How to Make a Quiver

For those of you out there that are into live action role-playing or attend historical-themed festivals, making quivers or sheaths for your own weapons is a great project. Not only is it practical but adds more décor to your outfit.

Things You'll Need

• 1/8 to 3/16 inch hole punch
• Leather for quiver length (23x19x18 inches)
• Thicker leather for quiver bottom and straps
• Multiple 6 foot long leather laces
• Ruler
• Marker, pen or pencil
• Razor knife
• Needle nose pliers (in case you have difficulty with laces)

Instructions

Make the Quiver

1. Purchase leather sheets that are flexible enough to work with but hard enough to provide support and hold arrows. Leather is classified by thickness so remember this when you order your leather. Also keep in mind that soft leather will help hold your arrows in place.

2. Use a size based on your preference but for this guide, use 23 x 19 x 18 inches. The longer edges will be the right and left sides of the quiver, while the shorter edges will be the top and bottom.

3. Spread the leather out and turn the backside of the leather to face upward towards you.

4. Mark each side with an edge ink line that is about ¼ inch from each of the four edges.

5. Draw tick marks on both of the top and bottom edges. Make these ticks marks directly only the edge ink lines but start and end about ¼ inch away from the left and right sides. The ticks should be made every ½ inch.

6. Measure and mark 1 inch inward from both the right and left edge ink lines.

7. Draw parallel lines on both the right and left edges. Both the right and left edges should have two parallel lines: the edge ink line that is ¼ inch away from the edge and the new side parallel line that is 1 inch away from the edge ink line.

8. Mark every 1 inch with little dots on the side parallel and edge ink lines you previously marked. Start the dots about ½ inch from the bottom edge.

9. Use a hole punch to punch holes at every tick mark on the left and right edges.

10. Roll the leather to overlap the right and left edges so that the side parallel line holes are aligned. Use rubber bands to help keep the shape if necessary.

11. Use sturdy 6 foot leather lacing to lace up the quiver, working from the outside bottom of the quiver. Insert each end of the lacing into the holes and pull the ends into the inside of the quiver. Once inside, insert the lacing into the next set of holes from the inside and pull outside.

12. Cross the laces on the outside of the quiver and insert them into the next set of holes.

13. Do not cross them again when inserting from inside of the quiver. Only make the cross pattern on the outside of the quiver. Tie off all of the lace ends when finished and cure to keep the ends from untying.

14. Attach the straps as instructed in the next section.

Make and Attach the Strap

1. Lay the quiver down with the side with the stitch pattern facing you. Flatten the quiver to an oval.

2. Use two 20 inch long straps to connect to the quiver. Fit the strap to your comfort.

3. Punch two holes about 3 inches from the bottom edge and an inch apart from each other. For a right handed archer, place the holes on the left side and reverse that for a left handed archer.

4. Punch identical holes into both the top and bottom straps for the quiver. Once you find the right comfort size, lace these holes together so that the lacing acts as a buckle.

5. Use a hole punch to make four holes in the top strap. Make them 1 inch from the strap edge and match the holes in the top back edge and make and punch matching holes to lace the strap onto the top of the quiver. Attach the top strap to the top edge of the quiver with lacing.

6. Punch out six holes on both the bottom strap edge and the bottom of the quiver. Measure the correct distance on the quiver, keeping in mind that the strap needs identical holes. Account for the fact that the strap will be going around your body and the matching holes on the strap need to be about 1 inch from the edge of the strap.

7. Make sure to punch identical holes into both the top and bottom straps for the quiver. These holes should be in the free edges of the straps. Once you find the right comfort size, lace these holes together so that the lacing acts as a buckle.

Finishing Steps

1. Cut out the bottom piece for your quiver. Measure it so it fits snugly into the bottom of the quiver. For this project, ours will be 2 ¼ inches by 7 inches.

2. Punch out the bottom edges holes and identical holes on the bottom piece.

3. Stitch the bottom to the quiver using leather lacing and tie off the ends.

4. Add more detail as you become more familiar with this process.