stelmackr

Try http://www.abbeysaddlery.co.uk/ Bob Stelmack

How about this found with Google search: http://www.beadstudio.com/catalog.php?wc=33 Bob Stelmack

Your posting reminded me of an old PSLAC RawHide Gazette (www.pslac.org) article I wrote on designing your own work—long, long ago. Here is an excerpt from the article that can be found at: www,pslac.org/member/12_dec98a.pdf (sorry that it is a PSLAC members only article, but needed to generate some moneys to pay for web site, postal mailings, and the Children in Leather programs we run.) So, here it is: Designing Your Own Work How to Start... I am often asked: "How long did it take you to make that leather project"? The answer is always the same: "Two or three days of work and about 3 months of thinking about doing it". This goes right to the heart of designing your own leather project. After you have done all the kits that Tandy, The Leather Factory, and others have to offer... ...and after you have done all the projects you like in the LC&SJ. ...and after you have exhausted the "how to" leather books -- you want to create something that you design. This article might give you some ideas and the freedom to "chance it on your own". Where do the ideas come from? Most are an extension or contraction of a project already in existence. Where to original patterns come from? Same answer. So what do you want? A belt, shoes, wallet, key case, chair, bag, book, hanging picture, cup, glass, table, door, light switch, clothes..? Anything you can use or think of can be made of, or accented with leather. Start with a wrinkled slightly torn and stained piece of paper and a pen (not a pencil). Begin by writing down as many items you can think of. Forget about leather for the time being, just write for 5 minutes straight (no points off for misspelling). Stop. Put the pen down, walk away and come back an hour later turn the paper over and repeat the exercise. Stop, Put the paper away (in a safe place) for a week or two. You now have a list of items that will be the basis for you first original project. (See Project Construction section for details.) Next start hanging out at the library (don't make it too obvious) and grab two or three hand full of books each day (art books, kids books, science books, religious books, etc.), but stay away from the craft or "how to do" books. Find some pictures you like and Xerox them. Get about a hundred. You now have the basis for you own pattern designs for your project. OK -- Time to start that 2 or 3 month process to design a project. Don't be afraid if the first few projects fail before you even start them, this is natural and healthy. OK, OK -- You thought it would be easy and you would have a project before you finished this first page of the article, not so! Now some good news. You now have some tools to start designing your project. That work in the library has some copyrighted material that needs to be considered. It is generally understood that copyrighted material requires the originators permission to use the material, in any form, so why have a Xerox machine in the Library? Well -- things that you make for your own use are generally overlooked and only things that are sold depriving the originator of his just rewards, wind up in court for copyright infringement. However, there are publications, such as Dover Publications, which issue a limited "copyright free" use of their drawing. Refer to any of their books for details. Returning to the copyrighted material, here are several techniques for the amateur artist (e.g. "can't draw a straight line") to take the original material, alter it enough to make it an original work for a leather pattern. These methods will produce artwork that is enough different from the original to not violate the copyright of the original. The techniques are: The Whiteout-Draw-Xerox-Cut-and-Paste Method The Computer Redraw Method The Photography Method Original Line Drawn Art Work Method These methods can be used separately or in any combination. They will give you an original art work that can be used as a pattern for your leather project. The pattern itself takes some time to determine the "solid cut" lines and the "dotted" tooling lines. The best guidelines are actually on the old "Tandy Doodle Sheets" or most of the Stohlman Books. The newest addition to the pattern books, by Robb Barr, offers some clear examples of cut lines verses tool lines. Also, check out the Robb Barr Videos for some more examples. Remember to bring the pattern to life, study the subject. Just cutting every line creates a somewhat "cartoonish" leather project. Use some common sense when deciding what to cut and bevel (high definition) and what to tool and model (texture and shaping). Also look for natural flow of the design that is pleasing to the eye. A pattern that draws the eye along the lines of the pattern. (See the Original Line Drawn Art Work Method by Tony Ezettie for a sample pattern in work for an example of pattern flow.) A neat trick to use with any of the following pattern making methods is to take your finished pattern and Xerox the final copy on an overhead transparency. Save the paper original as a master and use the transparency as the tracing film. It works quite well. As you trace the pattern the Xerox toner gets scraped off so you can see what you have traced as you go along. Another way to get a tracing pattern is to print the pattern, assuming you have generated it with some computer method (scanned, drawn, or whatever) and print it on tracing paper. This saves the tracing and retracing for multiple images on one project or multiple projects. My HP DeskJet Color InkJet Printer does a fantastic job in making many original tracing patterns. At the end of this article you will find MANY references -- they are just some suggestions on where pattern ideas come from. So let's start with design methods... (The article is quite long and has many pictures that illustrate the techniques so please see the original article) Bob Stelmack

How can I lighten the project? Bob Stelmack

JOhan, Looks OK. Just a little difficult to see EXACTLY what you were tracing (too much white on white). Bob Stelmack

I can't resist: bees

Darn, just returned from England and Roy was one of the most helpful salesman in England for leather supplies. Wish I could be there, and a chance to meet Jim Linnell, in person, as a bonus. Oh well, another day, another place. Bob Stelmack

Try this: http://tinyurl.com/45ofez ...from Joann Fabrics. Works slick. It is plastic with slots to accept a rotary cutter. Bob Stelmack

I see the dies, but where is the clicker? Bob Stelmack

I don't remember where I heard this little tip, but many stamps are not EXACTLY symmetric so a paint dot one one side of the basket weave stamp should always be positioned towards the same end of the stamping. Try it and see if it makes a difference for you. Bob Stelmack

My rules might be too simplistic. All lines are "rounded" over and then dyed over with an antique dye to accentuate the line. If the line does not show up well then a brush of black dye is used to make it clearer. The rounding over of the swivel knife is done with a burnisher ( www.danielsmith.com/products~sku~143+010+003.asp ) the sharp tip follows the lines and as I drag it over the lines the edges of the swilvel knife cuts are rounded down. Here is a close-up before coloring the primary and secondary areas: ...and after coloring: But, after I've seen your technique, I'll have to give it a try. Bob Stelmack

Can't quite figure out how the lace maker works. I see how the splitter works, but not the lace maker. Am I just dense? Bob Stelmack

Try craigslist.com for a local pick-up sales. Bob Stelmack

It's been a few months since I posted the below and I would like to beg someone to "BORROW" the two issues of the Leather Crafter & Saddlers Journal: Jan/Feb 1991 and May/Jun 1991. I will pay for postage and will even throw in my copy of "The Complete RawHide Gazette 2004" on CD. The center patterns will be expertly removed and replaced (I am a book binder). Please help an "old" leathercrafter, well not old, but feel that way after painting my shed yesterday ;-) Bob Stelmack 509-392-2589

I have not been to the class, but here is the promotion picture: Bob Stelmack

This day and a half class focuses on the setting of a gemstone into leather. Our subject will be an embossed Scarab Beetle. This pattern and stone setting technique can be used on a variety of future projects. Beveling, matting, backgrounding, filigreeing, plus embossing and coloring techniques will also be explained, demonstrated and practiced during this course. Leather, colors, and finishes are included and will be supplied for the students. Gemstones that are to be set will be available at my cost. The stones I select for this project generally cost around $8.00 to $15.00 each depending on the type, size, and quality of the stones. All skill levels in leather craft are welcome. This project is designed for a beginner as well as the master crafts person. Date: Tentatively scheduled for Aug 2-3 (Saturday/Sunday) 2008. Time: 10 AM to 5 PM Saturday, 10 AM to 2 PM Sunday Location: Lions Club in Rathdrum, Idaho. Easy to find, just 25 miles east of Spokane, WA via Trent Avenue (Hwy 53) or take I90 to Hwy 41 exit just east of Post Falls, ID and head north for 7 miles. Hwy 41 turns into Hwy 53 at light in Rathdrum. Go past High School and Super 1 Foods on right hand side then look for bright yellow bldg just east of Pine Grove Cemetery on left hand side. About 3 city blocks from light. Cost: $170. An $85 non refundable deposit is required to reserve your spot. If the class is cancelled for any reason, your money will be refunded. Facilities: The Lions Club has 6 RV sites with electrical and water hookups available for $15 per night. Let us know in advance if you want one of these reserved for you. The Cedar Springs Bed and Breakfast (www.cedarsprings-bb.com) is located near Rathdrum. Call Ellen Larson at 888.441.9585 for accommodations and mention that you are taking the leather class. Contact person: Ken Bush White Rose Leather 11923 E. Fairview Ave Spokane Valley, WA 99206 509.926.2087 whiterosex@aol.com

Thought I would let people know when the monthly RawHide Gazette is posted. So, for a start the March RawHide Gazette Issue Posted Just a short note to say that the newest issue of the RawHide Gazette has been posted at: http://pslac.org/ ..and look in the PUBLIC index. This months issue contains: RawHide Gazette -- o--Peter Main's Butterfly Workshop with Jeff Bement o--Tooling Blocks o--Chan Geer's Sheridan Style Wallet Patterns o--New Leather DVD's Added to the PSLAC Video Library o--Another Cheap Granite Tooling Stone o--The Bill Churchill Children's Leather Program 7th Annual AWARD Nomination Form for the Year 2008 o--Ferdco's Nevada Western Trade Show o--PSLAC Meeting at MacPherson Leather o--Desert Leathercraft Group (DLG) o--DLG Show & Tell o--Pacific Raceways PSLAC Demonstrations ...and... o--Upcoming Events o--Workshop Co-ordinator's Report o--PSLAC Current Schedule ( Note: There is now a quick link to view the upcoming workshops and meeting demos at: http://www.pslac.org/schedule.htm ) Since these PDF files are quite large (0.5 to 2.5 mega bytes), may we suggest that you right click on the link and save to your hard drive for viewing when off-line. This way you can continue to browse while the file downloads AND to can start your own collection of RawHide Gazette newsletters! Bob Stelmack Editor, RawHide Gazette www.pslac.org

Bill, I will be teaching a Northwestern Coastal Indian Design Class in September for the PSLAC members (Puget sound Leather Artisians Co-Op) and I would like your permission to use your rabbit image as an example. Please send a PM to confirm your permission. Bob Stelmack

For even dyes, use an air brush. Bob Stelmack

Norm has made many tools for me and can make to special order at a resonable price. Here is his contact information: Norm Lynds, Toolmaker Mallets, Modelers, embossing tools, lifters and others on request Phone: (425) 357-1001 E-mail: sagerat2003@yahoo.com Here are a few of the ones I own. Bob Stelmack

I checked my collection of Leather URL's and this is all I had: http://www.rivetsinstock.com/rivet54.htm http://www.hansonrivet.com/ http://www.standardrivet.com/rivets-staple...s/35-rivets.php http://www.sbearstradingpost.com/eye-candy-bling-bling.html Hope this helps. Bob Stelmack

Dissolved in water and used to clean (or bleach) leather, wood. It is poison and can be absorbed through the skin and damages the liver. If used before applying Tandy's Antique dye, it turns the color purpleish. Bob

My preference in to NOT have white as a background. I find it too stark and bright on the eyes. Soften with a light yellow, grey, or some other muted color. Bob

Nothing will remove it. Just use a large (over one inch) punch and punch a hole in the the existing carpet, remove the damaged section. Then go in the closet (or some place where you don't see the carpet normally) and punch another section and place and glue the section in. Match the nape of the carpet as you do it. Just my 2cents

How about a second thin piece of leather sewn into the back side and slip the sketch pad in? Here are two journals I recently made: ...and here are some articles about binding: http://www.pslac.org/public/01_jan07.pdf http://www.pslac.org/public/11_nov02.pdf http://www.pslac.org/public/07_jul02.pdf