Making a Foraging Dump Pouch

A dump pouch is a handy container that attaches to the belt and stays fairly compact when unused. Opened up, it’s great for gathering foraged foods, tinder and kindling for the campfire, needed tools while working with both hands, etc. The bag is treated with wax for weather resistance and can be detached from the belt attachment device.

Measure and cut the main body of the leather carrier. I used a vape case for a template. I’m making two bags here so some of these photos you’re seeing double the work.

Bevel and burnish the edges.

Finished edges left to dry while I work on the rest.

Slots for the keeper strap are cut. Punch a large hole where each end of the slot will be, and connect the holes with cuts. Clean up the edges.

Measure and cut the belt loops. Clean up the edges, and punch stitch holes.

Stitch the belt loops to the body of the carrier.

Neatsfoot oil applied.

The bag is made from heavy canvas. The piece here is double the bag size and will be folded and stitched in half.

Edges of the bag are hemmed.

Tubes for the drawstring are stitched.

A small piece of leather is cut to reinforce the attachment tube. This will not be seen in the finished product and doesn’t need edging.

Fabric for the attachment tube is cut. This was made twice the width of the backing plus one inch, to give half an inch hem. The fabric is the length of the leather backing plus three inches, to fold over on each end and provide 3/4 inch pad to attach to each end of the bag.

The tube is stitched up.

The tube is turned inside out, ad the leather backing inserted. The leather will provide support when the bag is full of goodies.

Attach the tube to the bag. I did a lousy stitch job here.

Tube stitched to the bag.

The bag is stitched up. Sides were double stitched for strength.

Stitched up, the bag is turned right side out.

A stick is used to push the drawstrings through. A length of stiff wire with a hook at the end helps too.

Two drawstrings are pushed through the tube, opposite each other.

The bag will be waxed for durability and weather resistance. This recipe is 80% paraffin and 20% beeswax. Melt in a double boiler.

Wax is brushed on in a heavy coat.

Once wax is applied, put it in the oven at around 200F for ten minutes or so. The wax will melt into the fabric. As the waxed fabric is flexed over time, it will show creases and marks, and some bits of wax may flake off. This is just the nature of waxed canvas.

The bag strap/carrier is measured and cut from leather. Roll up the bag and measure the circumference, and add at least a couple of inches to overlap. Width is per maker preference.

A taper is measured and cut on one side of the strap.

Stitching holes are punched.

Holes are punched in the carrier as well.

The bag strap is stitched to the carrier.

Measure the rolled up bag again to find best placement for snaps or other closures.

Bag finished. The bag strap goes through the tube attachment on the bag, and back through the slit in the carrier. This way the bag can be removed from the carrier if needed.

Excess wax will flake off over time. If preferred, it can be reheated and extra wax soaked up with a towel.