shard

I've got my first piece of leather in hand. (veg-tanned, I think, and pre-dyed) It's a red/russet color, not bad, but I was thinking of dying it water/wax boiling it to make it rigid. So I figure... 1. Cut out my pattern 2. dye/sealant 3. make holes and attach rivets/eyelets/D-rings etc 4. boil and set into shape Is this right? Or would boiling destroy the color, or would the sealant prevent wax from soaking in? Urg. P.S. Can leather be re-dyed or will it be like mixing paint and end up leaving me with a new color?

alright...but before I rush out and grab some material, what are the basics that I'll need? Some kind of special needle, and will I need tougher thread to match? And is there anything I absolutely should not do, or any kind of common beginner screwup that I should watch out for?

One day I just started obsessing over making myself a costume for a convention that's coming up. While some info is easy to come across, I get the feeling there are a few little bits that I'm missing. My first project is making a pair of bracers. It seems easy enough, but I want to attach a layer of chainmail over top. I've been recommended no less then 5 oz. weight all the way up to 15, but is there a specific kind of leather that I should look for? And while I don't plan to drag them through the mud, I don't want them damaged because I didn't wax/boil/cuddle the leather properly. What's the best/simplest way to prepare/care for the material? Secondly, gloves. I wanted to attack a square of maille or steel to the back of a pair of leather gloves, but they're a tad thin. Can I sew some thicker material on to reinforce it, or will that just tear itself off anyways? Is it recommended to sew leather onto a cloth backing, like canvas or something similar? Sorry if this is common stuff, but it took me long enough to just find this site between the other entries for leather (ick) and I want to begin working soon. I've never worked with leather before, and I don't really know where to start.