Four-Panel Leather Ball

I've been trying to come up with projects that use the lighter pigskin leather I have, because I have enough of it to make twelve Norwegian-style coin purses ... and who needs *twelve* purses?! I still plan to make a girdle book, but in the meantime I thought I'd try my hand at making a ball.

Leather balls of various construction have been recovered in York, dating to both the Anglo-Scandinavian and medieval periods. Generally they were made of repurposed leather--commonly from shoes--and stuffed with scraps of fabric and leather or, in some cases, moss. A tenth-century example with stitching partially intact was made of sheepsking and sewn with a whip stitch.

Because I've never attempted this sort of sewing project before, I wanted to do a test run before I began cutting my expensive leather. I grabbed an old work shirt and cut four elliptical panels from the fabric. Then, using a needle and thread, I sewed the seams together one by one. I had to leave a gap at the top of the fourth seam so that I could flip the ball from inside-out to rightside-in. I then cut up more scraps from the same shift and stuffed the ball through this same opening.

Then came the challenging part. I had no idea how to go about closing up that opening. I remembered a project in home economics class in eighth grade where we made and stuffed a pillow, but I didn't recall how we finished closing that seam. Fortunately, in this modern age you can find a how-to for just about *anything* online! I found a very helpful set of directions for closing a pillow and knew that it would adapt well to this project.

Now feeling at least mildly confident, I decided to take a stab at the leather. I again cut out the four elliptical panels, saving the scraps of leather that I created in the process. Using the same waxed linen thread that I have on hand for my other leather projects, I threaded a sewing needle and began to whip stitch.

Well, I tried to, anyway. I discovered immediately that even leather as thin as this pig skin is too tough to simply pierce a needle through. I grabbed my awl and set to it, creating the stitching holes one by tedious one. It took well over an hour to bore all the holes and stitch the pieces together.

I decided to leave the center of a seam open for rightsiding and stuffing instead of the top, because I thought it might be easier to stitch closed afterwards. After I flipped the leather rightside-out, I stuffed the ball with the saved scraps of leather and strips of an old work shirt. When it was firmly stuffed, I used the blind stitch I found online to sew the seam closed.

At the start of the project, I hadn't realized that the stitches would be visible on the outside of the ball. Fortunately, my sewing was fairly even (there's a reason I don't make my own garb!). For my next project, I may use the same stitch I use on the blackjacks instead.

The ball is surprisingly weighty for being stuffed primarily with scraps of my old uniform shirt! I was initially worried that it would be too light, and wouldn't be hefty enough to actually toss around. I'm glad to learn that worry was unfounded!

Order of the Valiance

Although this blog focuses primarily on my "craft" trades, I am also an archer by trade and, as such, the movement to create an Omnibus Peerage for archery, thrown weapons, equestrian and siege is near and dear to my heart (you may recall the bracer I crafted as a show of support for the movement). A proposal is before the BoD this month to create just such a Peerage, called the Order of the Valiance.

I beseech each of you reading this, if you support the creation of such a Peerage, to *please* write to the BoD this week and express your thoughts. As my own form of incentive, if you do write and comment below that you did, I will enter your name into a raffle to win a custom leather item (mug, bottell, or bracer) made by my hand.

Here is the letter I wrote to the BoD on the subject:

Greetings unto the Board of Directors of the Society for Creative Anachronism!

I am writing to you today to speak of the matter of the Valiance Peerage proposal and to express to you my unwavering support for the creation of such an Order.

Though I am not a fencer, I was overjoyed when earlier this year you created the Order of Defense, allowing a whole new segment of the populace access to this path of higher service to their Kingdoms and the Society as a whole.

Others have no doubt written to you that participants in the remaining martial activities--Archery, Thrown Weapons, Equestrian and Siege--are overdue this recognition and honor of their skills and devotion. While it remains true that to be recognized as a Peer *is* the highest honor an individual can attain, I would put forth that to be a Peer is not about personal recognition. Rather, to be a Peer is to serve the Kingdom and the Populace on a whole new level, and lack of access to that path for these martial activities only limits the greatness that we as a Society can truly achieve.

Peers advise the Royalty. They are held up in the eyes of the Populace as being something *more*, a standard to which others are encouraged to strive. They study and attain a level of mastery in their chosen path, and then they impart that knowledge onto others. And I will tell you that we already have members of this caliber in each of the Omnibus activities. These individuals clamor not for individual recognition, but rather to be allowed to serve alongside their peers as the esteemed and recognized authorities that they are.

Moreover, we as supporters of this proposal desire for the newest of newcomers on the archery field to know that their interests and talents matter equally to the Society as those of our heavy fighters, rapier fighters, and artisans. To continue to disallow the participants of these activities to serve in the capacity of a Peer is to announce to the whole of the Knowne Worlde that these activities are less valuable, less important, and held in lower esteem. Is this the message we want to send to those who would serve with all their heart--those who truly possess the vaulted "Peer-like Qualities" we seek?

Thank you for your time and your attention to my letter.

Yours in Service,
Lady Shannon inghaen Bhriain ui Dhuilleain
Companion of the Golden Arrow, Barony of Lochmere, Atlantia