https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/steampunk-goggles-5 • Posted by Pitufa
This is a version of the famous baseball goggles. I used drain catches for the eyes pieces which you can totally see through... i also embellished... a lot... which is why it took me so long There are a lot of how to's out there that explain how to make goggles from a baseball... I just spiffy mine up! (here's a video http://www.threadbanger.com/episode/iST_20080826) apologies for the exceedingly poor quality of photos... phones, it seems, have their limitations.
This is a version of the famous baseball goggles. I used drain catches for the eyes pieces which you can totally see through... i also embellished... a lot... which is why it took me so long There are a lot of how to's out there that explain how to make goggles from a baseball... I just spiffy mine up! (here's a video http://www.threadbanger.com/episode/iST_20080826) apologies for the exceedingly poor quality of photos... phones, it seems, have their limitations.
First, cut the seems of the baseball and peel the leather off the ball. Pull out all of the red threads. Most of the how to's say to only use one of the pieces you get from the ball but I used both. Cut each of these in half and paint. I used dark brown acrylic craft paint. You will have four wonky shaped little bits. Two will be the bottom and two the top. I sort of rounded of the ends.
Cut holes in the tops a bit smaller than the drain catches. Then push the catches up from the bottom, stretching the leather around them. They should fit nice and tight.
Stagger the bottom leather bits so that they peaks out form under the tops in the center. These need holes as well. Once again, cut the holes a bit smaller than the drain catch. This way, the leather will protect your face from the scratchy metal.
Cut two little strips of leather (one thinner than the other) for the nose piece. Paint using the same paint you used prior. In the smaller (top) piece I put some tiny brads (you can put these in to actually hold the pieces together but then the metal edges will be against your skin... incidentally, i didn't do it that way). Glue these pieces together.
Position the nose piece so that it's sandwiched between the tops and bottoms of each eye piece. Glue it but only to the bottom for now.
Run black cord through the holes that are already round the edges of your eyepieces... You will probably need to run an upholstery (or likesize needle) through the holes first... you ought to know this step took a long time and i broke two needles... but i feel the end product was worth it. I laced the inner sides first and when i got to the edges that were plumb i stitched the tops and bottoms together. The cut edges wont have holes... don't bother trying to punch holes and lace these because they'll be covered later. Now secure the inner edges with a bit of glue.
Cut two little strips of leather and two little bits of elastic. Make an inner loop for your jump ring from the elastic and then a loop of leather (a bit larger) to camouflage the elastic. I did this so that my goggle strap will have a bit of give; that way they can be quickly removed and replaced without unbuckling... also ensures a better fit! I put the little brads in the leather again. Then sandwich the loop ends between the goggle layers and glue.
Cut a strip of leather for the strap about eight inches long (rounding the ends). This piece will have the buckle on the end. Loop it around one jump ring and secure with glue (I did the brads again). Hold the goggle on your head and pull the strap around to figure exactly how long you want it. Mine is only about an inch or two from the other jump ring. Make a little whole at this length for the buckle pin to go through and cut off all but 3/4 inch of the extras. Loop this back on it's self and glue (i did the brads again).
For the other side of the strap, cut a strip of the same width about six inches long. Loop it around the other jump ring and then (while holding the goggles in place) pull the strp through the buckle and make a mark where they fit comfortable. punch or cut a little whole and place a tiny gromet (I used little ones meant for scrap booking). I added a couple more gromets partly for decoration but also so I could size my goggles up to fit around my hat.
Now add a couple of gears to cover the ends of your eye pieces where there are no laces. magnifico! oh yeah... i also ran a little copper wire around the rough edge of leather where the drain catch thingy was pushed through for an extra finishing. you can sort of see it in the picture for step six.