Allotment17

Thank you for sharing your beautiful work.

Thank you for the heads up Fred and a big thank you to Tandy. I've downloaded some of the books I have had my eye on for a while and a few patterns too.

Wow!

That is a really thoughtful and useful gift. I am sure it will be very well received.

That is some very good advice, thank you Handstitched. I'm lucky to have a good sized room to work in so can easily set up a separate area.

Wow, this is a fabulous gift. What a lucky girl.

Thank you for your help Fred. It's good to have these pointers to get me started with dyeing. I made my first ever trip to Home Bargains this month and was pleasantly surprised (I picked up a granite chopping board and a cork block), I'm going again this weekend so I'll get some of the Astonish floor polish while I'm there (if they've got it).

Hi Fred, I've just looked this up, it comes in some nice colours. I've got a quite a shopping list for Le Prevo, I was so impressed with their customer service when I bought some leather that I want to give them my future custom. I'll add a pot of this dye to the list. What do you use as a finish with the acrylic or is ok left as is?

These are great. I really like the look of the black and tan together and the blues are lovely.

Thanks Ed. Thank you.

I'm looking to start dyeing veg tan leather. I have a workspace in a spare bedroom so I'm looking for a dye that is safe to use indoors where there is very little ventilation. Can anyone recommend a tried and tested product available in the UK. Many thanks.

Very clever idea.

Very nice bag.

A few weeks ago I saw a leather toolbag, quite simple, gusset bag with strap and handle, which I really liked. It wasn't quite right so I thought, as you do, 'I can learn to make that'. So here I am. I'm starting with small projects, that will have a use, in order to learn (the above was not what I intended to make but was requested so I had a go). I'm a dog walker, so I can make use of plenty of key fobs and belt loops. I've also made a one card holder for myself and I want to make a decent pencil case to withstand the rigours of a packed school bag. Eventually, after the toolbag, the big make that I'm hoping I will get to is a briefcase for my husband to hold his laptop and paperwork, he can never find exactly the right thing of the right size and he has high hopes that I'll produce one for him. I don't think that is on the cards for some time though. So I think I kind of have a plan of what I want to make but am happy trying out all sorts of things. I've discovered Nigel and Ian on YouTube and enjoyed many hours watching videos from various people and both learning a lot and confusing myself. For example, finishes and dyes, there seem to be so many different types and these days you can't pop along to a shop and chat to someone, or try out various products before deciding which ones you like. I don't want to end up buying one of everything, which is why I was very pleased with your finishing/proofing advice which means I don't have to buy anything for that. I am slowly building up a list of products and tools I think will be useful so I can buy one or two items each month. This month I've ordered a strop and compound, I've already got sharpening stones and have been sharpening everything I can lay my hands on, and finishing them up with some autosol on a piece of denim. I am really struggling with cleanly cutting out so want to work on that, I'm happy with curved corners using a coin, but I seem to have too many ragged edges elsewhere. I also want to work on my edges, I'm currently using water and a wooden edge burnisher finished with beeswax but I'm not getting a result I am happy with. I don't have access to any machinery so everything needs to be done by hand (although I like the look of the sanding/burnishing wheels I've seen people using). Next, I want to dip my toe into the world of dying but I'm happy to put that off for a while until I'm happier with my construction skills. Well, I am well and truly guilty of rambling here. Right, I'm off to youtube a bit more.

Hi zuludog, thank you for your reply and advice, you are right, I haven't given it any treatment. I like the idea of using something I already have in the house, and if it darkens the leather too then that is a plus for me.