Making a utaguchi cover
Making a utaguchi cover
Here is a simple how-to on custom making utaguchi covers for your flutes.
At Hobby Lobby or Michael's, or your local craft store, they will most likely sell small bags of leather scraps for about $5. Choose one that has some thicker, larger pieces of leather in it. A craft store will also sell small packets of leather lace for about $3.
Most shakuhachis will flare out a little at the blowing edge. Measure the circumference of this widest part of the flute. Now measure the bottom, straight edge of your leather as in the picture, matching it to the total length of the circumference. Then you will use scissors to cut a shape that looks like a minaret. If you look at the photos I've posted, you can probably figure out how to approximate a size that will fit your flute. I tried it on a piece of paper first.
I am not a leather worker (and not particularly craft-oriented as you can tell from the "rustic" (some might say sloppy) look of this utaguchi cover,) so I didn't have the proper tools to punch out holes for the lacing. I hammered nails into the leather which made holes that worked pretty well.
Start lacing from the middle, as in the photo. I tried to show as best I can how the lacing goes, but I am sure you can figure it out.
So, for 8 dollars you can probably make as many flute covers as you need.
At Hobby Lobby or Michael's, or your local craft store, they will most likely sell small bags of leather scraps for about $5. Choose one that has some thicker, larger pieces of leather in it. A craft store will also sell small packets of leather lace for about $3.
Most shakuhachis will flare out a little at the blowing edge. Measure the circumference of this widest part of the flute. Now measure the bottom, straight edge of your leather as in the picture, matching it to the total length of the circumference. Then you will use scissors to cut a shape that looks like a minaret. If you look at the photos I've posted, you can probably figure out how to approximate a size that will fit your flute. I tried it on a piece of paper first.
I am not a leather worker (and not particularly craft-oriented as you can tell from the "rustic" (some might say sloppy) look of this utaguchi cover,) so I didn't have the proper tools to punch out holes for the lacing. I hammered nails into the leather which made holes that worked pretty well.
Start lacing from the middle, as in the photo. I tried to show as best I can how the lacing goes, but I am sure you can figure it out.
So, for 8 dollars you can probably make as many flute covers as you need.
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