DoubleC

Thanks Ian, I'm pretty excited about it. I got a great deal on a Cobra 4 because it's white. A factory mistake. I can't wait until it gets here. I'm glad you had a relaxing day and hope you are happy and relaxed about your decision. Cheryl

Lan these are good questions you're asking yourself and ones 95% of us struggle with all the time. I just jumped in head first into the murky waters of buying a sewing machine that hasn't arrived yet because I can't keep up. Yet my profits to date don't really justify such a purchase. I'm gambling that my profits will increase with it in order to pay for it. I sell at the local farmer's market twice a week and sell very little premade stuff so the majority of my business comes from custom orders. So while it keeps things interesting there's also a learning curve every week. To illustrate I'm currently working on recovering a chair and a woman ask me to make her some 3/8th " purse straps to replace some that were plastic and broke. The purse probably didn't cost what I had to charge to replace them for her. To make it worse where we sell is practically in Walmart's parking lot LOL. I had a guy show me a 16.00 wallet he got there and asked me if I could duplicate it......for 16.00. I'm still chuckling about that although that may not have been my best customer service I've provided. But you know only you can answer these questions for yourself. All businesses I think deal with a poor supply occasionally and that should just be written into your equation when you look at your business plan. Supplies are going to arrive late, damaged, different than what you expected. Customers are going to expect more when they buy hand made rather than less because the Chinese stuff 'looks good' even though we know it's not going to last. I'm replicating a Chines belt right now that's giving me fits on the embossed design it has on it. I can't get it to scan straight and it's going to need taped to the belt when I do to get it on without it sliding. I've been asking myself some of these questions recently because I am slow and I want everything perfect as I can get it when the customer gets it back. I wish I could answer them for you but I can't answer them for myself. Good luck. Cheryl

absolutely gorgeous.....Cheryl

Hi CW. I built a messenger bag a while back http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?app=galleryℑ=17299 I had no experience in this either. I used a priority mail box, seriously to draw the lines on the leather and get the shape right. I guess I'm kinda a 'try it and see if it works' instead of pattern person. I used chrome tanned on the outside and the inside on both the gusset and the bag is an embossed veg tanned for stability so it's not too floppy. I also used the veg tanned as pockets for folders, etc. I really beat mine up, take it every where, over load it with stuff and it's holding up well. You can see I left my flap the way it came from the supplier. I cut the front panel using the rectangular large priority mail box as a pattern. This would work well for you too. Then I cut the back even to the priority mail box and left it longer and used the excess for the flap. I cut two pieces of veg tanned the size of the box and also a smaller rectangular piece I put under the flap to reinforce where the suitcase handle is. I cut a 4" gusset out of pig for the outside and the same veg for the inside. I glued all the edges together, veg to pig, veg to chrome and started sewing the gusset on. I had to make some modifications as I went along but since it was for me I didn't mind. You could do the same with any kind of leather. If you're going to use all veg tanned use maybe 6 oz for the main body and then 3-4 oz for the pockets inside. Also if you want an outside pocket be sure and cut that and sew it on the back or gusset, where some people put them, before you construct the bag. If you're putting it on the gusset, you can start sewing the gusset to either the front or back and then still have room to line it up and sew the pocket on the gusset before the bag gets difficult to work with. If you want a flap on the pocket this is the time to sew it too. The bag will be the back of your pocket of course. I put a sliding foam filled shoulder protector on mine. If you want that just make sure you make it up before attaching the second side of the strap. This is probably more information than you wanted, LOL but the main thing is to work it out on paper first so you don't forget any steps and have to undo anything. After you list every thing you need to have to do it, make sketches of the finished project so you can remember where you wanted what! I hope this helped. Cheryl

those are really cool! Cheryl

Son279 you can use as many types of leather imaginable just about for belts and wallets. A good place to start is veg tanned, but I made a bison calf wallet, and you can use oil tanned leather to make belts too. The oil tanned will be dyed already, the veg tanned probably not. You don't need a sewing machine to start, everything can be hand sewed and is much cheaper than starting out with a machine. The possibilities are endless so the advice you've been given above is very good. Make some wallets and belts for friends and family to practice. Use your own wallet to see how they are put together, your own belt to decide what you want to use for belts. I hope this helps, Cheryl

Thomas I have a 15-91 for sale if you're interested. Just PM me. Cheryl

I think it's great for your first time. Your backgrounding looks great on it and your cuts are nice. Cheryl

that is really pretty. If I was doing it I would know the end pieces, then wrap both ends with a black lining leather and make it look like it was meant to be that way. I also think you could use a lacing needle and weave the ends a little ways back through the braid where it wouldn't be too noticeable. I'd like to see it finished. Cheryl

I have a rough out messenger bag, chrome tanned. Resolene just peels off of it. I'm not sure if it's veg tanned split which you may be talking about. Hopefully someone that's used it on veg tanned can help. But if you used chrome it won't stick. Cheryl

I just bought a Cobra 4, not here yet and they will sew from lightweight leather on up. Will use bonded 69 thread up to 400 something I don't remember. However I started with a singer 15-91 and two other antique singers. They have always done a good job for me until I got an order to redo a chair and it would be sewing over 20 oz with the fold. There are some really good sewing machine people on here that can help more than I can. I hear the Singer 111's mentioned a lot to start with although I don't have one, but I think they are walking foot. Cheryl

scary enough that I'd run the other way It is a great job though Faire. Cheryl

What a cool idea Faire. I will try my best to keep up this time but things have been hectic around here the last month and not seeing an end in sight. Can't wait to see pictures of yours though. And any ideas as the teacher in this challenge on where to get some ideas because masks are such a specialty area I've never even thought about one. Cheryl

I got a strap end punch from Bruce Johnson, a member here that sells used tools. PM him and he'll set you up with a good one. Mine has a solid handle and is very heavy. Cheryl

Beautiful work Bonnie. Nice rtro see some of it. You do really nice work. Cheryl

Beautiful work, Cheryl

Very nice, python looks great and very neat work. Cheryl

No, just wanted to see the python wallet, but not someone's website. Put some pics up for him Russ if you think I was harsh and I'll be glad to look. Cheryl

Speaking of yourself in the third person and leaving links to your website always seems very odd to me. However, learning to push the 'attach files' button doesn't seem very hard at all to me. I'll have a look when you put some photos here on LWs. Cheryl

Throw down the gauntlet and maybe I won't do so poorly on picking it up this time, Cheryl

Anywhere but Tandy. I buy my hardware from Springfield leather co. (at top of page on forum) and I put brass on a messenger bag I made over a year ago and even bleached the tops to age them some and they are fine still. Cheryl

Sadly if you agree buy American at Tandy most of their things aren't. Just the storefronts, which is better I guess than actually buying from China. But Glendon is right, it's the walmart of leather. Cheryl

Beautiful, your braiding is so beautiful. Cheryl

What kind of machine do you have? Because even my antique singers will handle 3/4oz. I don't know why you'd want to use a 'cheaper' leather to make yourself a wallet? I made one once out of bison calf that was both supple and firm, but that's expensive leather. I can't think of anything else you could use right off hand. Let me know what you come up with, Cheryl Sorry, didn't answer your one question, pretty sure that is veg tanned.