flyingcuda

i am far from a pro..but what i see is way incredible for a first time project!

i know i am my own worst critique....i know i have a very long way to go..pretty much a beginner... how do you know if what you do is good? i love my friends and family dearly...but... i don't know that they trust my reaction enough to be brutaly honest with me... i keep telling them...be honest...it's the only way i can improve. i know there were many pieces that i can see the flaws like flashing beacons...and when i point them out they say i wouldnt have seen that if you didnt show me. or they say i am too picky. i know if someone makes something for me by hand...i certainly don't pick it apart, i love that they wanted to create something with thier hands for me. my hubby says that with hand made..you want some flaws...makes every piece unique and people can see it's not machine produced. still doesnt make me go any easier on myself. i'm just glad that i get so much pleasure while i'm working on the project. maybe thats what i need to guage my performance on..not so much the end...but how much i enjoyed doing it? so i guess as i type this...my most important thing to get right...is keeping it fun and challenging

thank you both for the kind response, i just looked at the pictures again...picked out all the flaws there are some funny things happening from the camera...but i know what's from the cam and what's from me does there come a time when we actually learn what we need to critisize ourselves for and where to give ourselves a bit of slack?

i'm sorry for the lack of details i only have a drawing of the actaul knife..looks like maybe a buck knife...it is a fixed blade, the hilt is 13 1/2 inches, the blade is curved..so i'm not sure how you would measure it..approx 14 inches? and approx 4 inces wide at the widest part. i'm thinking the forth picture in BearMan's post would be close to what i would need. he wants a design...deer or moose carved in and then his name. i do not own an industrial machine..so the sewing would have to be done by hand...which i don't mind..kinda want to start doing that as well. thank you for the responses...i love this place!!!

a customer has asked me to try to make a knife sheath...i haven't made anything like that at all..just dog collars, belts, wrist bands and key fobs. is there a tutorial anywhere from start to finish, i am hours away from a tandy so books can't help me at the moment. if anyone can help me, i would be very very greatful! i'll keep searching through the many...many threads...great reading.. a lot of folks with a great sense of humor!

this was one of those little jobs that nagged me..did'nt really want to do it..but my friend loved it...so it was worth it

my son wanted a hunter themed belt for his birthday..he turned 11 today...it was either the belt or a compound bow...my son is NOT ready for that yet...just getting him used to the pellet guns...which according to him are not powerful enough. the other side

very striking!...looks great! also good to see the pros with dye on thier fingers...thought that was just for us not so close to pros

thank you for the kind comments...it's amazing how when working on a piece..it comes to life and it is something that almost developes a spirit of it's own. even when a piece goes wrong...it's still something that i respect. hmmm maybe i inhaled to much of the thinners

great!!!...now i'm hungry very cute

here's the second pic.....got a headache from trying to upload the pics smaller...obviously i failed...sorry they are big

i wanted a tattoo of this in honour of my brother who passed away suddenly almost 11 years ago. i can't afford to have it done on my hide..so i did the next best thing i had real problems with the darkening in the wolf head...don't know if it was the leather itself or my fault...but i tried lightening it and it just made it worse...oh well. it was fun assembling the dream catcher itself...hope you like it...if not..tell me what would have been a better route.

about 4 years ago, when i first started... i got a red from tandy...it was incredible..nice dark rich red. can't find it anymore i tried the "other reds" but found them too pink or too orange...not happy with them. but my favs are red and black.

i think this should be steered clear of! i joined this community for the opportunity to better myself. i fell in love with leatherworking...by the way...the "bug" is buzzing around my kids there are enough people out there more than willing to beat us up for our beliefs and morals and so on. my kids have a safe haven at home with us...this place is my safe haven. i can only imagine the hours and hours of hard work put in from those responsible for this place. i only see it going no where good if this happens. we are all human...doesnt matter how thick skin you are...attacks eventually make thier way through. we all have the need to protect our beliefs and when those are being attacked we lose the ability to stay in control of our emotions. first we may snicker at the attack...then the body temp rises...hands get shaky and then we start typing faster...before you know it something is said that should never have been said. this is a positive, helpful and caring place, they are getting hard to find these days! i think if there is a "vent" section..it should be strictly leather related...stuff like a mess up, or the cat you wanna tar and feather cause it just put black paw prints on your what was supposed to be white but isnt white because white doesnt work clouds!!!!! just havin some fun..anyways...good luck with the decision...i like it just the way it is

when you say paint...what kind of paint can be used on leather? i didn't think paint would soak into the leather. i've seen mention of acrylic paint, is it just regular acrylic or is there a special one used for leather...if not does it need to be mixed with anything? i thought it would dry and crack. i've been self taught up till i found this haven on earth

do i have to have a dye on first before hi lite? or can i just get the hi lite into the impressions then a finish? to dye or not to dye...that is the question. thanks

what an incredible piece! i know i am my own worst critique..and i am certainly not alone in that. i couldn't see anything wrong. if you want it done perfectly...get a machine to do it...if you want it done beautifully...get it made by hand. maybe we can find a way to not be so hard on ourselves. look at it this way...if someone had made that for you...would you nit pick it apart? excellent job!

white has a pourpose!! i tried to lighten a navy blue for the moon in this project....so i added white to the blue...WOW!!!!! what a reaction, if you need to stare at something for more than 5 mins...check it out...really neat. did not help me with my task though. i tried using solvent to lighten the blue but that didnt work either. i think i may just go over all of it with a light brown...then hi lite? again, suggestions most appreciated. thanks again...and really...check out the blue and white ( fiebing's) i haven't tried with the eco flow

thank you! that was much easier than trying to read through all the threads....but..now i realise just how many tools i don't have .....hmmmm...need to generate some cash....hubby doesn't need that snowmobile now

that looks incredible! thank you for the tips, unfortunatly... i am very ummmm...uneducated..when it comes to the tools...i have no idea what i have...just that they looked "pretty" when i bought them. i have tear shaped ones...some with bumps some smooth, square ones, triangles...i guess i should try and find a thread somewhere to find out what i have! thanks again for the input.

pic of what i have done so far..any suggestions on what would look good to finish this off with will be greatly appreciated..thank you.

unfortunatly...i did already get it transfered into the leather....good to know about transfering it into sketch..would have been easier to do. now i am trying figure out what i want to do next...should i dye..if so what coulours...or just rub the hi lite into it...and how to deal with the moon. thank you for the sketch idea, much appreciated!

best of luck to you, my fingers are crossed for a fast sale for you....ahhhh new adventures! nothing better to get the juices flowing

i opened my own lingerie store last year..before the "economic crisis" i feature lingerie for the full figured woman...meaning the normal lady! i also carry for the tiny ones as well. i have a corner dedicated to accesories for adult play time sorry, couldn't resist. i also do the leatherworking there. i have 3 kids out of 4 still at home...under 13...so being able to do my leatherworking at work is great...no fighting, crying or yelling to distract me...well except when i do it!

welcome aboard! from us newbies...who still have the welt and the red from the bite of that wonderful leather bug to the sesoned amazing pros. this site is as addictive as the leatherworking! as i'm sure you have noticed...everyone loves pics, so make sure you post em. have fun.