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(if you meant folding the sewed edge over itself, like rolling it) No! The French seam is when each side lays down on each side and top stitched from the top. All of this type of seam MUST include a backing else the seam won't have any strength. It also stops any pulling apart of the initial stitch line so will never show from the top. This link will take you to a Cechaflo video. This man is a maestro with a sewing machine and although he mainly does auto stuff you will learn shed loads from watching all of his videos and the man never says a word. Getting back to the backing, A liner of some sort could replace the backing provided that you sew through it to give strength to the seam. A Car Seat Bolster using Piping and French Seams - Car Upholstery

I think you're doing well! For a newbie you're taking on a variety of techniques which shows that you're learning and also that you have a degree of confidence. Some things can only be learned by doing, not reading. The mistakes are minor and will get better with practice. You missed an opportunity with your 10mm seam allowance. You could've practiced your skiving on that because it won't be seen. it would also have given you the option of "butterflying" it so it lays down flat on both sides. Subtle marks top and bottom help to line panels up to ensure stitches line up as well as starting from the same position on every panel. As it is you can simply cut down the seam allowance and/or put in a drop in liner just fixed around the top.

Awesome job DT. My thoughts on tooling flowers and scrolls are well known but I do like tooling to highlight practical projects. I don't have the skill to do it myself, maybe some time in the future. I will say I'm not a fan of the over use of antiquing. I think it robs the piece of the beautiful darkening and patina that comes naturally with age. Hard hat firmly in place.

Extremely interesting tanning process from start to finish. Watch till the end to see tanning fish skins. How Japan-made cordovan is produced. Craftsmen face the importance of lives.

Don't even know what they look like. The one in the vid is 28mm across. Of course it should do smaller. I've just done 20 bobbins in about 15 mins. I did have to bend the upstand so it centered over the center of the big cones. I also had to slightly change the shape of the little spring thingy that the bobbin slides over. Might not need it but on this one it was reluctant to let the bobbin side over it. Maybe it would've done with more force but I didn't want to chance it. Just pull it out and change it slightly, job done. I think I've just settled on a new labeling system. I don't have all the colours and all the sizes and because no-ones life is gonna be in danger with a handbag this is the way I do it. I start with the closest colour to what I need, then I do the needle running on the 45 degree thread thingy. That's how I choose my needle. I don't have multi machines all set up for one job, I'm changing the setup all the time so for me it's the most practical with what I have. So..... Instead of trying to keep up with the size of the thread on each cone, bearing in mind that most of the cones don't have labels, I've decided put each bobbin through the 45 degree test and then label each bobbin with the size of needle it wants. Simps eh?

As you guys know, I like to share anything good that I find. Also, as a miser I don't like to waste money. With the amount of material that I put out I certainly can't justify buying two cones of thread at a time. So as most of you know, sometimes it's just a pain when the thread runs out and you don't have a loaded one ready. So I thought I'd try one of these. Not much expectation and when it arrived it's made of that hard plastic that you don't want to drop, but after very little fettling (they're not made for the big cones) I was quite impressed. No idea how long it'll last but I can sit in front of the tv and load lots in very little time. I've tried to take a short video but it's slightly oversize and I don't think it's gonna load so I'll try to get it shorter but I'm not good with videos. 20241216_193807[1].mp4

Good dog.

Good job. Hope it get's lots of use.

Any job with a practical use is a good one in my book, well done. Sadly over here the advice is to just put a phone number and not the dogs name on the collar because so many are being stolen.

Is there an accepted method of lightening it? I wouldn't bother but it's a large bag panel that's almost finished Inc stitching holes. I dyed it too dark a long time ago and it taunts me each time a see it.

Fair enough, I don't think you can have a conversation about the shape of edging tools without including the thickness of the leather being used. For example, a rounded edge could be achieved on thick leather with a flat edger with a few passes and a curved edger would be equally unsuitable unless it was the right size for the leather being used. With the myriad of widths and shapes out there I would first adapt a tool that was longer needed but that's just me.

Maybe look for a tiny round file and put a curve on the ones you have. Edgers I've bought in the past have come with a tiny stainless steel rod that you can wrap some fine emery paper around. Good for touching up in the future.

I should have added, "When using a different colour in the bobbin".

Not the same at all but you can get a similar look on the machine by deliberately loosening the bobbin tension. Great job by the way.

This is one way to do it: cut a piece of ply to the size of the interior of the box. Cut another piece of ply to the the same size PLUS 2 thicknesses of the leather. Cut the two pieces of leather allowing for the sides of the main box on one piece and allowing for the sides of the lid on the other. Place the ply pieces on the leather and cut a groove all round on both. Cut out the corners, this is the tricky bit depending on the thickness of the leather. You can end up with the two pieces butted up or you can mitre the corners for a much nicer job. Once you're happy with the way it folds, (wet the grooves), lay the pieces flat and punch the stitching holes starting from the same point all round. I would do it with scrap first. Good luck.

Update 2. New one arrived old one still here waiting. After some playing I'm having trouble siting the vacuum hose next to the bell knife. The suction seems adequate but some bits are not going down. I'm wondering if there's an optimum shape and position for the intake hose? I'm starting to think about building an all round chute with the suction at the bottom. Thoughts?

I use a 341 clone myself and am very happy with it. The only fault I'm finding is the size of the feed dog hole which may be problematical with very thin leather but I intend to address that. Another point to consider is a speed reducer with a servo motor will give more torque. On mine I can dial in the whole range of speeds from very slowly to quite fast enough thank you. The downside to speed reducers can be they don't always get on with needle positioners which I like very much but am having to live without for the time being. I am learning to do without though and it's not as bad as I feared. You seem to be on a similar journey to my own and I hope I'm not teaching Granny to suck eggs but I'll offer some advice. Save the veg tan for special. Likewise the Decovil and other stiffeners. Look to Chrome tan for some inspiration. Some leatherworkers will spend months on a project for others to say "well done", I'm not one of em. I like working with leather and being constructive and if I can get a tiny bit back on the £1,000s I've spent I'm not gonna turn it away. When I go to my leather shops I'm always looking for coloured Chrome tan of the right thickness/temper. Saves all that dying and gives me inspiration. I'm about to tackle piping in a proper way and if I can make the piping in a colour to contrast the bag it will give me an edge. Here's a pic of some keyrings that I did while messing with a new compressor and my skiver. All different weights, Made with what I could find amongst the leather.

@Novalee Before you confuse yourself with machines you need to think a bit more about what you might want to do in the future. If it's bags that you want to do (as I do mostly) working with thin leather is fine for bags that don't need to stand up but might limit your options in the future. Having said that, even the most robust bags like satchels and briefcases don't use uber thick leather and even then it's likely to be softer than the stuff some are using on here for their saddles, holsters, gunbelts, etc. Just saying your machine doesn't have to handle the thickest material and usually the price goes up with the thickness.

Welcome from a fellow Brit. Changing to a servo is a must and is pretty straightforward. You'll still want a speed reducer. Smallest pulley on the motor and either replace the handwheel with a large pulley or fit a speed reducer in between. Either way will enable one stitch at a time if that's what you want. Having College up the road will be very handy but they can be pricey, especially for original parts.

Use a straight edge, sew, cut off surplus.

As I wrote elsewhere, I ordered a compressor from Amazon and it arrived with a slightly damaged air filter. I reported it and told them it was the air filter, they asked me what I wanted to do and I said replace it with another. I think this was Tuesday. They then told me to view the returns label, the replacement would arrive on Thursday and someone would pick up the defective one on Saturday. I then spent a goodly amount of time trying to tell someone that a replacement air filter would suffice. There's nowhere on the site to do that. Amazon have things so slick that it's actually better (for them) to do one in/one out. Once I got over myself and stopped getting frustrated it dawned on me that I couldn't fault the service. They have things so dialed in that it would mean more faffing around to do it another way. Rant over. I have my new compressor and I've got it setup and it's working well. If I can nit pick just a little, I have my skiver working really well. It has only one motor but I can use it reeaally slowly and get a very good skive but the microswitch on the vacuum won't open unless I go just a tad faster. I have had it perfect but then the switch doesn't close completely. Like I said, nit picking. Maybe I'll sort it in the future. I'm happy.

Thanks for the info @ElfLeather. It's not an experiment I intend to repeat anytime soon. Too many variables. Worked on the dividers, didn't work on the feed dog. Being an ex fabricator/welder It's surprising I haven't had to use it before now. The mig is too handy and less faff where it can be used.

Update! I decided to go with the Hyundai 8ltr (above). I checked it out first on YouTube and there's a guy there who bought one from B&Q. It turned up with a dented air filter so he decided to return it. Had lots of problems cos was bought with some coupons some of which weren't B&Q. Took awhile to get a replacement and that was damaged also. I should point out that both times the problem was minor and the compressor itself was better than expected. I decided to run with the odds which is not like me because if I didn't have bad luck I'd have no luck at all. It turned up today and guess what? The air filter was dented. It wasn't bad at all but I decided to report to Amazon thinking they'd send a replacement air filter but Amazon doesn't work that way. No way to contact the seller and within minutes they were asking me to print out a returns label for the whole thing and giving me a date when someone would be picking it up. I'll probably cancel the return. Even I was impressed with the noise level and when I connected to the skiver it worked like a charm. Just have to fine tune it to come on when going really slowly. The small spray gun and airbrush are in my future.

Looks like a good solid job Keith. Is your brother that slim or does it need more holes/another keeper? The only belts I've ever made have been bog standard one piece jobbies. I was pondering on your build and I wondered if anyone had ever turned the edges on both pieces before glueing and sewing? Would it look cool or naff?

So, after it being fine with my big noisy compressor I've decided to go with a small dedicated one that'll double with an airbrush. so not knowing much about these things, which one of these should I go for, (or other)? https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0CNQHPZWN/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A3A26UX6N932Y5&psc=1 Hyundai Low Noise Electric Air Compressor, 550W Air Compressor, 4CFM, 100PSI Oil Free Air Compressor, 8 Litre Tank Capacity, 2 Year Warranty, Quick Release Fittings UK 13 Amp Plug, White : Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools