DoubleC

I've never resolened the inside of a project. I'm trying to think of something I can use for reference that would be similar to your project. Well belts, people sweat on their belts all the time and you just let them dry out. You don't resolene the back unless you've lined it with veg tanned. Cheryl

David I agree with Joe. I've never heard of a white dye that actually works. The white colors you see are leather that came white or have been painted. I use the same technique as Joe and use angelus paints. After it dries well and you seal it, it doesn't rub off. Your black dye could be another story. Seems it's the worst for having a rub off problem. Cheryl

That's too bad Jake. I need to build a new site too so I'll be following this thread. Have you checked out squarespace and, oh there's another one I've seen advertised. I haven't yet but I know they have web templates you can use instead of trying to build one from scratch. Cheryl

I shouldn't have spoken so soon. My messenger bag is chrome tanned not chrome xl and I've had no trouble with bleeding. Sorry to steer you wrong. But I don't understand why this is the top choice for wallets, etc. if it bleeds it's color? I have some noe I'm making into a wallet. Cheryl

I made my first and only messenger bag with chrome tanned leather and lined it with thin embossed veg tanned. It came out great and I'm not having any problems with stretch. It is rough out chrome if you look in my gallery, not the nicer excel. I think that would make gorgeous bags!!!!!Sorry don't know how to do footwear. Cheryl

Amazing work. Cheryl

Wow....just wow. Cheryl

Andy that is beautiful and I love the hardware you chose to go with it. Cheryl

No Tan Kote is fine. Also neatsfoot oil will darken it some and give it a weathered look with resolene. Show us the final project ok? Cheryl

Thanks Scott, I'm looking forward to seeing it. Cheryl

you want a zig zag stitch hand sewing? Well you could do it but I don't know of any special technique, LOL just a lot of tedious work. Cheryl

I have saddle stitched, well guess you can't call it that because it's not the correct way to do it, but a straight line by not using two needles, but rather one and going around the project twice. You don't seem to get the same angled look. Try it that way and see if you can get straight stitches. Cheryl

Scott, just looks like to me they used a thinner thread and smaller needle, it's still saddle stitched. Cheryl

If you want to leave it natural Widget just use resolene cut 50/50 with water over it when you finish the other dyeing. Use a couple light coats instead of one heavy one. I dye my things including the edges and then burnish the edges when the project is dry and then put the resolene on. I think the cover looks very nice but I don't do Sheridan style carving much so not one to ask about that. Cheryl

Here's Bobby's link! http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=18101

Thanks Joe and Mike. I have the book with coin purses but had forgotten about it, thanks. Cheryl

Thanks L. I just finished these a little while ago.

I whipped these up Saturday for an upcoming craft fair in the first of December. I'm so trying to make sure I don't run out of things to sell. Maybe I'm being too optimistic But I'd rather have 100 too many than not enough. Also any ideas anyone has on smaller things I can make will sure be appreciated. I'm making book marks and key chains too. Cheryl

What a cool idea. Cheryl

Thank looks to me like chrome tanned, close to an upholstery leather and like that finish was applied to it. It would be hard to replicate in veg tanned. You would have to wrinkle the leather, use white acrylic paint to get it white and then find a red antique gel of some sort to push into the wrinkles and wipe back off. Cheryl

Thank you Joe. I really have in a short time and I am so excited about the things I haven't even tried yet. I've seen your things Joe and they are nice. Maybe we need to market differently? Cheryl

Hi Bob. Right now I have 14 custom orders. Now that should be a good thing except to me it feels a little overwhelming. I have a bracelet, a bracelet fix, three belts a checkbook cover, 4 rifle slings and 4 leather bags for dominoes. I think the belt orders have come from people seeing other things I've done but the rest is simply stuff people ask me if I could do. I have around 100.00 in cash I'll get when these are done because I always take a deposit. I got all the money for the bags first because it was an etsy order last night and I charged 50.00. So I have 150.00 laying around on these. That may not be much for some people but it is me. But I'm a disorganized mess. I'm starting today with the first one waiting and just going from there but it's truly going to take me a while to finish these since I have so many other things going on right now, working toward a grant, a craft fair coming up this month and the last FM this Sat. The grant process alone is 3 meetings a week. My heads just spins around in circles over all this stuff, but I just finished up my email and decided I'm working until the bags, one belt and bracelet are done today because the bags are on a time crunch. I probably should have turned them down yesterday but I need more feedback at etsy. I know I can push through this but as you can see it's a pretty wide arrangement of things people want. I like making the pouches because I get to use my cobra on those and they are money makers too. I'm going to try and cut out two more while I'm at it for the craft fair. Then do the checkbook cover Sunday, and the two belts monday and the rifle slings Tuesday before my meetings start all over. I can't do the bracelet fix until I get rivets in my order this month. I am truly a nervous wreck and looking for ways to keep this from happening in the future but most of my money comes from custom orders. Thanks for helping Bob. Cheryl

Hi NV. I think you hit the nail on the head about my niche not staying the same. I'm doing a new business plan simply because it's change so much in a year. Maybe that's what's causing the whole uneasiness. This thing took off better than I expected and I'm having a hard time pinning down why. I feel like I'm so busy I don't have time to think about what I want to do next. I don't mean I'm getting rich from it yet, just that I have more work than I expected and I am making more than I expected in such a short time. I've only really been doing this since November of 2013 as far as having venues to sell from other than just word of mouth. I am excited about how well it's done but also a little scared I think. BTW you have a nice Etsy shop and your work is excellent. I am going to revamp mine this afternoon when I get a little time for myself Cheryl

Dwight you are so right. I'm happiest when I'm doing something new just because, not because it's a custom order. I get anxious doing new things that are custom which is usually just me getting in my own way because the price to replace the leather has never been so bad I couldn't afford it. But I feel like it has to come out perfect the first time and I don't know why. But it does relax me when I do those projects even though they don't usually work out right the first time. Aaron I misspoke a little about the purse. I had a woman that wanted to buy it and I wouldn't sell it because the strap wasn't sewn on securely enough. I told her I would repair that, or make her another one and she went to get change and never came back.....you get that a lot at the FMs. Just today I had a friend who is very honest got over everyone of my products on etsy and I need to go and take some things down and also change prices on over 1/2 of them. I think that's a very good idea. And not all of them did she think I should reduce, a couple she thought was under-priced. But it is so helpful to get some fresh eyes on your products for things like that. I hope you all know I'm feeling better with each reply, honestly. Cheryl

Looks good Joe, good luck on the samples Cheryl