Bluesman,
Thanks for the feedback. Sorry it took so long to reply. I don't get on here too often and look at my own work. (I tend to check out other's stuff and forget that I posted.) The stitching doesn't actually go all the way around. I made the inner cover pretty long and it works with a composition book. But with any firm book I think it would be difficult to get in and out. It looks like the stitching goes all the way around because I did a groove that continues all the way around and just stitched where I needed it.
Interesting that you bring up your customer base. I got into leatherworking when I was deployed with the military and there was a guy who had been doing it for years and gave me some tips and lessons. I was at a conference not too long ago and saw another guy with a beautiful leather notebook cover. I struck up a conversation, asking if he did leatherwork. He said that he actually bought it at an show and come to find out, it was made by the guy who taught me. I thought I recognized the work. But he raved about the cover and said that he always got complements. So you never know where your work is going to show up!
My first attempt at a briefcase. Had some problems with the gussets that you can't see here. It was a good learning experience and look forward to trying again with some good lessons learned.