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Hello, there. I am very happy to have found this place as I have been leather working for a few years now and have really not had much contact with other leather workers. I have started working with leather because I also am a knife maker and wanted to make my own knife sheaths. That got me started with leather and now I also make smaller leather items such as wallets, watch straps, small purses, etc. I love working with leather, handling leather, smelling leather, etc. It's a wonderful medium and material for very durable items. It is also very beautiful and appreciated by most human beings as I believe we evolved from the ancient days using this material. Just like most humans like fire, most humans tend to love leather. I will photograph some of my work and upload it, but for now I just wanted to say hello to my fellow leather workers.

Greetings all: First post, joined because I just bought my first walking foot machine - a Mitsubishi DY-253 and the only information I could find (other than parts and owners manuals on line) were threads on this forum. I am a rank novice at leather working. I first used industrial sewing machines about 30 yrs ago at a former employer's trim shop during lunch breaks sewing things like leather shot bags (bag filled with lead shot or sand used as backing when hammer forming sheet metal). Eventually I changed employers and I bought my first industrial machine, a Pfaff 138-6 that is more of a tailor's machine, not ideal for my uses but I simply did not know better. I've wanted a walking foot machine for a long time and finally one became available at a price I could afford. The machine was out of time when I bought it. I joined https://groups.io/g/vintagesewingmachinerepair looking for assistance for timing my DY-253 and it was suggested that I join here for information - and since I had already read several of the threads on the DY-253 (and Seiko SK and the Singer 132K6) from this forum, it made sense that I join. I have since solved my machine's timing issue and have ordered several sizes of needles. Now I need to acquire tooling such as extra bobbins & a wider walking foot (the one that came with the machine is the same width as the presser foot). aribert

Hi! My name is Chip. I’m new to leather working. I instantly loved it because it involves sewing with a sewing machine and reminds me of wood working (which I also love). I want to make nice bags and wallets for both women and men to sell. No website yet as I am just getting started learning about this, but… I’ve already made two bags using a Singer 128 and a Kenmore Model 21 “Purple Monster”. The Singer does not have reverse, so that was a bummer. The Kenmore has reverse and is a left homing needle (kind of an annoyance, but works). Both of them had their issues and I realised I can’t use them for quality work. Even still, both prototype bags I made came out “ok”. Those are going to be gifts. I have not settled on what specific items I will be making for sale, but totes will be on the list! Chip from CHIPPER BAGS

Hi from New Zealand, newbie leatherworker with an interest in all things leather, Im making wallets, masks, bags, hats, all sorts of pouches and some NSFW items and slowly sorting out Etsy. I have an interest in the history of leather and am keen on all aspects of viking age leather (I would love to learn how they gold plated leather)

Hello, everyone! My name is Riley and I am the proprietor of Alfred Leatherworks! I've been a member of this forum since 2014, however it seems I have never formally introduced myself here. I am a disabled Air Force veteran, having spent seven years in the USAF as an intelligence analyst. Since leaving the military I have had a somewhat difficult time readjusting to civilian life, however in 2015 I began using my Post 9/11 GI Bill to work towards a business degree. In December 2018 I graduated from Texas A&M University San Antonio with my bachelors of business in business administration with a focus in marketing. My goals regarding my presence on this forum are to network, chat with other people who are as passionate about leather as me, to learn new tips and tricks, and to occasionally offer some advice and answers to other folks. I began working with leather as a small child in my father's taxidermy shop. He often had people bring in a whole deer and only ask for the antlers on a plaque back. The surplus of deerskin led to him learning to work with leather (and me getting an awesome deerskin backpack for school!), and by that I began to learn because if he was in the shop I was out there too..."helping", lol. I got in the way a lot, I'm sure, but I learned to love helping him make wallets, bags, backpacks, and all sorts of other neat things. Years later, while in the military, I found out a mentor of mine was also a saddler and I began spending a lot of time in his shop learning from him. I would never, at this point, call myself a professional saddler, but I can certainly do repair work at this point. After leaving the service I found another leather working mentor, this time specializing in leather garments, accessories, and leather quilting (apparently, a big deal in some parts of the world). I have a rather varied bit of leather crafting training, and more than a few years of "dabbling" and "hobby-crafting". As time has gone on I have chosen to try and start up a full-time leather shop as an enjoyable way to spend my day and earn some supplemental income since my disability stipend only goes so far.

Hi, I'm new here. I've recently become interested in the concept of working with leather. I have not, yet, purchased the first relevant tool or scrap of leather, partly because I haven't been home, and partly because I'm looking at projects, tools, and techniques used by others. I kind of like to know what I'm getting into. My other interests include (but are, by no means, limited to) radio communication, theology, psychology, history, and marketing. Also, I've inherited my Grandfathers wood working tools, so an interest has developed there, as well. From time to time, I've been known to produce impressively crappy music; once, I may have even risen to the level of mediocre. I'm looking forward to exploring the forum, asking questions, and learning new things. I'm a trucker by trade, and am on the road for weeks at a time, so I probably won't be inclined to take on projects that are too intricate; at least, not at the moment. That could change, though. Other things have...

Greetings all, James M. here from Pontotoc, Mississippi. I'm fairly new at leather craft and I've gotten a very basic tooling and stitching kit together. Here's a sample of my work that I did for a friend. I've been a hobbyist blacksmith for several years and have recently delved into the world of leather work. I find that its a lot of fun and I really enjoy working with leather. Thoughts, critiques and warm welcomes are sincerely solicited.

Greetings! I joined the forum yesterday and have already found a ton of great information and seen some amazing works here. My leathercrafting journey started a few months ago when I took a basic leather carving class at the Tandy leather store here and I started a leather construction/fabrication class there last week. I've only done a few carvings and my first billfold is about halfway done. I am loving leather work and am afraid I've been bitten by the bug! A little about myself: I live in Omaha and previously lived in Minnesota and Omaha before that. I guess I kinda made a Minnesota sandwich with Omaha bread. Prior to that I was an Air Force brat and moved around quite a bit. I am a recovering musician, but will still relapse from time to time. I worked in IT for about 10 years but am now in a transitional phase of my life and am trying to figure out what to do with myself. I live with my best buddy Olive (an 11 year old Rat Terrier), or maybe I live with her. When not doing as much research as I possibly can about leathercraft, I am also researching transitioning to a nomadic lifestyle. I want to buy a van and convert it to live in full time and travel across the country with Olive. Well, that's about all the news that's fit to print here, But I look forward to being a part of this community and being a sponge and soaking up as much knowledge and information as I can. Best regards to all, Ken

I've been reading posts on this forum for several months now and have gained so much knowledge about industrial sewing machines. I want to thank all the contributors for taking the time to share their valuable knowledge and experience to people just getting started. I knew that sewing was in my future a few months back when I picked up 3 industrial machines about 5 months ago from Craigslist and started the journey. I didn't know much back then but bought them because I love machinery and they appeared to be a good deal. The purchase was for a Bernina 217 and two old Singer bar tackers. I followed many threads on this forum and realized what I really wanted was a walking foot machine. I changed my mind a dozen times about what machine I would get and finally ordered a new Juki DU-1541S from Greg at Keystone Sewing based on the recommendations on this board. It is expected to be delivered this coming Friday. I can't wait. Greg was super nice and helpful. I will be doing more business with him in the future. So after I ordered my new machine, a Consew 206rb in almost new condition was listed about 100 miles from here for $500. I couldn't pass it up. I am in the process of cleaning the 12 years of idleness off the machine and getting it ready for sewing. It is an awesome machine too. I have to make room so I listed my Bernina in the LW Marketplace. I plan on sewing Cordura and webbing at first, to sharpen my skills,, before I start working on leather. I am sure I will be reading more threads on here for sewing tips now that I will have some very nice machines to work with. Here are some photos of my first machines, the Bernina and the Consew. I am very glad to become a member of this forum. Thanks! John Noveske Sr.

Hey guys, I’m shock. I moved to Alaska a little over a year ago and got connected to Jake907 through a mutual friend. The winters are long and dark with the sun going down at 3pm. Needless to say, there is plenty of time for hobbies. I’ve been around leather working for as long as I can remember; I grew up in south central Kansas across the pasture from a master leatherworker and saddle maker. Any time I wanted a sheath for a knife blade I epoxied into a whiletail antler or anything else I could dream up, all I had to do was ask. Sometime in high school, he gave me a box of leather scraps and some simple advice (use a sharp knife. Your knife isn’t sharp unless it cuts through leather like a razor through paper. My knives are never that sharp.) and turned me loose. When I moved up here, Jake gave me a box of scrap, a box of hardware, a diamond awl, and a ton of thread. So far, everything I have made has been extremely rudimentary. I am too cheap and poor to afford a side or really any leather so I do what I can with scraps and rejected projects. Current projects include a gun/utility belt and a purse/shoulder-bag for my wife. Attached is my first completed project in Alaska. Jake helped a ton with it, and all the mistakes are mine. And yes, it sits upside down and horizontal in the small of my back. I’m excited to be here to learn from you all. shock

Hey, you clicked the title! Thanks for doing that. As you may have deduced, I am a new member; while I made this account awhile ago, I am just starting to get more active on this. I am a hobbyist leather worker, and hopefully I can change that and become a leather worker full-time. I have done this for about 2 years, and it’s been an amazing journey so far. I am still in college so posting pics and being super active unfortunately isn’t a luxury, but I’ll try and post when I can. I'll attach some of my old work so you know I am a human, and not a robot. Please keep in mind that I am only a beginner, so any criticism is welcomed. Thank you again for reading, and if you want to see some more recent pictures of my work, check out my Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lowellleather/ -JW

Glad to meet you all. I have been producing after-market knife sheaths for tall ship sailors for a few years now and have been working on improving the quality of my output. I look forward to discovering many new tips and tricks. here is my site

Hello from the UK. I am a hobbyist leatherworker who has only be at if for 5yrs or so, I craft for my own pleasure & for the fun of making things for others. I have a flickr account for a record <linky> I have come here for inspiration & a place to turn to when Google ails on technical queries Nice to meet you all

Hello I'm just starting to use this forum and found out that this is a great place to be A year ago I started to work with leather and found a hole new world! Ever since I have worked on my skills and hope to get even better. well that's all I got have a nice day

Just joined the forum and recently started to learn the craft (little over a month). I'm really enjoying the process and I find that it helps me unwind after a crappy day at work. Since joining I have truly learned a great deal from just lurking around. As I post things, please feel free to comment one way or another. I have thick skin and believe that the best way to learn is to make mistakes and take criticism as constructive and not destructive though I appreciate a little leniency as I learn to crawl. My interests are in watch strap making, journal covers and small odds and ends but this may change as my skills improve (would be cool to make myself a pair of shoes one day). Other hobbies include metal working, fabrication and spending time with my kids. I really appreciate the forum, years of knowledge being passed down and looking forward to being a productive member myself one day.

Hi, everyone! Efraín here, from Monterrey, Mexico. I joined the group because I've gotten somewhat serious on this as a hobby and want to learna bit more since I have some other projects in mind. I just wanted to say hi and introduce myself (and show off a little, to tell the truth). I'm a software engineer, with a very serious film photography hobby that led me into this other hobby of leather work. I started by wanting a vintage looking sturdy backpack for my cameras. The obvious choice was to purchase a leather bag, but the prices I saw for what I liked were out of my league. I tried to convince myself that the price was worth it, so I started looking in Youtube for reviews about Saddleback Buffalo Jack, Satchel &Page, etc... one thing led to another and soon I was watching at videos on how to do saddle stitching. I took the jump, purchased some tools and thread, built my own stitching pony and started practicing my stitches on some scraps as I went and made the pattern for my backpack with ideas borrowed from different models. Bought some leather and started the project. (I have the pattern drawn at scale and can share if you want, but I made modifications to the cut pieces once I started putting them together, so the pattern does not represent the actual, finished bag). The logo was made with a laser print, which I engraved by hammering a little screwdriver into the design after dampening the leather with some water. The leather I got for it is called "sillero" here in Mexico, meaning it's the one used for saddles... by Tandy's buying guide it's somewhere between 8-10 oz, so, you can guess it's a heavy bag!!. I'm sure it will be a blast to go through the forums and get to know all of you. Here are some pictures of my bag and the process (the color is a bit off in some of them because of lighting and filter process in the iPhone). I hope you like'em!

Hey everyone, I want to introduce myself as I just became a member. My name is Tim, and I am from the state of Vermont. I enjoy traditional archery, knife collecting( antique mini folders and balisongs) and leather craft. As for my intentions on this forum, I want to pick the brains of master craftsmen. I enjoy developing my swivel knife techniques and creating original carving patterns in my sketch books. Although I feel I have the raw ability to become good, at some point, I am currently hindered by my lack of formal knowledge and technique. Much of want I know is self taught and I hope to gain an education here on this forum. Thank you for your time and I will submit some projects for critique in the near future.

New member here! Thanks to everyone for all the great information on this forum, it has really helped me get started. I'm already addicted as I've already collected four machines in four weeks to work on boat canvas and upholstery. My machines: -1956 Singer 201-2 -Pfaff 332-260 -Adler 98 industrial zig zag -Singer 211G-151 (haven't gotten this one to sew right yet, my latest acquisition) Looking forward to learning more about this hobby, which I can also use during my work on boat restorations. If anyone knows where to get an instruction or service manual for an Adler 98, please let me know!

While looking at some youtube clips I got fascinated by leatherwork. Only just beginning so no proper tools just yet. My first attempt at making something and not just using some scraps to practice: Note: Not my design. I found it on Pinterest/Etsy and now I can't find it again but credit where credit is due so this is not my design (if anybody knows the designer please let me know so I can give credit). Looking forward to diving deeper into the leatherwork and wouldn't mind getting into contact with fellow europeans regarding buying materials and leather as I noticed most of the users here are based in the US but shipping those does not seem realistic just yet.

Hi all, Not sure about the rules here but wanted to say hi - have been lurking for a month or so and figured I should actually sign up as a member! My day job is machining and fabrication in South Brooklyn; sewing is very much a side project, but I've always been interested in leather and webbing work, so when a shop around the corner from me closed up and posted "walking foot machines for sale", I went for it. I'll post pictures of the machines and some modifications I did to get a cylinder-bed industrial into a New York apartment in another thread, and I have a couple extra box and bar tack heads that I'll post in the "For Sale" section shortly. All the info here helped greatly in figuring out what to look for in a machine and what to do with one once I got it - I look forward to learning more and maybe showing you all some cool stuff down the road! -Zac

Glad to be a member. I'm a hobbyist of many things and am trying my hand at leather work. I am about to purchase a heavy duty sewing machine, so this forum should offer a good variety of facts and opinions. I'm sure I'll be able to pick up a lot of general tips along the way, too. Aside from reading and spending time with our grown children and grandchildren, I like to bike, walk and spend time outdoors. I am an avid horse rider and trail ride all over the Midwest and further west. Thus, many of my hobbies center around equine related projects. I do beading to hang off the saddles, make fly sheets for them and now am embarking on leather pouches for riders. Looking forward to meeting other leather enthusiasts. Thank you.

Hey Everyone. I'm Carson. A 16 year old high school student from Canada. Been leathercraftin for 4-6 months and about 5 hours a day. I've made bags wallets and even leather dress shoes although I did not carve the shoe last by hand. I'm really hoping to be an active member and contribute positively as much as I possibly can. Any other teens on here who leather craft?

Hello :] Thanks for all the input over the years, I managed to learn quite a bit before I finally have the chance to properly introduce myself :] My name is Michał (or Michael, if you choose so). I've been toying with leather for two years or so (self-taught under my own colors - "Barlogg's Workshop"), doing what I can to be better at it - which in Poland isn't exactly a simple task, very expensive GOOD supplies and such. Anyway, with my fascination with fantasy, sci-fi and steampunk things, I love making cosplay and LARP accessories, like belts, masks and such. And so - in my free time... here's a link to my deviant page if you want to see some of my other works, as well as a photo of my recent work, quite simple commissioned LARP belt for a elven lady adventurer, made mostly from about 8oz veggie-tanned leather. Thanks for watching and see you around :]

Hi, everyone. I am a leatherworker out of necessity, and sort of worked my way into the craft by accident. I was between jobs during Christmas one year, and had a piece of leather and some tools and tons of time...and no money, so I made all my Christmas presents one year by hand and was pretty pleased with the efforts. I am still learning as I go, and would love to spend more time working with my leather...it is very rewarding to me, but I am spending a lot of time on the road lately and not able to get settled in and get to work...I hope to network some and maybe meet some people who can teach me a thing or two along the way. I also hope to start making the trade shows and craft group meetings in my area.

Hello. I've had an account here for about a month, but it's taken until now to introduce myself. Over the last six months or so I've often sourced information and advice from this forum, it's been extremely useful, so thanks to all those who take the time to share their knowledge and resources. I've been working with leather for around eight months, but have only been able to get any regular hours in over the last two. Now I've set myself up self-employed and I've started to sell my work. I'm still experimenting with different approaches towards leather work and seem to learn something new with every project. Any ideas on how to improve my work would always be appreciated, and I hope to be able to offer help for others. I'm just putting together a gallery on my profile. Anyway, thanks in advance. Billy. London, UK.