The Red Kaganate

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Liao-Khitan Pouch Reconstruction By Steven Baker Original Liao/Khitan pouch The first pouch shown here is from the Liao Dynasty (907 - 1125) in China. It measures 9cm tall by 13.7cm wide. The second pouch is one I made to match it. It is a little larger at 11.5cm tall and 19cm wide. This additonal size was so I could easily hide my wallet and keys. Unfortunately I found that unless this pouch was made from very stiff materials it was useless in hiding modern day items such as wallets, keys and glasses. Their weight tended to cause the pouch to gap significantly. Reproduction of Liao pouch by S. Baker An interesting alternative to this design is found in a 12th century Iraqi painting. It varies slightly from the other in that it has tassles and shoulder straps (see figure 3). It might be more useful for hiding modern items as it seems to be made from leather and therefore some what stiffer in its construction. Painting from 12th cent. Iraq The pouch pattern provided here is based on the Liao-Khitan pouch. As indicated earlier, it is not recommended for carrying heavy modern day items such as wallets, keys etc. Click for Pouch Pattern This pouch can be made almost any size (see above for original size). But the proportions are always the same. The flap is one fifth the total length of material and the front and back sections are two fifths each. The gussets are broader at the base and are equal in height to the front section. To stitch this pouch together you should use a blanket stitch and a fairly thick yarn. I used several silk embroidery strands to get the thickness. This is a somewhat reorganised version of the information on the Pouch presented at Steven Baker's Steppes Nomad Resource Site - http://www.geocities.com/qilich.