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Hello I am wondering if anyone might be able to help me. I am looking to set loomed beads into a belt. All the pictures I have seen of these beautiful belts look like the beads are set into the leather. Does anyone know how this is done? I the leather split then the inlay cut out? Is it a channel of leather removed? Looks like the sides are all stitched. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated! Kind Regards Meagan

So, inspired by the top hat I saw here on Leatherworker that Windrider made, I finally got the kick to make my own. It helped that Nstarleather had just sent me a bunch of SB Foot leather that NEEDED to be worked with. I looked around online for patterns and styles, and decided for my first attempt instead of stitching I'd rivet the hat parts together. Not exactly a mistake, but definitely challenging without having some sort of supporting arm to put inside the hat for the last few rivets. I managed though, and by the time I was finished with them I was definitely getting a slightly different vibe from the more Londonesque Steampunk that I usually envision, especially once I put the "lantern" on. I'm rather proud of the "lantern", it's a flickering candle LED encased inside a bead that I had traded for from Cseeger, I believe it's an African brass cage bead. Added on some crystals and more leather, and bam, steampunky lantern that can be turned on and off from inside the hat! (I actually have plans for the next hat I make in regards to lighting, I think I've started up a new habit... The quetzalcouatl style snake is made from flat and seed beads in a double row, the "head" is made from moulted chicken feathers from my Easter Egger hen and another African brass bead. The crescent indents are scarring on the leather which I thought looked pretty neat, I'll be adding more stuff to that area in the future. The back was something I debated over, should I rivet it as well? I decided to go with a simple x with leather cord and reinforce the area with another strip of leather, keeping the hat size to a maximum since I want it to be a large sized hat and I still need to put a liner in the rim so the rivets inside don't get sweated directly on.

A number of years ago I did a glass bead facsimile of the USMC globe, eagle, and anchor. I'm getting ready to make a jacket for myself, . . . kind of a "Randevous" type, . . . suede buckskin, . . . fringe, . . . all that. I wanted to add some Native American style beading, . . . but wanted it to be germain to my own situation if possible. Does anyone out there have an insight into the "meanings" or "interpretations" of the various patterns used by them when they did their designs. FWIW, . . . I have Winsauke heritage, . . . May God bless, Dwight

Hi, I want to attach large stone beads to leather tack, for example turquoise stone nugget beads, and I'm having difficulty figuring out the beast way to attach them. Does anyone have a way that works well and holds the beads on tightly? I attached a picture of some tack that has the stones attached, I'm thinking they used wire but I'm not sure. If anyone has some advice I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks in advance! - Jaclynn