Search the Community

hi i am new to leather making. i took a workshop at tandy which went over basics for making a little suede pouch. i am trying to make handbags using thin leather. i bought some nice remnants from a good local store just to get started. i have a 2 teeth and 4 teeth pricking iron 7 tpi blanchard which i really like. okay so here is where i get confused. i have searched online and its hard to find compact info.. for multi layers, seam of bag, do i mark and prick one layer and then line up the other layer underneath and prick the second layer? ( clamp together with binder clips) or do i glue or tape layers together and prick through both layers or mark each layer and prick separately or prick one layer and use an awl to go through the 2nd layer or prick the layers but not all the way thru and use soft awl to make hole larger for needles to go thru (i saw this method in one video but again that was use on very thick leather .. i am afraid i might damage the leather if i try this with very thin leather) what to i do for a very thin strap? (leather folded in half so only using single seam) .. what i tried is taping the leather and pricking thru both layers.. not sure if that was best way to use the pricking iron .. it looked fine but .... also wondering if its bad for the pricking iron to be going through tape or glue... how do i added piping .. that is in terms of making the holes? is it best to mark and prick all the holes i will need to stitch the sides of the bag together? thanks in advance for any help. the information i have been able to find online has been mostly for very thick leather and i am not sure if the same processes apply for thin leather or methods are either not fully explained or alternatively there are so many methods shown that it just confuses me more ):