Bushcraft Pouch
How to make your own Bushcraft Pouch
I had recently been thinking of a way to keep my firelighting materials together. Often on camp, I’ll carry my ferro rod and striker, little homemade firelighters, maybe some wax tipped matches and of course, a lighter. If I’m out and about, I might also pick up any nice tinder I see that way, I always have it, instead of looking for it only when I need it. A little buscraft pouch might be the answer.
Step in Aidan Parry from the Living 2 Learn Facebook and Youtube community (a great place for picking up bushcraft and outdoor skills in a positive and supporting environment. I’d encourage you to look it up if you don’t already know it). He recently did a post on making simple little leather pouches. I thought I’d give it a go if I could find the leather. Then, coincidentally, in work one day there was a pile of ‘art supplies’ left in the staff room. Amongst the sheets of paper and card, were several large offcuts of (faux) leather. This will do.
Equipment
For this bushcraft pouch project you will need:
- Sheet of soft leather
- Leather cord
- Pair of scissors
- Leather hole punch (or some way of cutting a hole in the leather)
- Something to work as a toggle (I used a wine cork)
- Large plate
- Pen
Method
First, lay out your material. Be economical with the cutting to get as many pouches as possible out of the leather offcuts.
I used a plates and a pen to get perfect circles
Then carefully cut out your circles with the scissors. Using the pen, mark out on the soft side where the holes are going to go. Leave about 2cm between each hole so measure them out, just remember there needs to be an even number of holes.
I managed to get three circles out of my strip of leather
You need punch the holes in the leather next. If you have a leather hole punch, this can be done easily. If you’re like me, and don’t, you’ll need to improvise. I used the hole punch on my pen knife. It was definitely fiddly and I ended up with a blister on my thumb.
Holes punched about 2cm apart, evenly spaced around the outside of the pouch.
Thread through the leather cord through the holes. Put something round in the centre, I used an orange, and tighten the pouch around it. At first I didn’t have enough holes, it probably would have been fine but I didn’t like the way the pouch looked when it was closed. I think I ended up with 22 holes for this bushcraft pouch.
My first attempt where I didn’t like how the leather sat when it was closed.
Next, make the toggle. I used a wine cork. Carefully punch a hole in it using something thin and sharp. I used a metal skewer.
With more holes for the cord, the bushcraft pouch closes much tighter and neater
Finally, pull the leather cord ends through your toggle and tighten up the bushcraft pouch and tie the ends together with a stopper know. I used a simple double figure of eight so that the toggle doesn’t fall off. I do plan on decorating the cord a bit on my next camp with some wooden beads.
