Ditty Bags.
The Ditty Bag was used by the Sailor to carry his tools, which may have included his sewing palm, needles, seam rubber, bench hook, Bees wax, sewing and whipping twines, serving mallet, marline spike, fids and anything else he may have found necessary for his art.
The bag would be hung on a hook next to his bunk, always ready for action.
A ditty bag was made of light canvas and would be from 6”-8” in diameter and 11”-14” tall, the lanyard would have from 4 to 8 legs and the grip could consist on anything from a simple sinnet, to a marline spike master piece containing as many complicated knots, sinnets and coverings as you would care to shake a fid at.
All of my Ditty Bags have a toggle or button on the base, to which the lanyard can be attached, so the bag can be worn as a shoulder bag, or across the body. Some of the bags have the lanyards attached with buttons, making them removable or replaceable, this innovation I had not seen on any other Ditty bag before.
Kurt's Monogram Bag.
My Fluo Ditty Bag.
The body of the bag is made from 12oz cotton Duck, and is 300mm x 175mm.
There are 6 hand stitched grommet eyelets around the top of the bag, through which the spliced lanyard legs are buttoned with small Pineapple knot buttons.
The grip is of Flax and UV reactive cord, and contains; overhand Spanish hitching, wide single strand Gaucho knots and single strand Mathew Walker knots.
The hanging loop is 6 strand round braid.
The slider is a Pineapple knot, and the toggle on the base is covered with Pineapple knots.
Below you can see the effect that Ultra Violet light has on the UV reactive cord and also the twine used for seaming the bag and putting in the eyelets.
Featured on the front cover
of Knotting Matters # 104
PJ’s Ditty Bag.
Featured in the pages
of Knotting Matters # 105
The body of the bag is made from 12oz Cotton Duck, and is 300mm x 175mm.
There are 6 crowned Star knot buttons around the top of the bag, to which the lanyard legs are buttoned.
The grip is of Flax and Cotton, and contains; Double Crowning, Mathew Walker knots, Cotton Turk’s-Head knots; with a Flores Button knot type weave in Flax, a Spanish Ring knot in cotton and a Square knotted Hanging loop with a short, spliced lanyard.
The slider is a Pineapple knot in leather, and the button on the base is a crowned Star knot.
PJ’s Tool Pouch.
This tool pouch is based on a binocular case from a whaling ship; described in The Ashley Book of knots.
I made this for my friend PJ to hold a couple of his favourite tools.
The pouch is about 7” tall when the flap is closed.
The Don Wright Ditty Bag.
This bag used to be the Fish Net Ditty Bag (detailed below) I have now completely re-furbished this bag with a brand new canvas bag, toggle and lanyard loop.
I think it looks much nicer now.
I gave this bag as a gift to my friend Don Wright; along with the original canvas bag from the Fish Net Ditty Bag. Don had very kindly sent me some beautiful Dog Leashes and other gorgeous knot work.
The body of the bag is made from 12oz cotton Duck, and is 300mm x 175mm.
There are 7 Brass, spur-toothed sail grommets in all.
The grip is of cotton, and contains; braided fid work, Mathew walker knots, a Turk’s-Head knots and a grafted ring, with a short knotted lanyard.
The slider is a Pineapple knot, and the toggle on the base is of Beech wood.
Roped Twine Bucket.
This twine bucket was made to be used with my netting stand (shown on the net making page), and holds six 1 lb spools of netting twine.
The body is made from 12oz Cotton Duck Canvas and measures 275mm x 230mm.
The base is a solid 25mm thick slab of recycled Mahogany sat on an a grommet of 18mm Manila roped to the canvas. Copper nails secure the Mahogany base.
A solid hoop is seamed into the rim of the bag to keep it open and the handles are made as a continuous spliced grommet.
Joe’s Ditty Bag.
This bag belongs to Capt.
Joe Pereira, A Master on the Continental Sloop
Providence out of Rhode Island.
The body of the bag is made from 12oz cotton Duck, and is 300mm x 175mm.
There are 6 hand stitched grommet eyelets around the top of the bag.
The grip is of Flax and Cotton, and contains; Double Crowning, Mathew Walker knots, Cotton Turk’s-Head knots and a Square knotted Hanging loop with a short spliced lanyard.
The slider is a Pineapple knot, and the button on the base is a star knot.
Fair Winds Joe ;-)
Des & Liz’s
Mini Ditty Bag.
This bag was made for Des & Liz Pawson of
Footrope Knots.
After seeing my Mini Ditty bag at the 25th anniversary of the International Guild of Knot Tyers in Fareham 2007 they commissioned me to make them one just like it.
The body of the bag is made from 12oz Cotton Duck, and is 115mm x 75mm. The same size as a can of soup.
The grip is of Cotton and Flax and contains Crowning, Star Knots, Mathew Walker knots and a figure 8, 3 strand plait on the loop,
The slider knot is a Turk’s Head knot, and the legs are spliced into stitched over, tiny, hand laid hemp grommets.
Nick G’s Ditty Duffle.
Featured in the pages
of Knotting Matters # 94
This bag was made for a fellow knot tyer whom requested a larger than normal ditty bag,
The body of the bag is made from 12oz Cotton Duck, and is 450mm x 255mm.
The grip is of Hemp and Cotton and contains Spanish hitching, Pineapple knots, Mathew Walker knots, a Turk’s-Head, and Ringbolt hitching on the hanging loop.
The slider is a Pineapple knot and the base toggle is of Beech wood.
There is an adjustable length
lanyard on the handle.
Me trying the bag out for size.
Fish Net Ditty Bag.
The body of the bag is made from 12oz cotton Duck, and is 300mm x 175mm.
The covering is hand netted in black, braided Polyester.
There are 7 Brass, spur-toothed sail grommets in all.
The grip is of cotton, and contains; braided fid work, Mathew walker knots, a Turk’s-Head knots and a grafted ring, with a short knotted lanyard.
The slider is a Pineapple knot, and the toggle on the base is of Beech wood.
Featured on the front cover of Knotting Matters # 94 The bag in use.
Star Knot Ditty Bag.
The body of the bag is made from 15oz Cotton Duck, and is 300mm x 175mm.
There are 6, 6 strand Star knot buttons around the top of the bag, to which the lanyard is buttoned.
The grip is of Cotton and Flax and contains Crowning, Pineapple knots, a Mathew Walker knot, a multi strand Turk’s-Head and a square knotted loop.
The slider is a Pineapple knot and the button on the base is a Star Knot.
There is a short, spliced lanyard on the handle.
Featured on the front cover
of Knotting Matters # 85
Now Belongs to Nick R
Thank you for looking!
Take care,
Barry ;-)