blue duck

Good question Austin. I have heard somewhere that if you gently heat a stamp [it would have to be metal, not sure what yours is] that you can get an impression that way. I am sure there is a little more to it than that, would guess maybe pressing until cooled? At any rate, I would sure like to know how get our mark on that leather also. Any truth to this method? I would try it, but my stamp is not metal either. If this does work, I will be getting one though. Thanks to you all.

Hope you have found this by now, but if not you might try Bogel-Greewell in Grand Prarie TX. They are some really nice folks and I bet they can help you out. kat

Bontex will have a grain, somewhat like fabric. When you gently bend it, one way it will go quite easy. Turn it 90* and it will resist. So depending on what you want to accomplish make sure you lay your pattern and cut it in the right direction. Say you were wanting it to stiffen a cylinder shape, make sure the grain goes end to end of the cylinder whether it stands up and down or lays on its side and it will create a smooth bend around the circumference. If you wanted it to hold something straight up and down the grain would run up and down. If that doesn't sound right, holler and I will draw it out. If you lay your piece of leather cross grain or against the direction you need, it will always fight you and if it is really stiff paper, it could actually change the shape of your project and make it out of whack.

Bontex is a paper type product that starts at about .014 and goes to at least .060 that I know of. Maybe more. So it can be hardly nothing to stiffen a project to so stiff there is absolutely no give once materials are applied. What sets it apart is that it is a fiber with some sort of chemical (maybe it isn't a chemical per se) that makes it mold and mildew resistant. I seem to recall it was made for handbags to be used in place of something like cardboard. It won't melt and get squishy if it gets damp and since it usually can't dry fast enough inside a bag, it won't turn smelly and ruin the bag. There are other names for it in other parts of the world, if anyone would like, I could find the name they call it in Europe.

Hi jk, What I think this is, is a basic T bottom tote. You would do all of your work on front and back piece and then sew the bottom together at the middle seam. Then you place the bottom piece on stitching on the long sides. The sides are then sewn down. Finally the bottom edges of the sides and the bottom edges of the bottom are stitched while inside out. It is then turned outside in, feet attached, lining is dropped in and stitched around the top. This can all be done on a flat bed machine. I was not gifted as a writer, so if this doesn't make sense, let me know and I will try and draw you a picture or something.

There you go!

I suppose this project is already finished, but will give you my $.02 worth for next go around. Gluing is the best option, however it can leak through and leave a little or a large splotch of glue. The best option I have found is to get some fusible interfacing from the fabric store. Cut the size you want it to be and fuse it to your material. Then you have a nice straight edge to fold over to keep from fraying and then when you glue it will not bleed through as the interfacing should stop it. Depends on project, as to the facing, but the heavier you can use, the less you will worry about anything coming through. Good luck.

I am not sure what Tandy sells. Is it bontex or a similar type? If so the best thing to do is to unroll and lay flat on the floor so the roll has the ends on the floor and ha a hump in the middle. Weight it down with books or whatever. You are right not to try and roll it the other way. Sometimes a dry iron will help if you put the weight on it quickly. Most important is to make sure the grain is laid out correctly when you go to cut it. As hard as it is, the most important part is to store it flat. Yeah, I don't have any place for that either.

I have read so many tutorials, posts, ideas here and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. You are all great teachers and for you folks to share your knowledge is quite rare. I am sure the information I am looking for is here, but after several hours I still can't pull it out. Please forgive me if it is. I am working with some Horween Natural Essex. I have created some beautiful edges following the many ideas posted here, but basically the steps hidepounder posted awhile ago. [Again, I am so grateful to you.] Now the problem becomes, the client does not want any color on the edges, even after showing him the samples I made for him. So my question: is it possible to get that nice edge without the color? It seems that there are 'fillers' to help the seam close or maybe just the color to cover it up. What do I need to add to or delete [besides the color] from the basic 5-6 step finish to make it look as nice as those with a colored edge? Something that has crossed my mind is that I am thinking the color is doing more than it really is? It may be, but the sample I made for him had a brown section, then black, then no color. It did just not look like I thought it should. I know I should be doing what the client wants, but I also don't want our name on something I know could look better. So any and all of your suggestions are greatly appreciated.

I believe here in the US the material Jimmy Eng refers to as calico, is called muslin. In case it happens to be something you are looking for. Calico here is usually a small flowed print fabric. Just as a gee whiz.

Good day to you. I have sent you a pm. Thanks

DebHop, thank you so very much for the link. Quite amazing to find patterns of this quality, much less for free. I'm going to try and see what else they may have for sale. This was great of you to post this. Thanks again!

Know this is getting a little old, but outdoor wilderness fabrics has closed cell foam in different thickness that may be what you are looking for. Nice folks too. OWFINC.COM

I don't know if it is what you are after exactly, but you might try dickblick.com they are an art company mostly and have hundreds of types of paper. Some look like what you want, but like I said hundreds, so I didn't leave a specific link.

There you go. You know you might try it with some scrap fabric . If you don't have any, go to the fabric store and ask them for the material to make reusable grocery bags. This stuff won't fray, is easy to work with, about $5 a yard [can get 2 to 4 out of a yard] and you will actually have something to use when you are done. Templates and/or patterns are never a bad idea either. Good Luck!

Good day to you both Miss Mia and Mr. Cox. I am pretty sure yours is the one I have been watching, hoping it would give me the answers I desperately need. But hard as I try, no luck yet.\ I went down and changed the needle and made sure it was as you said, scarf to the hook. The top stitch looks so nice, but then aarrgh! the bottom is full of pretty loops. Thank you so much for your posts.You folks (all inclusive) are great!

I am so sorry. I did not mean to confuse you. No, no it's not your new-ness. First let me try to explain a t-bottom. Look at Char's post above. The bottom sketch she has there, if you were to cut it in half horizontally, can you see the really fat distorted T? The corner of that T is what determines your sides and bottom. So let's try it this way. Take Char's drawing and cut it out, let's say8" H x 8"W [just so it is one piece of paper]. Where she [please excuse me is it's not] has the cut outs, make those 2" deep and 4" down. (a 2" x 4" cutout starting 2" down one side and the same on the opposite side) Now fold it in half longwise. So you have a 2 x 2" sq in each outside bottom corner. Now can you see the T? So where you folded it is the center of the bottom. If you take the top corner on the side [the cut out] and bring it the center fold and likewise the bottom top corner to the fold, tape that like you are stitching do you see the bottom of your tote starting to appear? So it depends on how deep and wide those cut outs are to get your width and bottom. In this paper one you will end up with a 4" gusset and 4" bottom. But like I said, Don't forget to add seam allowance once you figure out how it is supposed to work. Is this making any more sense? I do apologize, I can not explain what is going on in my head. It is like me trying to talk without moving my hands and arms. But I don't want to leave you confused. I have watched this board under a different name for years but now am producing we changed the name. But I truly understand the new part of this, it is quite exciting, yet frustrating at times. Let me know if this helps at all.

Thank you so much. I have tried several threads and many re-threadings according to the manual. The problem was the same with the old upper tension unit and the new. I don't think that is it, but perhaps the take up lever. I will see what I can find about it. I must say it did sew at one point, I actually seen it and sewed with it. But I think the move and/or movers may not have helped, maybe it was storage. I cleaned and oiled it and serviced it according to the army (I think) manual.

Unless you are going to make it with super heavy leather, which I doubt. Those pictures look like quite workable leather. Just work it inside out and then turn it. It will be pliable enough to do that, especially that size of a tote. You mentioned before the size of the gusset and base. See the cut outs where the T is made? Depending upon how big that is, it will determine both the gusset width and bottom width. Try taking a piece of paper and cut out a 1 " square out of the bottom two corners. Fold the edges from the top of the paper to the corner of cut and across the bottom from top of both cuts, it will bring the two cut edges together and tape it. You can now see 1/2 of your gusset and bottom. You have a 2" gusset and bottom Then try a 2" square, This will give you a 4" gusset and bottom. Am I explaining this where you can understand it? I am terrible putting what's in my head on to paper. Just make sure and add enough for your seam allowance once you determine your size.

You folks are a wealth of information here. Don't know how long I have been lurking in the shadows. Didn't seem I had much to offer with my kind of leather work. But now I come begging. I have read through most every pertaining to this machine to try and get it back to working. My dad thought he was doing me a favor, even bought it from family, so there should be no problems. Yeah, well maybe not very many. She only sewed canvas with 137 and you can see where it was 'fixed' for only that application. I am not asking it to go through 6 oz veg tan. I am working with 2-3 oz, skived leather. It should go through it like butter. I am only making handbags. The top tension unit literally fell apart in my hands, so I replaced the whole unit. Still when I sew the top thread loops pretty bad on the bottom. All the advise I get says tighten the top tension, but there is absolutely no bobbin tension and I know that's not right. After reading anything and everything I could, I do believe the timing is ok, but that is the only good thing. I found a screw missing for the tension on the bobbin. You can pull it out like there is nothing holding it. I replaced those two screws. The felt washer was missing, replaced it and one other thing I can't remember now. But it is the same problem. I am thinking I should just take out that whole unit, bobbin case, hook, etc. and replace it. Is that just throwing more money into the boat anchor? We do not have a service man within 295 miles. I even offered to take it to him, but I can only realistically take the head and he has nothing to run it. It could be such a great machine, I want it fixed so bad. Where on earth do I start? Trying to keep getting my own parts and working or finding someone I could ship it to and be sure it is done right? I know they aren't worth much, lots less than new for sure, but am I going to put more into it that it is worth? I have 101 questions, but I will just stop here and hope some of you will take pity on me and point me in the right direction. (Umm, I make really good fudge, if that helps incentivize anyone Thanks so much folks, Kat

What kind of look are you going for? Do you want your seam inside and hidden? Then sew it inside out and turn it when done. If you like the look of an exposed seam then just work on the outside and don't worry about it. How was that for wishy-washy, gave you both ways to do it.

This is hardly an expert opinion, but no one else has given one. Get a bonded nylon thread. It is strong and won't stretch out on you down the road. The larger the number the bigger the diameter of thread. So depends on how much color you want showing, maybe 137 (I think) If you have no idea whatsoever, I can send you a few sizes to see what is what and you decide what you like. It is not waxed to just get some beeswax and run it through a few times and then you should be in the same place you were with your black thread before. Oh yeah, gloves or leather fingers, worth the trouble and cost! I have never done what you are up to, but from what you have described this should work. (Many thread companies out there. I like Wawak, but not sure about color selection)

Hey MB~ Did you get this figured out? You have a nice post from Char. Did you get your directions? It is a basic t-bottom tote (see on the bottom pattern there, if you look at half of it there is a T shape) If you are still having trouble maybe we could help you, but looks like those pattern pieces are a great start. Kat

Good day sir! You might try WAWAK.com for the zippers. Those folks are great and zipper prices you won't believe, well I couldn't. I think they also have some buckles and webbing, but not much. For those items you might try owfinc.com that is Outdoor Wilderness Fabrics. Sometimes it is easier just to call them, but they have worked on the site so it may be easier to navigate. They are some really nice folks also.