Kia ora,
My name is Leiana, and I'm a native New Zealander (Maori), and we recently re-located to Queensland, Australia for work purposes.
I was making taniko belts back at home; a traditional patterned dense fabric made using a finger-weaving technique, and had them stitched onto leather belts. It was while I was searching on the internet recently to learn how to sew the taniko onto the leather myself that I learned about the art of leather carving....
I think the belts would look better if the weaving was set into the leather, maybe I can skive out the centre?
I have leather craft tools coming now...
I've bought an old Singer 251-4...
I'm going to need help learning how to use these, because
I want to carve leather belts with maori patterns of whakairo (wood carving), raranga (weaving) and kowhaiwhai (rafter paintings)....
I want to carve belts with Australian native plants (gum leaves and gumnuts, and kangaroo paws etc) for the Aussie cowboys and girls here....
(Whether they want them or not is another story though!!!)
Happy to hand-stitch the belts using saddle stitch.
I want to make leather bags and tool them also, with our Maori patterns....
Would probably use the sewing machine to make up the bags.
I want the rest of the kids to grow up and leave home, so I've got more time for the above Still got 5 of 9 at home!
Well, that's a little bit about me, and why I've joined this community. I don't have much to offer others right now, but I'm hoping that with time and practice, I'll be able to develop some skills, and be in a better position to start giving back.