Ever since I started making archery arm guards I've had people asking if I could add a glove portion for people who use bows without an arrow rest where the arrow is shot off the hand. I always kind of waffled over trying since...gloves are intimidating! Plus I'd never used soft leather (I use stiff, tooling leather for my masks and arm guards), so I wasn't sure where to start. It was so much like fabric! I'm awful with fabric!

Alternate view showing the glove portion - http://fav.me/d7q4gac

But Animus-Panthera requested a super cool secretary bird-designed arm guard and wanted a glove, and I figured now was as good a time as any to try making one! I had a basic idea of how I wanted to make it, and since I work best with discovering the best way to do/make something by doing it, used this as a way to experiment and discover. I learned quite a few things in this adventure! Such as it is actually quite easy to break a needle while saddle stitching leather. Also this type of leather likes to shrink back down after you poke a hole with an awl and stretch it. :| I broke uh...about 7 needles? Saddle stitching is not gentle on needles.

Also something that fits nice and snug on a wrist will be near impossible to fit a hand through! Gosh I didn't see that coming until I had partially stitched the glove part and couldn't fit my hand through :B So that's where those handy snaps come in :) A lot of the stitching is decorative, and I happen to love rivets and snaps, so it all works well. There are some changes I'll make to the next one I do, but for a first attempt, I'm rather happy. :) If anyone has any suggestions/critiques for the glove portion, I'd love to hear them! I am a super beginner when it comes to stitching leather and making stuff like gloves.

The arm guard is hand-tooled and dyed 7-oz vegetable tanned leather. In order to get the white and gray of the secretary bird, I had to paint those parts with acrylics, since the natural color of the leather is a light tan (as seen in the legs). There are also a few acrylic highlights such as with the orange dots and the nostril and eye shine. The rest of it is carefully dyed with water-based leather dye and a brush.