jimmy eng

Cheers everyone for the advice. In the back of my mind I thought the rescue was a bit ambitious but I'll let her know the options. Maybe she might be happy with just patching up the holes. Busted, I thought a rectangular patch with the same stitching would look appropriate mimicking the shape though the only concern I have is visually the bag flap will be a bit too 'busy' and top heavy. BillB, I didn't think of taking the bag apart and redyeing the whole thing. I'm always trying to find the shortest way to the solution (tunnel brain)! Twinoaks, I thought the stitching was a running stitch, I didn't think that you'd use it as a more than something decorative. Doesn't seem as strong but I guess the gluing the edges helps.

Sorry about the giant size of the photos, I don't know how to resize them yet. If anyone wants to know, the bag label says Made in France for Harrods (no company label). It's a pretty nice bag that is similar to a Hermes Constance bag shape. The stitching is spaced out which I thought was unusual. Any advice is appreciated even if it is to give it back to the dog! She's a new friend I met at the markets where I sell my stuff but she's moving in 16 days to Amsterdam so I thought I might see if I can do something with it.

Hi folks. A lady asked me to try and salvage (which is an understatement!) her vintage handbag which has been mauled by her dog. There's two large chunks bitten out of the bag flap which I could put some sort of patch on (they're roughly in the same place on opposite sides), deep bite marks on one corner of the flap and a lot off scratches all over the bag. I'm not too sure on how to go with the bite and scratch marks mostly.

PVA is a wood glue, it takes a long time to dry but I don't think you can remove it if you stuff up, it tends to leave a milky 'ghost' or a shiny spot if it dries quicker than when you get to it. I did get a white glue that was thin from a supplier (Australia) which I reckon is PVA from the smell and consistency but they market it as 'leather glue' ( bottle says it's water resistant leather adhesive). It's not sticky at all when you apply it, it's quite wet then forms a skin that dries from the outside in. I got it at birdsall-leather.com.au You could send them an email and ask what it actually is.

Thanks heaps fellas. I must have selective sight because I was just on the hardware elf site I know what I'm after now.

Hi folks, Sorry about the repeat of this topic but I've forgotten where another person posted the same question regarding what these are. The website I got the photo from pashley.co.uk says they are a 'military fix type' closure but I know there's a less vague name than that. If I can't find them, I think if I could fudge something similar by punching a slot and sewing a strap to keep a metal belt loop but I prefer the simple look of this hardware. Cheers.

In regards to your stitching, it looks like you're just using a single needle to thread in and out. To hand stitch it's best to use the two needle method but if you're going to use a single needle thread in and out all the way in one direction then reverse back until the beginning (the stitching should look like the stitching on the seams of a t-shirt, close and after one another). That way you get the same look as the double needle but for me it's never neater or rewarding. Buy The art of hand sewing leather by Al Stohlman, it explains a lot (helped me immensely) and look up youtube videos. Both pieces of the leather has to be aligned before sewing so at least trim the edges flush to each other. You can finish the edge later on if you prefer. To get both sides in the groove you have to watch where the awl enters and where it exits and stab slowly. If you see that it doesn't exit out of the groove line then pull the awl out and try again. Get a stitch spacer (it looks like a blunt pinwheel) probably in a number 7; you run it along the groove and it marks where your awl should pierce. Helps a lot for even stitches. I like the roughness of the belt loop, at first I thought it was on purpose because it made the back of the holster look like the shape of a state. It could be a design feature when the rest of the holster is really rigid in appearance.

Here's the sample I made with a bit of five cord thread for a strap. Just like most things, start somewhere then fix it as you go.

I just made one from my own eye. I got some paper, put it over my eye and traced the socket of my skull. Then I shaped it and cut it out see if it would be a good shape, marked the strap points and transferred the pattern onto the leather. I did wet the piece and form it by nailing the patch to the head of a rubber mallet as well so it wasn't pressing down on my eye so much. I just got this weird eye allergy/infection and it's not exactly looking pretty so I had to do something about it!

I've got a magnetic money clip from a brand called Fossil and from what I can see is that it's just a thick rectangular piece of leather with a suede lining sewn together and edge finished. Inside of it has a two round magnets but I'm sure that they've carved a recess in the thick leather so the magnets don't make a bump in the suede and glued them in there. It's crocodile so it has a great look with the scales on it.

Is the stitching for decoration? I'd use a sewing machine with a leather needle on it if it is. With hand sewing, I get bunching when the thread is too thick for the leather (either too thin or too soft) and I'm pulling too tight.

I didn't know where to put this link seeing that these aren't my designs but I thought they were too cute to not share. I'm sure the maker would love comments on them. http://www.etsy.com/listing/14344976/shrimp-toy

On the insides on one of my leather bags got mold and a friend suggested to use a mix of dish washing detergent and water and wipe it on then wipe it off with just water, it did the trick but the vinegar method makes more sense to me.

I thought you would have to tattoo the skin before it's made into leather so the skin can close up to retain the ink. In my thinking putting a lot of punctures in leather would leave wider holes that can't keep ink in. Manji, have you got any photos of some experiments you've done? It would be good to see the outcome of it. It's a great idea.

The stingray holster is brilliant, Eyeman, it looks like a piece of alien technology but incredibly naturally formed.