Handstitched

Looks like someone took some stoopid pills . more like 'NFI Syndrome'....' No F*cking Idea ' syndrome . I bet they could sell sh*t to a horse ! O'h well, now they have somewhere to put those ' trashy' outfits . HS

They are in big demand these days, they don't last long. Hope all is well in your universe. After a frustrating few days, a lot of driving in bad weather for leather supplies, our market for Saturday got canned, and frustration with a customer, *sigh* ...I decided to cheer myself up, found a cheap-ish T bone steak and a few ' snags' ( sausages) at the supermarket and cooked em up on the barbie and ate them straight off the BBQ plate, yummo , ( no washing up) all washed down with a beer...feel better now Butter chicken next week. I won't cheat, I'll have a go at making my own butter sauce from scratch , I'll try not to mess it up. HS

I have a 'Pfaff 60' . It's a domestic machine, compound feed, but happily sews thin leather quite well ( Schmetz leather needle) . I use it for kangaroo leather ,wallets, wallet inners etc. If you can find a similar machine , like what @Wizcrafts & @fredk mentioned? Its quite handy to have more than one machine in some instances. HS

This sounds familiar. One particular brand of thread I once used ( here in Oz) was so tightly wound on the spool, it was causing all sorts of tension issues. I had to manually unwind the thread off the spool for a few metres or so, or enough for each job to loosen it up, and then wind it back on by hand before I could start sewing. Needless to say I no longer use 'that' thread again. HS

@chuck123wapati well done on that handy chart. @BigLeatherVic Theres a multitude of items that can be made . I use 1.2mm/2.3mm ( 5-6oz) on bags, wallet outers , small coin purses, cases, scraps can be used for book marks, key rings etc. You're only limited by your imagination Have a play and have fun HS

I still keep seeing these 'newbies' arriving at various events. Once again, they struggle to put their ( cheap) gazebos up. On the one hand , I feel automatically compelled to help them put it up, show them how things are done, introduce the organiser, show them the facilities at the venue etc., I had to learn myself once, but on the the other, I think...stuff it. "they need to learn" . But then I feel kinda mean after....what a dilemma !!! I do suggest for a newbie with your new gazebo.....have a practice run the day before the event. One person may be able to put it up, but two is better. And...weigh it down, otherwise you may get the feeling "you're no longer in Kansas anymore" . If all else fails...read the instructions?? HS

I have also tried free ads on the interweb on various free ad sites , newspaper ads etc. Zilch !!!! Even had a quick interview on a local radio station a while back ........... Nothing !! I have flyers & business cards on my stall, at my workshop . I go through those pretty quick. HS

x 2 I second that Removing them can be tricky though, an angle grinder on the other side....but they may get a bit hot and make the leather smell..or a large pair of side cutters in between the layers of leather. Copper is soft enough to cut through. Or just cut the leather HS

No matter how many times I've watched that, still cracks me up . Imagine that as me, covered in dye? ....with my middle finger extended instead of a hat ???? Sh**********t!!!! Thank you friend but don't forget the bar snacks HS

Not knowing your location, not sure if this helps? They're in Montana . https://www.outfitterssupply.com/Stainless-Steel-Spring-Snap-Hooks-Spring-Snap-Clips/productinfo/WHW200/ They are available here in Australia as well. HS

They're spring snaps. I have some of those in amongst my horse rug repair hardware, 25mm. Don't even know why I bought them, never used them I use quick, square & round snaps & scissor snaps mostly. HS

It would be just my luck I'll blow myself up trying that out "here lies HS after he tried an experiment he saw on LW.net. " HS

For about 30 mins or so I kept getting " this site cannot be reached " ( here in Western Australia, 4.30 - 5pm ish au time ) , also got " resolving host" ...nothing...nada...zilch . All the other sites were working fine. Got bit anxsy ... phew HS

100% agree I've tried other forms of advertising with very limited success , some of my customers have even put my name & trade about on social media ( something that I don't use myself ) and, to date I have not had one single customer come to me as a result of social media , goes to show how well that works, .... but WOM is the best HS

Just recently, I had a customer who needed a replacement halter. So, she went a local hardware shop in another town. That hardware doesn't sell them ( some hardware shops don't just sell hardware ) , but, that hardware then contacted our local hardware , our local hardware then said...." O'h theres a bloke here that does leather & horse gear..." etc. Customer contacts me. Me: " Yep, I have two of those left" All good ( she bought both) , One Happy customer HS

Yep, I can see it. It'll be a good chance for me to practice the herring bone stitch , I don't do it too often . HS

@chuck123wapati Very much the same where I am . We leave our cars unlocked go into shops etc. Whatever we think of our cars, they are our pride & joy While on the subject of steering wheels, I have a few old 13 " sports steering wheels in my shed, in poor shape. Might use those to practice re-covering them . Never had a call to do one, but you never know, always good to have the knowledge. Your pic gave me a reminder. HS

Yummo !!!! That will go so well with our home made piccalilli . Unlike the supermarket versions all mashed up and no flavour, , Ours is all chunky with fresh vegies , mustard, turmeric fresh ingredients etc. a ' secret recipe' ... almost. I eat it straight from the jar sometimes. The left over massaman curry and a previous lamb roast got turned into a nice pie, ...with a bit of left over mince ....with a bit of extra curry powder . Scalloped potato on the top with cheese, served up with a few vegies. Damn good it was Our $$$ are getting tight these days . Thank God for left overs eh ? . Nothing gets wasted in this house. HS

Have you thought about getting ' How To Make Holsters' pattern book , by Al Stohlman? Its has some pretty good patterns , it also shows how to make your own templates, sewing etc. , and its a book that I have learnt so much from . Theres also 'Buscadero Belts & Holsters' by F.O Baird. Its a pattern pack and has full size patterns . HS

I've seen so many of those either vinyl or leather cracked, or falling apart, but that looks pretty good. A lot of vehicles are subjected to some pretty extreme heat . As for the rest of your car, ...., it just needs to be loved You're right,it did turn out well, quite a big difference HS

Thanks I had a look around but wasn't too sure where to put this thread. The pic with the seat covered in newspaper tape etc, the idea behind that, was to make a template using what remained of the original seat, to make a new piece, there was hardly anything left of the orig. I'm not an upholsterer , my Father was though , by trade. I've just used what I have learnt from my Father. I learnt a lot from him. My Mother was a seamstress by trade, so I guess me working with textiles is a natural progression . It wasn't intentional, its just the way it worked out...without me even realising HS

@Hairic I look forward to seeing the end result, if the sample is anything to go by . Hope it works out well. @chuck123wapati the ' cova colour' range has been quite good for me .

G'day G'day, I have absolutely no idea where to put this, although I did check. Maybe the mods know better. Some of us leather workers / crafters work with textiles other than leather. I just thought I'd show what else I work with . I do canvas & horse rug repairs, but I also work with that ..."stuff" ...um.... vinyl Some of my customers ask me to fit factory made MC seat covers . I have found its easier to warm them up before fitting , you can see the heater, its been cold here lately. I worked from the centre outwards. Pulling, stretching, stapling as I go. Quite a good result. Theres heaps of vids on this no doubt . The last seat in the pic was messy , I made the cover & the foam needed TLC , but turned out pretty good. HS

I don't have oblong hole punches that big , so instead, I use a 10-12mm hole punch at both ends, and carefully cut the hole out using a flat ( sharp) 1" wood chisel. A bit unorthodox, but it works and I have a nice neat straight hole, and then bevell & burnish the outer edges. . HS

Here, its $16 per kilo, not sure what that equates to over there. The size of the brisket was just a bit over a kilo. It has a bit more fat than gravy or chuck steak...equates to more flavour . I also put in a few roughly chopped potatoes & a large carrot chopped up. Came out quite good My next culinary ' adventure' will be butter chicken . HS