Klara

I see the problem. I think the fact that it's a logo would be clearer if ther was an additional element: An oval around the name, "Made in ..." underneath - just a little something to make it clear that it's not the name of the owner. And you want to research that this or a similar trademark is not already being used.

Self-taught and never read a book?

Funnily enough, the steel band on my Invicta Pro Diver's Lady is such a strap and the watch super comfortable. I suspect it's because it fits my arm with its 36 mm - but who knew that a watch needs to actually fit! Not something enthusiasts talk about a lot....

Thanks for the link!

Amazing Work! How did you get these edges (and how long did it take)?

Do I understand correctly that you have poured molten lead into the nut? I like the idea (got the lead when I had new tyres mounted and balanced), but what did you use as bottom to the nut so the lead would not leak out?

The way I see it, the holster would be functional enough for display if you sewed the flap back on. Yes, the edges would be uneven (there is a German expression "der Zahn der Zeit" - literally the tooth of time - but I'd suspect mice. Or could the leather have dried out and become brittle and pieces broken off? In any case, wear is to be expected after a hundred years) but if you can get the leather supple enough you can still open and close the flap. That's all that is required for "display functionality", isn't it? Any viewer can imagine what the flap looked like when the edges were smooth and even. It's also the easiest and quickest solutions: Pull out the old thread, sew with new one. Otherwise it's down the rabbit hole of leather work: Finding and buying leather, learning to cut, condition and age it, removing the "keyhole hardware" (no idea what it's correctly called) from the old piece and putting it on the new one (that looks the most difficult part to me) and sewing the new flap on. Certainly an interesting project - if you want to do it. Your choice.

Wow, now I am seriously glad that I don't live wherever you do... I am unwilling to wear an expensive watch because I'd be afraid to damage or lose it. And because I haven't seen one that I absolutely had to have, and there is exactly no point in buying a watch to impress others, because they won't notice (the only people I need to impress are dog show judges).

Thank you!

Full disclosure: I'm not really a watch enthusiast. It's a fascinating world into which I look pretty much from the outside, because I just don't want to carry thousands of Euros on my wrist. Also unlike many people, I am not convinced that a watch for € 10,000 is ten times better than one for € 1000. However, I have worn a wristwatch all my life, from the time when I learnt to read the time. And I needed a new one, started looking and found the rabbit hole. But my "collection" is still very reasonable ad justifiable (the ones in the picture plus a Citizen solar quartz which lives in a clear plastic case near the window. The Invicta on the left is the one I normally wear.) The following picture shows the problem with my full-width pocket: It's visible from the side (the edge on the leather isn't perfect either - it's been too long since I made something). There's two obvious solutions ( @Tugadude if you want to make one): 1. Making the pocket narrower than the roll 2. No pocket in the lid, but using pipe insulation for the cushion and making the interior of the foam tube accessible. There's a commercial version of the latter, made by Wolf. @TomE The shape is actually very easy: It's just a long rectangle that is wrapped around the side pieces. The tricky bit was finding a shape for the sides that would fit the cushion which I had made first. Most rolls are circular or oval, my cut-off circle is a consequence of my cushion. For which I also have new ideas but if I made another roll I had to fill it That's when I miss working for sale. When I was spinning, knitting and weaving, I'd just make another one realising any new ideas I had while making the first.

In my roll the "fake wrist object" is the removable long blue cushion with the separations, which is not really recognizable as such in the picture, I admit. For my case is much deeper than Tugadude's, because I wanted to make very sure that there would be no pressure on the watch glasses, even if the roll were squeezed in luggage and there were straps and a strap changing tool in the pocket. I'll make more photos when the light is back! And yes, the leather is handstitched, I used the sewing machine only for stitching fabric to fabric. Regarding metal straps: In this case there is only space for two, one on each end. Because metal straps remain a closed loop that wouldn't fit over the separating cushions and other watches. Originally I wanted to make 4 separate little cushions that slide out of the separating walls, but that would have been a lot more complex. So I figured with a single watch with metal band in my "collection" (which will stay on my arm for the foreseeable future, as setting it was a PITA) a simple cushion would do. Basically, a watch roll is a way to store and transport watches and a way for a leather worker to make something that's fairly easy (once figured out) and very interesting (to figure out). And very much worth the time and the leather, if one considers the prices of genuine leather watch rolls (the cheap ones are Chinese plastic).

As I hadn't found a single watch roll of this type when I was looking for tips on making one, here is mine. A basic roll is simple, but I wanted a pocket in the lid which complicated things: The fabric is velvet from old IKEA curtains, the cushion stuffing washed, unspun wool, the sides an old yoga mat.

When I was unsure about the size and shape of my watch roll, I used cardboard which in this case worked perfectly. But mostly I consider all my pieces practice pieces and use cheap leather to do them. As I'm doing simple stuff, it generally works out.

I would like to repeat DJole's recommendation. Inkscape is to Adobe Illustrator what GIMP is to Photoshop (i. e. vector graphics vs. image editing software...) I draw my patterns the old-fashioned way, if we are talking about construction. The pictures for decoration - which so far have been limited to borzois and an eagle head - are bought and printed.

Lovely gifts! I can see that the cases would be fairly quick to make, but you still can only make as many per day as you have wood formers, can't you? (And I do hope that even after Brexit and inflation you get more than 20 chips for £ 20 !)

My leather shop sells little blocks of beeswax for waxing threads and burnishing edges. Costs a few Euros and lasts a long time. Works mucg better in summer, though.

Yes, that justifies your frustration a bit more. Only a bit, because "way back when" sounds like a long time and memories are short ;) . But frankly, I have come to the conclusion that some bespoke items are priced so very high because satisfaction is guaranteed - in other words, adjusting or remaking the item is figured into the price. I never dared do that, and I've always hated custom work... (even though it's the way to go) Btw, an ex-colleague who makes belts sells them on markets, mostly to the user, and cuts them to size and makes the holes when selling them. Of course, no edge paint or burnishing. So I have one belt made for me - and it's become too long!

Does your phone not have an app to reduce picture size? I am using a cheapish Samsung phone tablet and reframing and resizing photos couldn't be easier. (Open photo in Gallery, tap on pencil under the photo, drag the frame that has appeared in the desired position, tap on the three dots in the top right-hand corner, choose Redimension (or whatever it says on an English system) and pick one of the options that appear. )

Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm with your customer here! I didn't know how leatherworkers measure belts until I took up the hobby. When "normal people" measure an item's length, they measure end-to-end. In order to avoid the problem in future, send your customers measuring instructions. Something like "from the current belt's most often used hole (not necessarily the center hole if the current belt is getting small) to the inside of the buckle". I'm not happy with the second half, but trying to account for different buckle sizes... Of course one could in theory measure waist size - except that many trousers don't go up to the waist, and you can't use the normal (naked) waist measurement either, and... Incidentally, that kind of problem is why I don't like buying online and even less having things made to measure.

My thoughts exactly!

I'd buy another cutting mat and remember to not use it as a base for punching...

I guess it's an anglo-saxon specialty (I have read about similar events in the UK and USA), which is a pity. I used to have some show-worthy knitted pieces (my own designs)... An entry fee of $ 1 or 2 should really not put people off. I expected a lot more, given that I'm paying around Euro 40 for a dog show entry (you get an ugly cup, or a coloured ribbon if you are lucky enough to win. And prestige, which doesn't feed the dog, unless you're a breeder.) Then I really don't know why no exhibits were entered...

I don't disagree with your point (or points), but I just didn't get it from your first post.

If your new 9hone is a fine one it has a function for reducing the size of photos, that shouldn't be a problem (in my Samsung it comes up when I look at a picture in the Gallery). As for the boots, (nearly) everything wants to be sustainable today, what is your point? For me the materials don't matter a lot as long as the quality is good enough to get 10 years wear out of my footwear...

Is there an entry fee for the show? And what can be won? I'm not sure I would participate in such a show, even if there were any (I'm not aware of local crafts shows "for everybody" in France. There are competitions for professional apprentices, but I'm not one of them). What I am trying to say is that there may well be people around doing leatherwork, but they just don't see the point of participating in a show.