yaklady

Happy Birthday, Clay! I mean Bert! Give those cute little kids of yours each a happy birthday hug for me, okay? I think Ernie is jealous because he didn't think of being 29 forever before I did. I lost track of all the people who think my daughter Sheena and I are sisters. I AM only 5 years older than she is, it could happen . . .

I haven't done much in the way of inlays, but I did learn what I know from other people. When I'm inlaying another type of skin, I like putting a layer of leather underneath it to lift it up a bit. I do that with applique braiding, too. Sometimes a stiff foam rubber underneath is a cool thing. Tony, skiving on a piece of glass is the best way to go. There's nothing to get caught up on with glass.

Oh my gosh, it's Galaxy Quest! You're like the pig thing that turned inside out and exploded! I hope you didn't get slime all over your store. Yuk! My students were like Galaxy Quest, too. There were the Thermians, and believed everything I told them, just the way they believed Tim Allen on the movie. I never experienced that before, usually my students argue with me about something. Maybe for my next class, we could do the Andromeda System, and it can "change our lives". Or we could put Bert's triplets on leather. It will be difficult keeping the leather still. It was indeed a great weekend! Great company, great hospitality like Ernie said, great fun playing in Bert's workshop after class, and great fun playing with those 3 cute little kids! Thank you for having me! Kathy

I've heard that cutting on sheet meteal works well. They say you don't dull your knife. I think I'll try that out. We just put sheet metal on top of the yak shak . . .

Clay really deserves an award for having a blister on the back of his finger! Who ever heard of such a thing?! Next time I go to Rapid City to teach, I'm taking mole skin along. If Clay can work up a blister by using a modeling spoon, could you imagine what he would look like after stitching or basket weaving? ) I only took a few pictures, and will be happy to share. Clay B probably has some better ones. He may decide to share as well. These are of each of the students, Bert and Ernie (Clay and Clay), Don and Rick. These guys were easy to teach, they actually listened to me! They were a lot of fun. I look forward to the time I can return to Rapid City and do it again. Kathy

The kind of knife you use is purely a personal thing, and really irrelevant to getting your corners done right. Some peole can cut out anything with a huge head knife. A thin blade is not your anwer here. Your corners can be easily cut with any sharp knife you choose. All you have to do is cut AWAY from the corner. Start your cut right in the corner. Push the blade into the leather and be sure to get it all the way through. Carefully follow the pattern line away from that spot. When you get near the next corner, turn your knife around and start in that corner, working towards the section that is already cut. NEVER cut into the corner. The same applies to swivel knife work. When I have a cut border, for instance, I always stop short of the corner. The line is finished off with bevelling. Hope this helps! Kathy By the way, I prefer a utility knife like the one you were using.

Keith Johnstone at Chaylor-Fenneli gave me a pen like that one time. That's just the thing you need! I suggest you contact him. www.chaylor.com

Very nicely done! What does the back look like? Kathy

Marlon, I made the pattern myself, but it's easy. Al Stohlman's "The Art of Making Leather Cases, Vol. 2" page 41 tells you how to do it. I use thinner leather, 4/5 oz., add a cardboard stiffener and lining leather. This particular case is about 7" long, 3" wide and 2" high, just right for hand tools. When making a pattern, start with the bottom piece and work your way out. You'll be surprised at how simple it is. Art, It was time well spent. The students were talking about making cases for different purposes. If they make use of what they learned, it was certainly well worth the time! Wildrose, The pattern came from Bob Beard. It's the perfect pattern for a class like this because it has options. No one likes to make the same as everyone else. Some of the students even embossed the flower. I don't have a scanner to put the pattern onto the site, but I could mail you a copy if you pm me your address, or maybe someone else could post it for me. The one with the intials was done by the manager of the store. He did the whole thing left handed (he's right handed). He wants to learn everything left handed so that he can better teach the people who come in to learn. The letters came straight off the computer, and the border was one I came up with. I was doubtful about the pink, too, but it turned out awesome. I'm getting my own ideas for a pink case. Kathy

As long as no one starts throwing sharp objects at me for making them do all this stuff to their leather, it'll be a great class! Kathy

This past weekend I needed something to take my mind off the IFoLG show since I couldn't go, so I taught a class at the Littleton Tandy's. We made leather boxes, just the right size to put hand tools like modeling tools and edge bevellers in. I only managed to get pictures of four of them. How do you like that pink one??? Kathy

Please see the calendar for the class description and time. I couldn't add this picture to the calendar listing, so I'm plugging it in here so you can see what the class is really about. Hope to see you there! Kathy

Colorado Saddle Makers Association will not be hosting the Art of the Saddle Maker after all. If you were planning on going to see it, don't go! It's a shame, because it has always been a wonderful display, and the workshops are beneficial. I guess you better go to the IFoLG show instead. Kathy

Here's my coyote! Is this cheating? He's not howling. He was chasing pocket gophers in the yak pasture. Kathy

Hi Brett, Rubber cement is not a permanent bond, so it's no wonder you're having trouble with it adhering. Marlon had good advice as to glueing the grain side. You can also use a rub stick or beveled glass to adhere the peices evenly. I rather like the new contact cement that Tandy's has, but it is expensive. Hardware stores carry Weld Wood contact cement in pint or quart cans. I think they even have gallon size cans. Personally, I like the Gel Formula. It doesn't string out like normal contact cement. Anyway, this is a much cheaper way to go, $6 or $7 for a quart rather than $23 for the Tandy's cement. Leather Weld works well for some projects, but once again, you can get Tacky Glue at your local hobby store, which costs a couple of bucks, or you can get it at Tandy's for $8. I'm not trying to put down Tandy's, as I love it there, but there are much cheaper ways to go, and get the same results. As far as edge coat, Cheylor-Fennelli has a product that works great. They also have a fool-proof applicator to go with it. I don't know the name of the edge coat, as the label has no name, but it comes in black or brown. Good stuff! If you need other colors, I would do as Marlon does. Kathy

Clay, that's about the best leather feather I have seen! I agree with Surveyor, it looks like you plucked it from the bird. Kathy

It looks just like the needle the taxidermist gave me for fixing the holes in my yak hide. Only difference is mine is only 2 inches long. Kathy

I know a teenage boy who made a knife like this, only he didn't have the fancy handle. His rotary blade broke, and he wanted to make use of it because it was still sharp. Do you have a way to change the blade on that beautiful handle? It looks like the handle would out live the blade. Wonderful idea! Kathy

Clay, there is always something you can do with a masterpiece like this one. For instance, sew it on the front of a book cover. If you have a big enough book, you can leave room on the top for a title or a name, or room around the whole thing for some sort of ingenius border design. The piece is very well done. My favorite part is the coloring on the oak leaves. I wish I could do so well! Kathy

You're letting that short distance stop you???

You want us to find something wrong with that??? I don't think so. That piece is perfect! I do have one question: Why didn't you use a hair blade on the feathers? What is this bag used for? Oh, that's 2 questions. The bag is beautiful, I wouldn't change a thing. Kathy

I have always admired the eagles that Clay does. Perghaps that eagle that Jim Linnell submitted for the challenge pattern last month would be a good subject. Or maybe one of his cool elk in the forest. Whatever he does, it has got to be some figure carving because he is so good at that. Kathy

Since freak has first dibbs on the finished masterpiece, I think Clay should do an embossed picture of freak's cute doggie with the big teeth. Some nice finger cuts around the subject would be good, and if you could add some doggie odor essence, how perfect a masterpiece! Oh yes, and make the hair look like feathers. This is one demo I would love to be there for, the first of a new trend! It definitely needs to be video taped. If only SD was closer to home . . . Kathy

When I have a finger cut, it looks like this.