blink1688

This looks exceptional, thank you for sharing. Makes me want to get back into making some larger projects.

I'm having some trouble identifying and locating the proper elastic. Do you have any suggestions on where to buy and what to look for?

Looks great! I especially like the consistency in the basket weave on the back panel - Intentional or unintentional, the texturing on the back will allow a little more friction for a better grip too. Only thing I would consider doing differently is maybe burnishing some of those longer edges on the interior pockets but I could also see someone wanting those to be left raw too.

That's awesome!

Thank you for the suggestion. I'm practicing on an old pair my wife has that don't fit her anymore and needs a similar alteration

I've been asked if I can help someone with three sets of boots and I'm looking for some guidance. This is my first time working on boots. Pairs 1 & 2: The owner recently recovered from a broken leg. The damage to her leg and the reduced activity has caused her leg, particularly around the calf, to become larger. She had one of the pairs custom made for her before the accident and she'd really like to keep them. For these two pairs I'm looking to learn the following: Are either of these candidates for stretching? (I'm am worried about the pair with patent leather at the top developing cracks if I attempt to stretch them -- she didn't even get a chance to use this pair before her accident) If stretching is viable, what is the best way to go about that? (I assume it would be best to refer to a shoe repair shop in this case?) Both pairs have a V-shaped relief cut along the inside of the calf (1.5" to 2" down and about 0.5" to 0.75" wide at the top) bridged with elastic. I was considering making this V longer and slightly wider. Is this a good idea? If making the V larger is the appropriate route, what type of elastic is this and where can I get some? Pair 3: The owner of this pair has a tendency to let her leg rub... a LOT. The interior lining still looks to be in good condition. I'm planning to cut away the frayed edges of the exterior leather, making a patch on the hole, and adding a reinforcement panel to both boots to make them symmetrical (only one of the boots has a hole right now). What I'm looking to learn here: What should I be wary of while making this repair? What leather is best for the job? (I am currently thinking of using lightweight black oil tanned)

Nice work! Hope the first pair of chaps I make come out that nice. As for the shirts, would leather vests of any sort be helpful? (Sorry if that's a silly question. I haven't the slightest idea of what you have to do to round up the cattle)

That's a cool idea. Thank you for sharing. Yes, a lot of times there's a little more graininess when the file size is reduced. Unfortunately, taking pictures in the dark is tough and tends to inherently cause graininess because the average magnitude of light hitting the photo sensor in the camera isn't necessarily enough to be above the electrical noise in the camera - I don't know that I explained that well while trying to keep it concise.

Thank you both (@Big Sioux Saddlery, @Northmount ) for the help. Finished the repair a few weeks ago and I think it turned out well. The owner was ecstatic and started to show all her friends and she said it's working great for jumping and everything still Ended up using waxed, braided polyester

Thank you for this thread!! I had a similar experience with a 206RB-5 practically dropping into my lap -- nobody to thank but God for this one -- and I found this thread really helpful for determining my next steps to get it set up for the work I need to get done.

Sure, here you go. Owner specified she didn't care about aesthetics very much on this piece, just wants to make sure it's functional and gave me liberty to experiment a little. (I still intend to make it look as good as I can though). The near-side has been worn and is ready to tear in a similar way so I will be doing the same thing to both sides. The stitching shown is a test to make sure it pulls the tear together well, pulls on the strip of reinforcement leather without creating lumps in the seat, and does a good job covering it up at the same time (6-cord Barbour's I waxed with beeswax). I'll cutting the test stitching out, of course. Whatever I end up using, I'm going to make sure the color I use matches the leather more closely. I was contemplating the idea of working a thin piece of leather in and out under-over the threads to better protect some of the stitching. The stitch on the topside looks like this: || X || X || The stitch on the underside looks like this: ||| ||| ||| Not as important as abrasion resistance. My concern about UV resistance is probably just 'new-guy-trying-to-do-the-best-job-he-can paranoia' lol

Gonna be on this quest until I find what I'm looking for but I'll share what I find as I find it in this thread: Best repository of info I've found so far: https://www.thethreadexchange.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=Information If I can't find the summary chart I know I've seen in the past somewhere, I might be able to make a general guide from this site.

Thank you! Not quite what I'm looking for but it's definitely useful information -- bookmarking that one

I have an Antarés close contact saddle I've been asked to repair. In short, I'm trying to identify the best thread for the job. I need something tha's very resistant to UV and is extremely abrasion resistant. What do you recommend? There was a wonderful reference page that compared characteristics of thread types I thought I found on this site ages ago. Unfortunately, I haven't been successful in relocating it. If you know what I'm talking about, any idea where to find it? More context: The owner doesn't want to have the whole seat replaced but asked for me to repair a tear on the edge where it is sewn to the jockeys and the rider's thigh rests.

Thanks for the heads up! Do you prefer to make a straight edge? (well.. I guess I don't really mean straight but I hope you get my meaning)