cris

for corsets, the best type of seam is the flat felled type, pictured above, but depending on the thickness of the leather it may not work. with corsets you have to take into account the thickness of the leather you're using and the purpose of the corset. if your intention is to reduce measurements with the corset, and the leather you're using has a garment weight, a strength layer is mandatory, coutil being the most suitable fabric. hope this helps!

hello, everyone! i don't know if this has been posted before, but i just got a catalog from p&s engraving and was blown away by their beautiful decorative wheels and handtools (similar to stamps). there are hundreds of them; the price is high (the stamps start at 12.50 pounds and go up t0 96 pounds; decorative wheels start at 88.50 pounds), but soooo pretty. they supply mainly for bookbinders and the tools are made of brass. you can order their catalogue for free at their website: http://www.pandsengraving.co.uk winning the lottery would be so handy right now...

thanks, leatheroo! i'm a big fan of your work! and thank you very much, kathy!

twin oaks - muito obrigada pelos elogios! dave- thank you! and thanks for the tip! i chose to work with scalpel blades because they're cheap and easy to find here, clicking knives would require importing which raises the cost a lot. it's a big struggle to find leatherworking tools where i am, most of them i end up importing so i have to go for cheapest option whenever there's a possibility. tom- thanks! the mask makers here are a true inspiration, i'm so glad i found this forum.

rdb- thank you for your kind words! the leather used is arround 3-4oz, i've shaped it using a bone folder, at the nose bit i tooled the fleur de lis design then used the ball point stylus on the back. the areas where it has ridges i gently tapped the leather with a mallet over the edge of a round object then allowed it to dry over a round surface, except for the nose area that i blow-dried it into shape. art- thank you very much! the corset closure is called busk and can be found on corset making supplies. there are several in the us, i have purchased a few from us shops. this one i got on ebay. there are different types of busks and each for a specific need. if you need more info on it i'll be happy to help. luke- thanks! the cut outs were made using a surgeon's scalpel #12 (it's the best shape of blade for this i think). billb- thank you! any question regarding drafting patterns, sewing and finishing a garment i'll be happy to help! drac- first mask and first leather corset (i've made fabric corsets previously). the mask is veg tan dyed using the vinegar mix and then a light coat of black dye, nf oil and finished with several thick coats of lacquer.

hello, everyone! i'm cristiane, a fashion student from brazil. i've always been fascinated with leather, but didn't have the courage to work with it, as it's one of the hardest things to sew, and expensive as well. one day, i've stumbled on a tooled leather piece photo on the net and was blown away. from that point on, i've searched everything i could find on the web about tooling leather and this is how i found this forum. i cannot thank everyone here enough for sharing your knwoledge, this place really helped me a lot, since there isn't anyone arround for me to learn from. thank you very very much and nice meeting you all! ps. forgive the bad english. here's my first mask and leather corset, which will be part of my graduation collection for fashion college.