Sword Sheaths

As I worked on the iSundae project, I decided that our hero(s) and heroine, not to mention the badgal, needed sword scabbards. There’s something about just sticking the sword through a belt that is severely lacking. So I started with the sword of Caramel.

I knew I had to make belts too, so I decided to match the scabbard to the belt.

I used painted muslin for my main material. It’s actually quite easy to make. You take the muslin piece, tape it down to thick cardboard (so the paint won’t soak through), get it wet (somewhere between damp and dripping), and start rubbing the acrylic paints in.

I put all the paint colors I would need on a paper plate, in Caramel’s case, shades of brown and a little metallic gold. I started out with a large paintbrush, but I’ve also used hunks of paper towel when needed.

Slap the paint on there and start blending. Then all you have to do is stop when it looks the way you want it to. Let it dry overnight, then de-tape it and peel it off the cardboard. Or pry it off, depending on its mood.

I had the sword handy, so I used it for measurements. Once I had the main scabbard, I made the decorative piece at the top. I also added a thin strip of cardboard on the back of the inside of the sheath, so it would be easier to slide the sword in. Then I painted on the decorations and hot glued the gems on. I put enough hot glue on that when I pushed the gem down, it bubbled up around the gem, creating a sort of holder, which I painted brown.

Ice Cream’s sheath (the white one) was easier. I just glued on a string of pre-threaded pearls and added the gems and fringe, which was cut fabric.

The sheath of Chocolate I really like. (Mainly because it was mine in the movie.) I used crinkled aluminum foil, shiny side out, for the designs.

Pizza’s sheath is simpler, but really cool looking. I used black felt instead of painted muslin, and used black paper with gold watercolor on it for the designs.

These sheaths served us well, which is more than I can say for the belts. Aside from an occasional malfunction, they did their job in classic style. The thought just occurred to me that a sock might make a good sheath for a dagger…

Anyway, use your imagination and the supplies you have. It’s hard to use something if you don’t have it.