First I would love to thank people for their tips on leatherwork especially regarding stains and finishes.
Advice on your forum has also helped me with challenges like removing rivets etc.
I have done leathercraft at a family camp over the years but decided to make leatherwork my primary hobby a couple of years ago. I made a huge mistake of not buying my tools in a set right off the bat so it's taken me a couple of years scouring sales at Tandy to pick up what I need.
I originally started off using premade stamps but it just didn't feel right to me. I could make items faster but I wouldn't have my own "stamp on it"...no pun intended My next projects moved into carving (still have a ways to go in this area...realized much has to do with the types of stamps on I had on hand. I've also done some stencils..not ones specifically made for leather rather ones I found for stenciling. I think I'd like to try my hand at some embossing with these as well.
I guess it takes time to figure out what area of leatherwork I prefer. The thing that inspires me the most is to come up with things that are "different". One of my fav projects I did was a chequebook cover that had a Victorian bridal image that I traced from my grandmother's needlework patterns.
I hope to start a leatherwork business soon but I still need to explore/try some of the tools. Next up is designing my own patttern and punching/stitching myself.
Thanks again for the wonderful guidance and advice(from googling my questions). I wouldn't have been able to complete a couple of projects properly without all of you!
