy pics), and real neat scars. She is just delighted. I've gotta add some lacing to the v-back and gonna do a tiny bit of trim work around the neck, maybe a few beads or even the fox teeth.. not sure yet, but I'm proud of the job I did on it. took many hours to sew by hand.

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...119092232a.jpghttp://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...1119092232.jpghttp://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...119092234a.jpg

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...119092232b.jpg
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...119092232c.jpg
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...1119092233.jpg
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...1119092234.jpg

Here's a little something I made of the scraps from the neck. I cut it off the dress because it's so thick and I figured it would be good for something that gets a lot of wear.

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...1119092359.jpg
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...119092359a.jpg
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...1120090001.jpg
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...120090001a.jpg

my archery mentor gave me the black one to keep my fingers from getting too sore. I used it as a sort of pattern and modified it so that it doesn't sloppily fall off my fingers when in use.

thanks for checkin it out gang. I'm not real crafty with things like this and don't really know squat about sewing, but I get by. :art:

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I'm not real crafty with things like this and don't really know squat about sewing, but I get by.

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Gotta raise the BS flag here. I think it looks fantastic, and that you've done a great job.

Hey,
I find your improvement to the archery tab to be very Interesting!
Hope you don't mind if I plagiarize your design a little.
Nice work on the dress as well.

Agreeing with Crash..... Awesome work man!

nice! something I always wanted to do, but not sure if I have the patience.

thanks for the compliments guys. glad I could share.

mcgyver, you or anyone else who wants to use that design, just go right ahead. I'll let you know how it works after I pluck a few this afternoon. If you make any other interesting mods to it please share those with us. It feels good to make something with your own hands and I think we all here get a kick out of it.

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Originally Posted by your_comforting_company

thanks for checkin it out gang. I'm not real crafty with things like this and don't really know squat about sewing, but I get by. :art:

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Originally Posted by crashdive123

Gotta raise the BS flag here. I think it looks fantastic, and that you've done a great job.

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I just gotta' agree with Crash On this. You are extremely Talented, and I wish it would let me give you more "Rep" but it won't, so I'll just have to tell you - you deserve it!!

Dadburn Rep restrictions!!! :flare::cursing::censored::angermanagement: This is one instance I really hate those restrictions!!

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Originally Posted by pocomoonskyeyes

I just gotta' agree with Crash On this. You are extremely Talented, and I wish it would let me give you more "Rep" but it won't, so I'll just have to tell you - you deserve it!!

Dadburn Rep restrictions!!! :flare::cursing::censored::angermanagement: This is one instance I really hate those restrictions!!

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I added to his Rep for you.

Awesome job! I have set out to tan hides several times with only marginal results! Listening and learnin'!

at one time i thought about tanning hides and making a vest never got around to it though looks like a cool dress

I have to tell you, that is wicked. You really did a great job on that. For someone that doesn't know anything about it and isn't crafty you sure pulled it together. Nice job.

Very, very, nice.
You should be proud, and the smile kinda says it all!

Look into some leather needles, the three sides cut a hole that seal it's self when you pull the sinew tight.
I have been having a hard time finding them, lately, but if I do I'll let you know.

Very nice work. Very clever.

Here are a few leather needles:

http://www.thefind.com/crafts/info-leather-needles

H63, check outTandy leatherworks. I (my mom)found them at a craft store over in the big city 60 miles away. I used a number 6 glovers needle, the one with 3 sides. One trick I might share with you guys is School glue! once you pin everything in place, glue it so nothing moves and you really got some easy sewing. the glue is water soluble so it will wash out. Hide glue will accomplish the same thing with that not-so-fancy paint brush I made ;)

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Originally Posted by klkak

I added to his Rep for you.

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Thanks Kevin, I really do appreciate it. It's just that YCC has done so many really good posts lately. I like the "Rep system" as you can give a compliment and do it anonymously if you want,or you can "sign" it. But you can tell someone that you think a good job has been done. Not that there' s anything wrong with doing it publicly. I just like doing it that way sometimes.

But really I just want to thank you. That is really nice of you.

For someone who isn't crafty and doesn't sew, that's a grand job! Tell Mrs YCC I'm reeeally jealous!!

YCC, I have bought needles from Tandy, the ones I like are about 6" long, 3 sided and sharp.
Still have a few, but even my supplier at Rendezvous has been not been able to get any lately.
Rich, thanks for the site, has some possibilities........

The reason I like the long ones, is when I'm sewing thick leather, you can use a leather glove to shove the needle thru, there is enough to grab, to drag it thru to the other side.
I usually used two , one from either side when making heavy bags,(like ball bag, yeah I know, I will explain it later), holsters, mocs, etc.

I carry one in my hat, another in/along side of, the knife sheath on the back side of the possibles bag strap.
Anybody working with heavy cowhide, should look into these.........

I might add here that a good whetrock is a plus. leather is quite abrasive and I find that sharpening the point a few licks on a medium rock keeps the sides sharp and the point slides through much more easily. I should post a pic of my staker so you can see how the hide polishes and wears on hardwood.

I say I don't know about sewing because, well.. I don't know the names of very many of the very few stitches that I know how to do. there's herringbone and french braid and .... well.. I don't know how to do those. typically I use the whip for sewing holes in skins and for seams I like the little X's. those are about he only 2 I actually know. my form is pretty crude and not all the stitches are the same exact size. It works for my primitive stuff but I doubt I could make a frilly jacket that looked like store quality merch. The men folk in our family always relied on the women to do the sewing, but it came to me that in a survival or wilderness living situation, it would be a skill I needed.

I'm very slowly learning hand sewing... Not saying I won't get better over time... I guess I'm just my own worst critic..

We need a good sewing tute on here for the novices like myself. Any takers?

To keep your needles (of any kind) sharp, use an emery pincushion. That's what they used to use and are still very handy. Here's a how to so you can make your own.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Emer...dles-sharp---/

EDIT: Forgot to mention if you have some slight corrosion or very light rust on a needle an emery pincushion will remove it as it sharpens the needle.

Thanks Rick. I'll be making one of these soon. I'd say I'd take pics, but that article shows really well what to do. got that one bookmarked so I can look back when I get to it. Lots more handy than a whetrock that won't hold your needles.

good info. thanks.

finished putting the lacing holes in the v-back tonight. trimmed with dew claws on the ends. this thing wont get much more embellishments.. maybe a little lacing around the neck and a bit of fringe on the front.. trying to keep it abo but it's just so darn addictive!
http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...g/100_5703.jpg

I was removing some more hoofs today and it occurred to me that I didnt explain how I got the dew claws off.. it's real easy, if you wanna make some decorations and tools from the legs you normally throw away.

heat up a pot of water to boiling.
stick the toesies in for about 30 seconds to a minute.
pull em out and grab them with a towel (they're hot dummy! $#^&^%*^!!)
give a stout twist and they literally "pop" off.
dew claws sometimes take a bit more coercing than the toes, so take a flat point screwdriver and right at the cuticle, give a push.
they will slide right off too.

those leg bones make nice tools. got a knife I'm working out of one, and the flesher tool from the leather thread is also made of the leg. the toe bones can be worked into fishhooks (will do some later) and points. the sinews in the front and back of the leg make excellent cordage and can be treated the same as the sinews from the backstrap, by drying, breaking, and threading.

I'm doing the maceration thing.. had some bones in a bucket for about 2 weeks but not at a controlled temp.. they're still not done, but it is working.. WARNING: you will need nose plugs or a cast iron stomach if you intend to use maceration to clean the bones!

Another use I just learned about(From reading Primitive Wilderness Living & Survival Skills: Naked into the Wilderness By John and Geri McPherson) is to use the leg bone as your "Drill" in a fire "Bow-Drill" set-up. That way you can use soft fragile woods like Yucca as inserts to the "drill". The square sides are supposed to be easier to turn with the bow.

Very nice work.
Y'all are working at it.

poco, I haven't been able to figure out how to get the top rounded just right to fit my socket.. when I have more time I'll give a better go at it, as now I have about 2 dozen legs to work with. (I have that book too.. LOVE IT!)

shame on me, I didn't save the hockskins.. just too damn frustrating to get off, so I skint 'em best I could and saved what else I could. There weren't any interesting color patterns anyway..

If you beat me to it, take some pics so I can see how to do mine.
I'm also looking for somethin creative to do with the phalanges (toe bones that aren't pointed) so I got some gears turning.

Hey H63, you mess with coyotes much? I got hold of a beautiful roadkill yesterday with only one little hole in the chest. that thing was so gristly it took longer to fist him off than it does a deer. wondering if you have ever done any head mounts, maybe you could pass me a few tips.
Now I can't decide if I want a coyote hat or a fox hehe.

back to work (in my case it's play ;) )

YCC From the pics in the book, it appears that the bone is just the shaft. It looks as if the top has another wooden insert there as well. Might be worth a try. Yes this has become my second favorite Survival book(only due to the size of it, Information wise they are about neck and neck), My fav. is Outdoor Survival Skills by Larry Dean Olsen.

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Originally Posted by your_comforting_company

I'm also looking for somethin creative to do with the phalanges (toe bones that aren't pointed) so I got some gears turning.

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Are they hard enough to use for grinding in a wooden bowl (mortar & pestle)? I also found this on a site for making bone fish hooks.

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Phalanx J-shaped hook - made from deer phalanges almost exclusively, arm has distinctive flat squared bottom, shank and point approaching parallel as in the other J-shaped hooks.

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Originally Posted by your_comforting_company

Hey H63, you mess with coyotes much? I got hold of a beautiful roadkill yesterday with only one little hole in the chest. that thing was so gristly it took longer to fist him off than it does a deer. wondering if you have ever done any head mounts, maybe you could pass me a few tips.
Now I can't decide if I want a coyote hat or a fox hehe.

back to work (in my case it's play ;) )

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YCC, no ain't much into mounting.
Most of the 'yots I come across, sorta had a big hole on the back side.
(road kill, with only one hole?, O.K. I got it ,LOL)

Any way not much into mounting, always had a problem getting the skin off around the face, sorta looked bad.
I do have a red fox shin hat,( call her "Buffy") although I bought it, I think if you do something with you hide, a hat is always cool.
Congrats on the hide.

And, LOL, people do look at you funny when your stopping to pick up road kill.

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