Pachy Trunk Hose Covering

This piece is part of the gas mask worn by Packrat, in the upcoming film After The Fall.


It consists of a piece of vacuum cleaner tubing covered in leather. I've chosen lambskin as it is my favorite garment weight leather, and will conform easily to the corrugations on the hose. I've marked out a rectangle on the grain side of the leather.

I'm making it with the flesh (suede) side out, so I've stitched it the normal way on a regular home sewing machine.

Here I've turned the leather right side out, and soaked it in warm water so that it will stretch slightly, which makes the leather darker.

Here it is half way pulled on. The damp lambskin pulls easily over the tubing. Once dry it will shrink back to its original size, making a snug fit.

The sleeve is completely on now, and even though still damp, you can easily see the corrugations through it. The pressure gauge (which is part of the finished mask) has been inserted to test the fit.

While still in this damp, plastic state, I wrap waxed thread down the length of the hose to emphasize the corrugations. I start by taking two spools of thread and tying their ends together. Then, beginning at the top, I wrap it around the tubing, pulling the thread into the grooves. With the back seam facing me, I cross each row over the seam and proceed working down one corrugation at a time.

Here is a close-up of the finished front of the trunk hose.

And here is a detail of the back, showing the crossing threads over the leather seam.

After The Fall: Packrat's Mask Begun

The mask worn by the character Packrat in the movie After The Fall is based on my Pachydermos gas mask.

Above are the three major pattern pieces: The surround, the face and the trunk.

Here are all of the leather parts, after I've stitched together the three parts shown above. The other pieces are straps, trim and buckle attachments.

Here is a side view of what I have at this point. The trunk piece is unusual in that it is folded back upon itself several times, to simulate the trunk of an elephant.

Here is an inside peek, showing the folded leather and all the hand stitching. Once I have antiqued the parts brown it will look a whole lot better.