SUP

Considering the stuff that has been passing under the heading of 'vegan' leather, I'm not surprised people are skeptical. A bit of skepticism is good, especially when playing around with fungi. If that makes people who question, modern day 'Luddites' so be it. This is similar to turkey 'bacon' and veggie 'burgers' - taste fine in their place but not as replacements; as other options? Certainly.

@Handstitched or "Vegther"? "Vether"? So one needs to know "whether someone is talking about weather or vether"... Mycelium leather - I wonder if anyone here has tried to make any. I read people make it at home.

Don't know about 'well-meaning'. It is a question of what vegans expect people to do with fresh animal skins; not the reason why most people use leather, I'm pretty sure. It would be a silly reason anyway. Besides, if vegans object to using skin as leather, will they not object to its use in any other way as well? Unless it continues in its original use? If people really stop using leather, if skins from fresh kills are not preserved, they putrefy... go back to the land...yes. But somehow, to me, if we make the animal sacrifice its life for food, I think it is right to use as much of it as we can. As @chuck123wapati says, all of the animal may not be used all the time, but as much as possible? Yes it should. @Handstitched that's the spirit! Anyway, all this is moot. Vegans can shout until they are blue in the face but does anyone really think people will ever stop using leather? While chomping their way through what is inside that leather before it becomes leather? What you say, @nstarleather is true. All vegan leather up to now is just plastic with fancy names. This could be something different.

@grep You are probably right about that. I don't personally care about killing fungi for their mycelia but I do care about killing animals for food and then discarding other parts, unused.

@grep you are right but it is still a simulant and I hope it is labeled as such. Calling it 'skin' and 'leather' is still misleading, no matter, what the reason. Finally, it hardly makes sense to me to come up with alternatives when the original is always going to be produced in huge quantities as a by-product of the food industry. What is to happen to that? Landfills?

@Littlef you're welcome! @Hags your only hope of getting your hands on this, is to get one yourself.

@CJJ They measure up to 2 inches. What is the maximum width you would like to set on the strap cutter? I've not yet used one.

@Littlef you can get it on Temu...less than 1.5 dollars. They call it "Multilateral Aluminium ruler".

This is one of my favorite new tools. Used by quilters I believe.

@fredk @zuludog when you stop to think of it, what you both say makes perfect sense but I think most people today do not think behind the reasons of why something was practical. We just say, "Oh! Olden times they did not have metal buckets, so they used leather... inefficient" when actually, it is just the opposite in those circumstances. @zuludog the same with the boots. Thank you both for sharing your knowledge.

Wow! I didn't know that. I just put up what was in the description of the bucket. So this could be vintage rather than antique.

I saw this online and thought I should mention it here - a leather bucket used to carry water to fight fires. I believe it is 9 inches in diameter and 15 inches tall.

I can never understand people who don't want to use leather. I don't see them telling people not to eat beef or other meats; I know people who only use 'vegan leather' but who eat meats! Besides, expecting the world to stop eating meats is a pipe dream. My take is that as long as people eat the insides of an animal, I am using the outsides - making best use of the animal's involuntary sacrifice. When I say that, the vegan warriors usually shut up. LOL Besides, I wonder about mycelium leather - if not properly treated, will there be spores left behind? If so, if the leather gets wet or even in humid weather, will there be mushrooms sprouting on handbags and watch straps? New fashion statement perhaps?

That is very informative. Learning from classes and tutorials is not half as informative because we learn the theory and method but actually just watching someone carve in this way, I learnt a lot more. Thank you.

This post is for 29th oct 2023 when I checked the leather but delayed putting it up here. Not much change in any of the pieces anywhere. The only thing becoming more noticeable is that all the oiled pieces kept outside, constantly exposed to the elements, have darkened, to more or less the same extent now. The unoiled piece is very pale compared to the oiled pieces. Texture remains the same. This week is cold and below freezing. Let's see how that makes a difference.

As @TomE says, you could talk to @bruce johnson . He is an extremely helpful gentleman and will guide you on exactly what you need. He also sells tools of different brands, so you will have a variety from which to select. His tools are always well sharpened so you don't have the issue of having to sharpen them on receipt.

No fungus on any of the pieces in any of the locations. They appear to be slightly drier this weekend and curving a bit. I plan to check them on Sunday - 2 weeks from the previous check, and determine which need oiling. I think I will oil as per requirements of individual pieces Then I will be able to determine which oils allow longer periods between oilings.

@Sheilajeanne yes once she paints it I will ask her to send me pics and post them here. @fredk I do plan to make another, with changes planned right from the beginning. This was exactly following the pattern. . But that size of holes is needed, with the type of stitching. Even with this size of holes, getting the needle through in awkward corners was bit of a struggle. It was fun anyway. I will need to use stronger magnets. This time I was in a hurry to send it across the country in time for Halloween, so just used what I had. Daughter needs time to plan and paint and dry it all. And the idea of slim bar magnets under the nails is a great. I have a couple of cut fingers not yet stitched... I will try on those, even if I do not stitch the entire hand immediately. I should get those stronger magnets in Amazon, isn't it?

@Gezzer Thank you.

@maggielj That is very beautiful. Like @Chux and @KYCat said, looking at it makes me want to learn beading.

@fredk thank you. I wanted to add magnets inside the finger-tips, palm and wrist as well, to try to get it to stick to maybe the 'fridge, but the sticky magnet thingy I have is not strong enough to stick to metal through the leather. So dropped that idea.

@fredk thank you. That is what I aimed for. That coconut oil and folding and creasing the leather helped give it that look of ' tanned skin'. Also added wire inside each finger and in the palm so it can be shaped in different ways. Now my daughter only needs to add blood and gore.

Woman here... @Gezzer those are really nice! Love the shape and the elegant pattern as well. Very versatile, which is important. A suggestion - why not make some with embossed leather scraps as well? I do that because sometimes, tooled ones might not match with outfits. (I do not really tool as yet, but that is a different matter!). If you are selling them, you might reach a wider range of people. It will be an easy job too - no tooling, just slap on a liner if too soft or thin, cut and complete. You make such beautifully shaped barrettes, they are sure to be a hit.

This is 'The Hand', complete. Sending it out to daughter to paint today. Also sending her this key choker - the key turns!

@MudBugWillit would be a good idea to add a short write-up to give people an idea about the site and make people interested in actually looking at the video. Otherwise, people will be reluctant to just look at a video to learn what a site is all about. Imagine if more sites said the same. How many people will look at such videos without knowing anything about the site? You might miss out on people buying your services because of that. That would be a pity. Also, don't take offense if people give you constructive criticism. That is a part of what this forum is all about - decent people who guide others on how they can make improvements. Of course, people could flatter you saying everything is wonderful, but then, you will not know what is missing or could be improved. Just my two bits.