Dan28

Nice. Really like the dye job.

Picked one of these up this past Saturday, as I want to do some sunburst type dye jobs. I tried doing that once before by hand with Black and Royle Blue. I thinned out the black and used a big hunk of wool that I rubbed on cardboard after soaking up some black dye to get rid of the bulk of the pigment. Then lightly brushed it from the edge of my piece to the inside try and get a gradient affect. It kind of worked, but took a while. I think the air brush will do it quite easily, I'll know in a few days. So far all I've used it for was a black belt just to test it out. I probably did about a little more than 50% alcohol to a little less than 50% Fiebings black dye. I'm sure I would have used a lot more dye if applying with a dauber. I didn't use a respirator when I applied it, but I think I am in the future. Got a little worried that I may have breathed in some of the dye, even though I had an exhaust running.

I created the rough template of the red one based off a style I saw my mom carry in the past. I made a pattern for the two sides and the gusset but just winged everything else, which almost caused me some issues. The exterior pocket on the red one was a pain to attach, which is why I changed the style on the second one. The snap I used on that red exterior pocket also is kind of hard to close when empty, so I changed it on the second purse. To be honest I probably would have never tried that that purse again if it had not been a request. I think if I make another purse, I'll come up with a whole new design. One thing that stands out that I learned on this site (I think from a comment from Monica on my first tote bag) was that do the lining separate. On the first I just kind of glued it in after the bag was made and it is not that clean looking. The second purse I made a basically a second bag from the lining and then sewed it in. It comes out a lot nicer that way I think.

Hello Chris, I'm actually going to be in Ireland and Northern Ireland this month. Was thinking of trying to find some local leather shops while there and looking at what they have to offer, supply wise.

I've definitely gotten the Bontex brand from Springfield Leather. I think I got a 4 foot by 4 foot piece. It came rolled up though, but will flatten out rather easily.

I'm going to be in Ireland and Northern Ireland this month, Dublin to Belfast, to London/Derry, to Galway, and back to Dublin. I will be in a rental car and thought about maybe trying to find some of this thread in a local leather supply shop. Does anybody know of brick and mortar leather craft suppliers in or near those cities, and what are the odds they might carry the Tiger thread?

Thanks Rohn. Not my favorite thing to make.

Main body sewn together, ready to be flipped

So last August I made a purse for my mom. I think it may have been my second or third major project. Anyway sometime in January or February, she showed my aunt who has been hounding me ever since to make her one too. I put it off for a while as I was busy with other things, but have (mostly) finished it last night. (still will put another coat of Resolene on the strap) This was the first purse from last August, just FYI. So here is the newest one under construction. Powder coating hardware