Medieval Turnshoes

I made these shoes to be able to be worn with case greaves and sabatons, so I was limited in the style and height which the shoes could be. The design I chose was based on the Hedeby type 6 shoes from the Hedeby archaeological site in Germany.

The first step was creating the sole. To make the sole, I traced my foot over a piece of cardboard and added some extra room in the toe. I then cut it out of a piece of 9oz veg-tan leather and mirrored it for the other foot.

The vamp and quarter were the most difficult pieces. To make them, I placed the sole under my foot and wrapped it in plastic wrap and then covered it with duct tape. I cut my foot out and used it for the pattern. 

One mistake I made that I would recommend others not do is have a curve that will cause the leather to pull back. On the photo above, the far right seam of the quarter is curved....leave it straight! The leather will stretch and conform to the shape of the foot.

I backstitched the entire shoe, as I do with all my leather items, using artificial sinew for the extra strength and durability.

The next step was the tongue, which I should have sewn onto the vamp before I attached it to the sole. It's very simple, just a rounded rectangle secured at the opening.

 To help increase the durability, I closed the seams and covered the sole with a flexible rubber-like coating.

To finish them off, I cut holes in the opening for laces, and while there are many different styles of lace patterns, I decided to go with the simple cross lacings.

While the shoes came out somewhat more pointed than I would like, I hope I can remedy this by soaking the toe and inserting a boot form. Beyond that, the shoes are comfortable and functional and are suited well to their use.

Colonial-Style Lantern

To begin with making this punched tin lantern you will a tin soup can (2 for a conical roof),wire, solder, a wing divider, sheet metal cutters, mallet, a round and square punch, and a pair of pliers.

Begin by cutting off the top and bottom. If you want a flat top keep both pieces, for the conical top the upper piece will not be needed.

Then cut he can into a sheet and punch in your design with the mallet, leaving yourself enough space to solder it back to the bottom.

Fold a thin lip on each side facing opposite directions and fold them onto each other connecting the two sheets back together.

Cut a square hole in the opposite side and fold part of both pieces into a round tube around the wire. This will make a hinge. If you desire you can punch a design into the door also.

You can take a scrap piece of tin and loop it through a hole near the door to make a latch.

Cut a semicircular piece of tin from the second can and fold it together as you did the main body.

The next part it to make the handle and the heat guard. Begin by taking another piece of wire and folding it into the shape above.

the taking two other peices of scrap make a ring  and a disc punching two wire sized holes in each.

Assemble by looping the wire through all  the holes the create the handle and heat guard.

Attach this part to the lid by making an additional two holes and twisting the wire together inside after looping it through..

Reattach the lid baser and top with solder and add a small candle.

Enjoy your tin lantern.

Making Tongs

 As part of making my forge I had to make a set of tongs. I decided to make a very basic set of round stock tongs for my first time. Because my propane forge is made of an old air compressor tank, I added extra length to the handle to make it easier to pull out pieces, and I can hold it closer for better control.

I started by pounding the end of the rebar flat; then I curved it into a semicircle. Then, about an inch away from that, I pounded it flat at the opposite angle. To cause the pieces to fit together, I bent each end slightly.  To make the joint, I drilled a hole in each piece and slid a nail through. I heated up the nail and pounded it flat. The tongs are done. 

Revolutionary War : Musket

Colonial Musket

Supplies :

• 2x4 wood 
• sand paper
• wood stain
• varnish
• band saw
• metal pipe (at least 10" long)
• spoons (ones that can be ruined) (about five)
• vise
• small lapel pin of your choice (like a flag or an emblem)

Directions :
PLEASE COMPLETE THIS PROJECT WITH HELP FROM AN ADULT!!!!!!

• Sketch the pattern of how you want your gun to look on a length of 2x4 wood.  If you want a 20" gun, you'll need a piece of wood at least that long.  
• Have someone help you cut it out with a band saw.
• Hand sand the wood to make it smooth.
• Stain the wood, and hang it to dry.
• Press a lapel pin into the wood stock to personalize your gun.
• Varnish the entire piece, and hang it to dry.

For the barrel -

• Use 1/2" electrical conduit (this is a light pipe that won't rust).  
• Cut it to the length that you want your barrel and paint it black.
• Create barrel bands to hold the barrel to the wood by stripping the sheath from #10 copper wire and hammering it flat.

For the trigger, trigger guard, and attachments -

• Cut and bend spoons using a vice and grinder.  Spoons can also be used to make sights and a spoon pan.  Drill holes into the wood and use screws to hold the spoons in place.
• Old spoons look better, but newer spoons are easier to cut and bend.

This is a complicated project, but the muskets will last a very long time and can be used with many different costumes!

We used these with many of our costumes!

• Revolutionary War (Patriot & Regular)
• Civil War (Confederate & Union)
• Explorers
• Colonial American

Revolutionary War : Patriot and Regular

 Patriot Costume 

Supplies :

• one blue jacket
• two black shoes
• two long white socks
• one white button down shirt
• one white button down vest
• one set of foot ball pants
• one leather or felt tricorn
• one powder horn 
• one cartridge bag
• one bayonet

Directions :

• scavenge the yard sales and thrift stores for as many of the above pieces as possible.  it's a lot easier to make a good costume if you already have the basics, but don't pay a lot for them.  mom can usually find stuff for a quarter or fifty cents.  she says it's worth her time not to start from scratch!  for this project, we found the jacket, vest, and football pants for about fifty cents each.  we found the socks in dad's drawer, and i had shoes and a shirt from church clothes.
• we got our tricorns in Boston and powder horns at Fort Ticonderoga, and we made our own muskets, cartridge bags, and bayonets.  mom sews a lot, but dad can make anything in the garage!  
• on another post, i'm going to show you how we made our muskets.
• on the jacket, we sewed on lots of star buttons and pulled up the sides to make them triangles, with more star buttons at the points.  that was the only change we made to the pieces of clothing we bought.  then we put it all together for a patriot costume.  

British Regular Soldier Costume  

Supplies :                                

• one red jacket
• two black shoes
• two long white socks
• one white button down shirt
• one leather or felt tricorn
• football pants (they make good breeches)
• one powder horn 
• one cartridge bag
• one bayonet & musket

 Directions :

• scavenge the yard sales and thrift stores for as many of the above pieces as possible.  it's a lot easier to make a good costume if you already have the basics, but don't pay a lot for them.  mom can usually find stuff for a quarter or fifty cents.  she says it's worth her time not to start from scratch!  for this project, we found the jacket and football pants for about fifty cents each.  we found the socks in dad's drawer, and i had shoes and a shirt from church clothes.
• we got our tricorns in Boston and powder horns at Fort Ticonderoga, and we made our own muskets, cartridge bags, and bayonets.  mom sews a lot, but dad can make anything in the garage!  
• on another post, i'm going to show you how we made our muskets.
• on the jacket, we sewed on lots of eagle & military-looking buttons and mom pulled in the back about four inches to make it fit my brother.  the cool thing about that was that it gave the back the flared out pieces like a real uniform.  that was the only change we made to the pieces of clothing we bought.  then we put it all together for a regular costume.