Bearns

Hummm.... sounds like some interesting possibilities, makes me want to try some fabric linings.

I'm glad this thread is here because it is just what I needed to read today. I've been pulling teeth dragging my feet putting off finishing a gun belt and holster set ever since the wife of the man who asked me to make it wrote "will you need compensated for making his holster..." as a facebook comment. Compensated? Why no, of course not... I just love going in the hole on supplies and spending countless hours making gifts for everyone I've ever met. NO, I did not write that... I just ignored it, waited a few days and then emailed a lengthly apology for taking so long detailing out some of the time consuming processes, like hand stitching, etc. I just have a bad feeling about this all around. When he asked me to make the holster, I told him that I did not know how and he said, "wanna learn?" And he said he would pay me for my work. So okay... I'll give it a go, but let's see how it turns out first before setting a price because with it being a first holster, not sure how it will turn out... I'd let him know what the cost of supplies were and he could add what he thinks the labor is worth based on the quality of the finished product, discuss the price when it's done and he can touch it, see the quality and/or obvious flaws. He gave me an old holster to measure to make the pattern and the artistic freedom to tool it anyway I want. (I blog about the making of this holster set at http://artbelts.blogspot.com if you're curious.) I have a feeling the true price of this leatherwork will cost a friendship as his wife seems to think I should work for free, that there is no good way out of it. Even if I just say thank you, chalk it up to a learning experience that now I know that one should always guote at least a ballpark price from the get go, I will feel like they don't value me or my work if the price is too low.

Thanks for the welcome!

Hi! I have been wandering around here quietly reading so maybe I should introduce myself. I'm Nancy aka Bearns (old spelling of my last name) from ye about halfway between Cleveland and Pittsburgh, but I do not drive so the nearest Tandy store may as well be on the moon. I posted photos in what I thought was my personal gallery here and it kind of scared me away for a bit when I saw them show up across the top of the forum page as my work is so full of flaws. I am just learning but I think this will become that thing that I do. There must not be a lot of leather workers around my town as I already have people asking me to make things. I tell them that I don't know how yet and they say I can learn by making theirs. I have a feeling this website will be one I refer to many times. For that, I shall thank you all in advance and maybe someday, my work will be good enough to able to give back and help someone else.