Progress...

Finally I have come to the same point of completion on both rear panniers. They have been sewed, trimmed, waterproofed and buckled....all that is left to install are hooks to hang them on the bike and a fabric cover to keep the contents firmly inside.

As they stand now...

I weighed one of them on our primitive kitchen scale, and it registered at a little over 2 lbs.  I will weigh them again when they are completed... 

They smell strongly of rancid oil right now, but that should wear off as it dries. 

The approximate volume of one pannier is 975 cubic inches (16 liters).  I was originally planning on putting a mesh pocket on the front, but have decided it will be simpler to go without.  It could be difficult to access the objects at the bottom, but if I pack carefully, I can make it work. 

The Lazy Randonneur has a good description of how he packs his pocket-less panniers.  You can find it under the category 'bike touring' on his site.  I will try to pack similarly - it is simple, and easily remembered...