GirlFromScandinavia

Im finishing off a pair of boots and I wanted some advice on how I can get my tribal flames to look good. Anyone wana give me a tip to good picks or tutorialls! I d really appriciate it!! Thanks a million in advance! PS. Im looking for inspirationall paterns on devils, sculls ect. but the hardest part for me are backgrounds for pictures like sculls. Its just so boring to place a solo scull for example and having the background blanck. How do I continue enlarging the details. Thats probably a stupid question and Ill figure out when I get more experience!! Anyhow, Happy working to everybody!

Hey Thanks!! But since you´re in Sweden, you can share my friend!! He´s got his web pages....I think its www.bootfactory.com or google Boot Factory in Helsinki, his shop is pretty near the center!!

The previous comments pretty much sum it up!!! Fantastico!!

Thanks allot for the inspirational comments, I´ll probably have to renew my wardrobe!! I´m gona have to start to do some leather carving on the next pair. The problem is that so far my tools are a spoon, some spatulas, a few crocheing hooks and ods and ends,,,, I need some basic tools, but I want good ones, since quality beets quantity!!! Like seen on the boots, my style is pretty much freehand, it can be pictures of pretty much of anything, Im open to by any tools if anyones got a small set to sell!! Oh, and I put one pic of one strap where you can see my tools!!!

Here we go... I am so lucky to know a guy who´s a well known boot maker and has his shop in Helsinki. Once this autumn I stopped by his shop and of course, started dreaming of a pair of handmade boots for myself. We started taking the measurements down and at the same time talked of dying leather. He suggested that I design the (what you ma call it) top part myself and I was so thrilled from the very beginning!! Being a dragon in my Chinese zodiac, thats what I decided to paint. After I had painted the leg parts, I gave them to my friend to finish off in to boots. I had imagined the lower parts to be something totally different, but I gave him free hands to make the boots in to what he liked. I haven´t worn them yet, but I´d imagine them to be quite a head turner! I´d like you to give me any comments and critique that come in to mind, just incase I start making more of these boots. And,I used acetone based colours called NARVI, if anyone has suggestions for other good bright colours for me to use, I´d love to hear!!

Hi! I read an interesting study on using reactive dye usually used on textiles that were tried out on leather. Usually reactive dyes are used on silk, polyamid, and selulose wich reacts with the help of chemicals on textiles. Any way, this study tried out reactive dyes on rawhide using a chemical named trinatriumphosphate, which is an alchaline. Now, of course I got interested, having used acetone based colors (Narvi), which tend to be costly compared to the ones the study had. I´m curious, has anyone tried anything of the sort? The study clamed that the results were good, the pigments stayed on the surface and since the colour whent through the surface of the leather, instead of staying on top, the leather was softer after drying. I tried out a few of the colors and Im still testing them out, since my trials have not totally stayed on the leather. I dont know if my porportions are wrong, but the pigments seem to run off when I wet the leather again. Also the mixture has to be hot. Heres the recipie I tried; 2ml. reactive dye + 1 dl.boiling water + 1,5g trinatriumphosphate = gives you around 1 dl. of color liquid. You can use the liquid after its cooled of to 50 degrees celsius. The study also recomended that the drying time was 2 days. OK. I´m really exited on getting good results on this color since its a lot cheaper than the ones Im using now, but, so far the colours have not been bright enough and havent stuck well enough. If you have any experience on the matter, I´d really appriciate further knowledge!

Hi! I read an interesting study on using reactive dye usually used on textiles that were tried out on leather. Usually reactive dyes are used on silk, polyamid, and selulose wich reacts with the help of chemicals on textiles. Any way, this study tried out reactive dyes on rawhide using a chemical named trinatriumphosphate, which is an alchaline. Now, of course I got interested, having used acetone based colors (Narvi), which tend to be costly compared to the ones the study had. I´m curious, has anyone tried anything of the sort? The study clamed that the results were good, the pigments stayed on the surface and since the colour whent through the surface of the leather, instead of staying on top, the leather was softer after drying. I tried out a few of the colors and Im still testing them out, since my trials have not totally stayed on the leather. I dont know if my porportions are wrong, but the pigments seem to run off when I wet the leather again. Also the mixture has to be hot. Heres the recipie I tried; 2ml. reactive dye + 1 dl.boiling water + 1,5g trinatriumphosphate = gives you around 1 dl. of color liquid. You can use the liquid after its cooled of to 50 degrees celsius. The study also recomended that the drying time was 2 days. OK. I´m really exited on getting good results on this color since its a lot cheaper than the ones Im using now, but, so far the colours have not been bright enough and havent stuck well enough. If you have any experience on the matter, I´d really appriciate further knowledge!

Thanks everyone for your answers, I´ve been buisy enjouing the sun with the kids and everything related to work in the cellar has been forgot!! But, as I start puttin´it in to working condition, I´ll be sure to get back to the needle orders!! Thanks again!! GFS, Katariina

hi! This reply does not concearn your question at all, but since you are located in <norway, and checking ot the leather seene there, I´d request some help. A few years ago, I bought some fish skins from a market place, form here Finland. The lady told me she was from Norway and I´ve been trying to find a person who makes theese fish skins, since there seems to be no one here in Finland who makes them. I just thought, if you find some one there, could you inform me? I make guitar straps, and have been marketing my self through the net with my pages. It brings a few customers every now and then, but the more noise I make of my self and the more I keep in touch with customers, the more orders I get. Its a long process to get a reputation and now adays it needs a lot of time on the computor. Ive had to get a real job every now and then, just to get the bills payed, and then go back to hand crafts. The problem I run in to is that a handcraft person often lacks the marketing skills and in my case, I dont like to sit in front of the screen, when I could be working on a project. But, adjustment and learning to use your time wisely, I think those work for me.

Hi! As i was rummiging around in an old warehouse, I came up on this interesting peice of j-nk??!! Or as I hope, I stumbled upon treasure!! Can anyone tell me if this is something to do with leather sewing, and if so, what I might get it to do for me?? There were manufactoring info on the side wich said: Vilh. Pedersen, Hong, Nodel no. 308 Danmark. If you can possibly tell me anything to get it to work, I´be gratefull.( the last 3 picks) I also use a Durkoff in sewing straps, and I took a picture of it. Since I´v just gotten it, I cant figure out the lubrication system. I´d also like to know, how large needels and string i can sew with it.(the first 2 picks) Thankfull for any replies!! O´o, the first pickture didnt appear.. I´ll see if I can fix that.

Hey!! Thanks allot guys for making me feel wellcome, all I have to do now is learn to use this pannel correctly, lets see if this txt goes to the right place!! But yeah Tom, min svensk är inte so mycket bra. Jag har inte studerat svensk, men jag har bort i Uppsala för ett ar. And my sisters fiance is a Swedish boy too, so, I guess we can write in Swedish too, if just to keep others puzzled!! I think Sweden is the best and and the people are great! But, since I lived in NYC when I was a kid, I ´ve got a soft spot for the yanks too! Today´s one of the hottest days of summer but I´m off to the cellar to work on a strap. The bands name is Closed Eye Vision, and I havent a clue on `what they are like´, I did the mistake in not asking enough about them and the client wanted me to do it just the way I like... Im hitting total blanks in my brain right now but when I get this one finnished, I´ll take a picture and let you all see what came out of it!!!

Hi! i found this great site a few months ago but finally this morning had time to sit down and have a good look in to what´s in it! And boy, am I ever happy! I´ve pretty much worked on leather by my self for the last 10 years (thats when the bug bit me!). Since I live up in the not so populated Finland, I have a hard time finding fellow leather mender benders, to share thoughts and ideas with, but finally I feel as though I´m not alone anymore!!! My man and I have a little custom shop where he makes electric guitar pickups and I´m the strap lady. So far, I´ve been making guitar straps by order, each unique, and using a lot of different thecniques, but, I´m searching for a new approach, wich hopefully would narrow each job down to a more personall and less varied method (mostly to save time!) Now adays It takes me atleast a week, just to decide how I´ll want to make each one!! I´ve also bought my self 2 leather sewing machines,Singer and an old Durkopf, and I really hope to share some users tips with someone who´s got the same modells!! If you wana check our site, its www.mikkihouse.com. I´ll be around!!