OMGWTF GOGGLES!

Rocky now has goggles!

This was a bit of a trial. After making the basic pattern, I started cutting frames to support the lenses out of some 3mm thick heavy cowhide in my stash. It took 3 iterations to get the pattern the right size, as I wanted to wrap it in the light blue lambskin.

Close, but lumpy

The results of those 3 iterations showed I was on the right track, but they looked a bit, well, lumpy. Trying to get the plastic Petri dish “lens” in place was stretching and mushing the seamed lambskin in the assembly.

Making a template to cut the blue lambskin to wrap around the heavy hide frame support

This is iteration two or 3 of the cowhide ring, as I adjusted the diameters to accomodate the lens plus the lambskin

notice the glued connector on the outside. The edges of the first iteration kept separating with the connector on the inside

the lens fits precisely inside the cowhide ring

lambskin stitched and trimmed but not turned

test assembly... the lambskin is bulkier than I thought — test assembly… the lambskin is bulkier than I thought

two lens frames... good demonstration of concept, but the support frame is too tight and the lambskin ends up lumpy and shifting — two lens frames… good demonstration of concept, but the support frame is too tight and the lambskin ends up lumpy and shifting

with lots of fiddling you can get the stitching to lie along the top inner edge, but it's still a bit lumpy — with lots of fiddling you can get the stitching to lie along the top inner edge, but it’s still a bit lumpy

Fourth Time’s the charm

I scaled up the frame pattern by 2 more mm, to allow for the thickness of the lambskin, and cut new frames. A quick wrap test showed this should do the trick.
I then edge-stitched the seamed lambskin pieces to the top edge of the frame piece while it was still flat, through all 3 layer, so the seam in the blue leather would sit on the inside edge of the frame where I wanted it.
I then perforated and hand stitched with carpet thread the ends of the frame to form the rings, and glued a (cleverly cut) flap over the inside, messier looking, X part of those seams.
Voila! Lens frames! A couple quick shots with them sitting on Rocky’s cap looked great.

To try to solve the bulging problem I cut two new base frame pieces from the black cowhide, then I stitched the blue lamb skin to it with the seam pulled to the back (what will become the inside edge of the frame)

A second line of stitching near the bottom to help keep things smooth.

Used a leather multi punch to cut the wholes, then carefully stitched the ends together with carpet thread (2x). A bit of contact cement between the cut edges of the thick (3mm) cowhide to keep things aligned too.

Cross-lacing on the inside, straight across on the outside

Not too shabby! A little bit more contact cement secures the flap over the cross stitching inside.

You can see the glue curing before I press it together on the flap area.

Test fit -- do they look like Rocky's goggles? — Test fit — do they look like Rocky’s goggles?

Test fit -- yes, they do look like Rocky's goggles — Test fit — yes, they do look like Rocky’s goggles

Still need to do a bit of fit and finish, but they look right

Going for Broke

Now that I had lens frames, I needed “eyecups” (bases) and straps to hold everything together. I cut out 2 sets of oval base pieces, cutting the centers out of one set, and a 1 1/2″ strip for strapping, applied a couple coats of contact cement, then laminated (or folded) and burnished the glued pieces together, then edge stitched them all. I cut the strap into a short center piece and two long side straps, and machine stitched those onto the bases.

I realized the best way to put the frames on the bases was going to be hand stitching, so I unthreaded the needle, turned off the thread breakage sensor, and used the M7 to perforate a ring of holes in the lambskin. (My leather lacing punch would have been overkill for the lambskin). Then I started stitching. A movie and a half later, the lens frames were firmly attached. I then cut out the remaining centers of the eye cup assemblies and inserted the lenses.
I’m *really* pleased with how they turned out.