Updated at: 19-07-2022 - By: Sienna Lewis

If hunting is your passion but showing off your antlers is too much, you should learn to knit a deer skin blanket. Deerskin blankets were originally a cultural artifact of the American Indian. These days, it’s a sign of pride for the owner to display a deer skin rug in the center of the room.

A beautiful deer skin rug is within your reach after reading this guide. Use the discarded components of a hunted animal to create a work of art and demonstrate your passion for the sport.

Things You’ll Need

  • Raw deer hide
  • The materials needed are two 4-foot-long pieces of wood that are 2 inches by 4 inches.
  • Two 6-foot-long planks of wood measuring 2 by 4 inches
  • Nails and a hammer
  • Four 30-foot lengths of nylon rope with a diameter of 1/8 inch
  • Awl
  • Rope between 12 and 14 feet in length
  • a metal or wooden blade 5-6 inches long
  • The equivalent of one gallon of rainfall or non-chlorinated water
  • Brain of a deer, or perhaps two pigs’
  • Blender
  • Bucket
  • Brush with a large, flat head

Materials Needed

Deer hide is essential for this craft. Hunting season is the best time to get your hands on this supply, or you might get lucky and find one dead on the side of the road. If you’re going to go hunting, do your part and let the premature fawns grow up and reproduce by not taking any young ones.

How To Make A Deer Skin Blanket: 7 Easy Steps - Krostrade

A board or other sturdy support is required to securely mount the deerskin. In this situation, you’ll need to get ready two sets of 4-foot and 6-foot long, 2-by-4-inch wood.

Keep a metal blade at least 6 inches long on hand for slicing through the heavy wood planks. Be prepared to remove a lot of blood and flesh from the skin. Get a large pail ready for the deerskin.

Non-chlorinated water, such as rainwater, is fine, but you’ll need at least a gallon. Extra tools and supplies could be useful. The deer may be held in place while you repair it with some nails and a hammer.

A rope between 12 and 14 feet in length is ideal for those who prefer to tie. You can also secure it to the board with four 10-foot nylon ropes.

Finally, a wide paintbrush with thick bristles will be required. To make a rug from a deer skin, you need a strong stomach and a lot of patience. It’s important to be willing to roll up your sleeves and get your hands filthy.

Following the steps in this article will help you achieve your aim of preserving the original condition of the animal skin.

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Easy Guide On Making A Deer Skin Blanket

Step #1. Stretch the skin

The wooden structure should be laid out on the floor. Drill few holes in the wood to run the nylon rope through. Pull the nylon strings until the skin is taut while pressing it flat against the wood.

Step #2. Dry the hide

Set a timeline for when you intend to get rid of all the moisture in the hide. The least expensive method is to hang it up over the summer and let it dry. Getting a tan is referred to as “tanning.”

It’s best to let the frame dry in the air, so find somewhere to lean it. As the hide will dry more slowly in the shadow, an ideal spot is next to a tree. Furthermore, make sure no scavengers stumble upon the corpse.

Step #3. Scrape off the flesh

Carefully remove the deer’s meat from its skin using the sharpest knife at your disposal. Make as many scrapes as you can until the skin becomes paper thin. The membranes should be left on the hide if possible, and the tanning process should continue.

Step #4. Tan using the brain

Here’s when having the deer’s brain stashed away earlier might come in handy. If you’ve already thrown it out, another option is to purchase two pig brains. You’re going to put the brain in a blender with some rainwater and whirl it around.

The combined brain should be painted on with the flesh side facing you. The next step is to determine whether or not the hide is wet. If you want the solution to soak into your skin like a sponge, your skin needs to be dry.

Step #5. Apply coats of brain

Spread the compound generously over the skin. After an hour has passed, you can apply a second layer. You’ll need to hold off for an additional hour.

Step #6. Let the hide cool and dry

It is expected that the brain matter will be sucked into the hide overnight. Apply a second layer once it has dried for an additional hour in the morning. When the leather has dried completely, flip it over to the flesh side and dry it in direct sunlight while still covered in damp rags.

Step #7. Soften the hide

The hide can be rolled over and pulled back and forth with the rope. Although it is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process, the skin should soften in the end.

Do deer hides improve the quality of the blanket?

The shroud made from deer hide is highly desirable not only because it is warm but also because of its attractive appearance. In a pinch, you can use the leather as a blanket.

Adding liners can make the blanket perform more like a blanket and less like a decorative throw. Fleece and flannel can be stitched under the hide for extra warmth.

Tip

So that you may run your finger over it and even press down on it a little without hurting yourself, the drawknife should be slightly dulled. If your sword won’t pierce the hide, then you have less of a chance of piercing the skin. Using an ulna bone is more conventional, but it needs to be sharpened frequently. According to Kelly Meyers, the hide is not dried if it feels dry to the touch. She claims that after a day of softening, your hide might get toughened overnight. Just re-wet it and keep going if it happens. This is a time-consuming process, and rushing it will result in a subpar blanket.

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Warning

There’s a good chance that the deerskin will be damaged by water that’s too hot for your skin to handle. Don’t assume that your first effort at tanning a hide will turn out correctly. If your first hide doesn’t work out, do lots of research and keep trying different things.

Conclusion

Now you know how to make a deer skin blanket quickly and easily. Once the rug is in the living room, you may show off your trophy animals and boast about your hunting prowess to your guests. Your skill with the deer hide will be appreciated by any visitor.