Cutting out pattern pieces. What is the trick?

[Zilla]

So for Christmas I got the DVD for the Ultimate ball cap from HideCrafters. Watched it several times and thought to myself, "self you can do this, it's easy enough". So I haul my butt thru snow and ice to my local Tandy store and got myself a "sheet" of leather. You know that 8.5x11 sheet that's thin but still toolable.

Since I had to day off today I did a real skippy job of trace'n around the bill of that cap. Did it all just like that nice man in the video said. I cut it out and remessured, twice even. Made my adjustments and fitted it on there 2,3, 4 maybe even 6 times before I put it to the leather. I carefuly traced my lines, even flaten'd out the bill of the cap over the leather just to make sure.

I took in a deep breath and made my first cut, holding it till it was done and not a single scallop from the shears left. Gingerly I slid it into place on my ball cap. Well there was an adjustment here, one there, WOW how did I get a full 1/2 inch off there? So I held my breath again, turning blue as I trimmed here and there. Undercutting the back curve so the seam wouldn't give me fits.

I had to call up 911 due to lack of air and almost passing out, (kidding of course) but the thought of spending a good 30 minutes checking my pattern over and over again and then to have this so far off did give me a bit of a shock.

(phone call and I had to go running into work because of drama)

I return to the work desk, (my lap with a clip board lazy susan that is just great for trace'n on. I put the leather back on and I sware to god it had grew by 3/4 of an inch. So I trimmed, trimmed a lil more. Someplace in the back of my head a little voice woe'd of "this was to be a fast and fun lil project, something I could do several of and make a few bucks doing it".

There must be a trick to this but it hasn't found me as of yet. I look at the floor and the many trimmings that now cover it.

As of now I'm about scared to death to wet it down and start my tooling. Yes I had to buy some of those new geometric sets while at TLF. I'm not big on the whole glue'n to poster board but the thoughts of tooling this now hours and hours worth of cutting and holding my breath and only to find it grew by an inch would put me over the edge and leather tools and DVD would go flying out the window into the street.

So to you masters of the craft...how does one do this with out the need for an O2 monitor?

I'm sure there will be more to come of this now day long project.

[Dags3777]

Great story, sorry to laugh almost all the way through it. Darryl

[Trauma]

I have had almost this exact same scenario happen to me, almost down to the lack of O2 almost doing me in.

Up until now I'd always figured it was me just being impatient, but your comment of holding your breath until turning blue while trimming here and there 'just until it works' described me to a T.

I really can't explain it. All I did was practise cutting the pieces out from linoleum until I had it perfected and it's worked without an issue.

[TwinOaks]

Not familiar with the DVD, but my suggestion is check to see where you're tracing. Are you allowing for the thickness of the leather?

[leatherjunkie]

been thinking about adding that video to my collection.

instead of glueing the leather to cardboard, use painters masking tape. i get my tape at the local auto supply store, 1" wide blue painters tape.

to me it works and helps keep the leather from stretching while toolling.

be sure to post a picture when you are finished

[HorsehairBraider]

You know, I used to teach. Not leather work but weaving, spinning, braiding etc. This is almost universal - people hold their breath when they are learning a new thing and trying to concentrate. When someone didn't "get it" I would make them breathe - IN through the nose, OUT through the mouth, for a minute or so and - BINGO! All at once they would get it. Made me look really smart. But you know, your brain runs on oxygen and sugar. You have to breathe. Just try it - next time you are learning something and having a hard time, just try breathing. IN through the nose, OUT through the mouth. Hey, what can it hurt? And it won't cost you a thing...

As for the skills of cutting - "Experience is what you get, when you don't get what you wanted". You just got yourself some experience. Congratulations!

[Zilla]

Well here it is after tooling some basket weave on it and playing with a new I tool for the border. Looks sorta like nail heads or rivet to me. Might have to paint them.

After it dries I'm going to get it glued down and might try my hand at some hand stitching since I picked up one of those awl things at the toy store yesterday (ie: TLF)