Tugadude

Are you stitching towards yourself? Are the holes slanting towards you or away from you? YinTx is correct that you are aiming for the diagram "B". In some instances you want to make the cross with the 2nd needle in front of the 1st. So don't assume it always goes behind. I suggest you practice on some scrap until you get it sorted out. Good luck!

Yes, it is probably needle priority. And I agree with YinTx on the slant kind of going against the grain so to speak. Suggest you carefully study Nigel Armitage and Ian Atkinson's videos on the saddle stitch. It matters how you take the first needle by the opposite hand. Do you take the needle in front of or behind the other needle? This alone can have a huge impact. Are you inserting the second needle in the same orientation to the first thread and the hole every time? You must become almost robotic in your actions. I find the routine motions very relaxing. I just kind of get into a rhythm, the speed increases and it ends up very consistent. Good luck!

Ohio travel bag and The Buckle Guy are worth checking if you haven't. I found these, but they might be too small for you.

Welcome! Tandy is a great way to start. They have relatively inexpensive tools and frequently offer free classes on leatherwork.

Years, if not forever so long as you crease deeply and generate heat. Heat from friction or a heated creasing iron. The depression will darken also, which adds to the longevity of the crease.

Sorry! I stand corrected! Love your work.

Congrats on living your dream! I liked the bikes too as I collect and restore vintage bikes. Mainly the older road bikes that were popular when I was a kid and couldn't afford them. Good luck with your business!

Amen! Leatherwork is like any skill, you get better the more you apply yourself. I have a busy life too and never enough time to do the things I want. I can relate. Keep it up and someday you'll really surprise yourself. I'm certain she will love it!

Sorry if I missed something in the following posts, but are you going to dye the leather? I've had some extremely thin veg tan that got rather stiff after dying. Like real stiff. So, keep that in mind. Also, you might be surprised how firm it gets after layering, stitching, etc. Good luck!

The execution on this is very nice. I agree with your wife on the pocket. I think leaving it "floating" will encourage too much stuffing and it will become unwieldy. You mention it getting too bulky, I think the design will encourage that. It is already very thick, IMHO. I would put a fancy silk or something in the cutout to add some flair. I might also use a creaser on the pockets and around the cutout to add some feature, but that is my personal style and doesn't appeal to everyone certainly. I wouldn't dismiss the grommet as a "biker" thing. It is a safety thing. Back in the day men wore coats, even in the summer and long wallets could be carried in the breast pocket. This made them less likely to be lifted by a pickpocket. Not impossible, mind you, just less likely. Today, lots of folks stuff a long wallet in their back pocket, where it sticks up as an easy and tempting target. Hence the need to chain it down. So, unless the wallet is going into a case or purse, the design is somewhat dictated by where on your person it will be residing. You mention minimalist wallets. I tend to favor them and they don't have to be as you describe. I have several I've made that are super thin, compact and efficient. I neither stack three cards nor do I find it hard to access the cash. I agree with you that some have taken an approach that is less than convenient. But there are always tradeoffs, no matter which style you choose. Oh, last thing, I think you nailed the stitching distance from the edge, it is just right to my eyes.

Let us know what the result is please! A lot of folks want to use this type of closure and as you have found out, it ain't easy!

Why do you say the grommet does not fit the loop? Do you know the actual width outside to outside of the strap loop? I would ask OTB if the two fit together.

Nice stuff. Must be for Three Dog Night, I suppose.

I agree that the pouch would be good for earbuds, coins, etc.

John, do they have a matching grommet?

Looks great. For edge paints such as Edge Kote, I prefer a hard material. The metal spatula Tandy sells is great as is the edge roller. I often use popsickle sticks, coffee stirrers, etc. Once you develop the knack, you will rarely slop over the edge. Just takes a little practice like most skills. Nigel Armitage did a video recently where he used a Bic pen cap. One of his students was using one and he found it to work pretty good. BTW, are those logos accomplished with a laser?

This thread might help.

Lots of folks would be proud of your stitching. Yes, one problem with irons is keeping them plumb. Takes practice, but so does consistent awl work. Nice job!

Maybe reach out to OTB and see if they have sources. Maybe they will do a "one off".

Saw some grommets mainly on Etsy sites. I know of no sources where you can find the strap loop and grommet combo. If they exist, I'd like to know where. Tandy has strap loops but limited to the 5/8" and 3/4". I know I bought 1" strap loops from Tandy but they must be discontinued.

Awww, I'm sorry. BTW, the little guy in my avatar died of feline leukemia. It hurts, I know.

Haven't seen those in forever. Might not be available anymore. I would send a pic to Buckle Guy and Ohio Travel Bag and ask them.

No cat? I'd be lost without mine.