How to make soft leather vambraces

• Soft leather (either soft skins, or suitable sized pieces cut from a leather coat etc)
• Eyelets
• Glue (a thixotropic type, such as "Thixofix" is best, as it spreads easily and doesn’t dry out too fast in the can so lasts longer)
• A craft knife (the small snap off retractable/lockable type)
• Ruler (preferably metal to cut against)
• White or metallic ink roller ball pen or white pencil, for making the leather
• Studs etc to decorate
• Tape measure
• Cord (obtainable from a haberdashery shop/department) for trimming the edges and lacing up the vambrace – you will probably want to buy some in several different thicknesses
• Newspaper or brown paper with which to make a pattern

When your arm is bent, measure

(a) from wrist to elbow on inside of arm
(b) around the wrist
(c) around the forearm, just under the elbow

Using these measurements make a paper pattern shape as shown

The curve at the top compensates for curves in the arm and allows for the fact that the wrist to elbow is longer on the outside of the arm than on the inside and if the pattern is too long along edge (a) it is extremely uncomfortable. The curve on the bottom edge (b) makes for a comfier fit at the wrist. You will probably need to experiment with the curves to get at (a) and (b) until you have a pattern that is a good fit on your arm. It is worth taking the time to get it right.

Draw round this pattern on the inside of the soft leather you have chosen, using the roller ball or white pencil. If you’re using a pencil wet the lead frequently for ease of use.

Draw another line around the vambrace shape at least an inch or more away, to make the piece of leather an inch larger all the way around. This is to allow for fold overs to strengthen the eyelet edge and leave room to glue in cord at the wrist and elbow edges. The amount of turnover you require will depend on the thickness of cord you have chosen. You will also need to cut off the corners for ease of folding

Cut out the large vambrace shape with either a craft knife of pair of scissors. Then pare down all the edges, using a craft knife. This makes the edges thinner and blend in without giving an uncomfortable ridge when you fold them over and stick them down

Cut a piece of cord slightly shorter than curve on edge (b) and another just shorter than the curve on edge (c). I often use quite thin cord around the wrist edge, and a thicker cord (up to about 1cm diameter) for the elbow edge. It's best to mark your cord with pen, then tightly wrap about an inch and a half of sellotape around the cord, so you can see your mark in the middle of the tape. Just cut, at an angle, through the tape and cord together with a craft knife, the sellotape will stop the cord fraying.

Apply glue to the wrist and elbow inside edges of the vambrace from the edge to about two inches in. Place the cords on the inner wrist and elbow lines and glue over these. Let the glue dry until it is tacky, then fold edges down over the cord on the inside, and smooth the edges up to the cord on the right side, pressing down on the right side to get a nice three effect with the cord. You may need to make small slashes in the turn over (try not to cut in too far) to stick the edges down and lie flat . This gives a nice neat rolled edge at wrist and elbow.

Glue down the side edges (a) in the same way, but omitting the cord.

You should now have a nice vambrace-shaped piece of leather, the same size as your pattern.

Now decorate the vambrace with rivets, studs, eyelets and appliqué etc to your taste.

The next step is to line the vambrace, to give it extra strength and cover the back of any rivets, studs etc, to stop them digging into your arm.

Cut out another vambrace piece to the exact size of your pattern in thin soft leather. Trim all the edges by about 0.5cm. Pare down all the edges on the shiny side of the leather; the suede side is usually nicest next to the skin.

Glue the inside of the vambrace and the shiny side of the lining, and leave the glue to dry until it is tacky. Then stick the vambrace and lining together, stretching the lining slightly so it just comes to the edge of the vambrace and blends in nicely.

The next step is to put eyelets in the edges (a). I find 5 or 7 eyelets to a side is good. Then lace up the vambrace and put it on! (- the eyeleted edges go on the inner forearm)

If you want to make a vambrace to protect your bow arm when shooting you will need to make it a little shorter along edge (a) as this will be on your inner forearm and the vambrace laced up on the outside. I also find it best not to decorate it, as studs etc may catch on your bowstring. Other than that, the method is as above.