Second Wallet with basket weave

[Mulligan31]

This is my second attempt at basket weave and third wallet. This was from a free pattern from Maze leather. No stitch. Finished with pro dye dark brown and neutral resolene . I applied the resume er with a damp cloth and the difference was significant. No bad streaking or bubbles. 

[Bert03241]

Well I'm no one to critique someones work as I'm not much better, but its easy to see what could be improved on in your work as well as my own.You edges need a lot of work .Beveling and burnishing . a thin liner would have helped this project a lot. Your basket weave is not that bad. iI know this is a no stitch wallet but I really hate all the rivets. Personal choice I guess. Keep at  it you'll get better with each new project.

[Mulligan31]

13 hours ago, Bert03241 said:

Well I'm no one to critique someones work as I'm not much better, but its easy to see what could be improved on in your work as well as my own.You edges need a lot of work .Beveling and burnishing . a thin liner would have helped this project a lot. Your basket weave is not that bad. iI know this is a no stitch wallet but I really hate all the rivets. Personal choice I guess. Keep at  it you'll get better with each new project.

Thank you sir! You are right. 

[Burkhardt]

It's a mistake that was hard to drill into my head but once you correct it it'll make everything  better is that when you start the next row is the stamp should butt up against the center three lines in the stamp. That way the rows will be perfect and always line up. I sometimes stamp looking sideways on the piece because it's easier to see how far the overlap is and once you get the first couple rows right they should all line up the same.

[ArkieNewbie]

I'm with Bert on the rivets. The first thing I thought when I looked at it was, "WOW! That's a lot of rivets!" It distracts me away from your stamping that really looks pretty good to me. I agree with others about the edges but we all get better at that stuff as we do more. It's one of my things that needs work as well. 

I'd rather do the stitching that to have all of the rivets. All I can hear are those rivets clicking together in my pocket. 

[Mulligan31]

Thank you both. 

[GrampaJoel]

On 11/19/2022 at 9:22 AM, Mulligan31 said:

This is my second attempt at basket weave and third wallet. This was from a free pattern from Maze leather. No stitch. Finished with pro dye dark brown and neutral resolene . I applied the resume er with a damp cloth and the difference was significant. No bad streaking or bubbles. 

Ok,,, so the wallet has a lot of flaws that can be picked apart. Many experienced leather workers can see that, from the first glance.

1. the leather is inexpensive and looks cheap.

2. the rivets are pressed crooked on several of them.

3. the edges are pretty bad.

4. the dye is smeared on non dyed leather. The finish is dull and non appealing.

5……. … … on and on.

BUT,,, it appears to be a working wallet.
You made it. Congratulations!!!

Not someone else.

It’s yours.

Soooo,,,

Make a hundred more,,, and then look back on this one as a place you started from.

then look and see how far you had come. You will no doubt see a marked improvement in your product. 

Three simple wallets are just practice as far as I’m concerned. So practice , practice, practice until you are proud of what you create.

Remember there will always be screw ups when creating. 
No one is perfect, even great artist, or even baseball hero’s.

Babe Ruth hit 714 home runs. Everyone remembers those.

but he also struck out 1330 times. Which seldom ever gets mentioned.

keep trying don’t give up. You won’t become a master by making just three wallets.

Joel

Edited November 25, 2022 by GrampaJoel

[Mulligan31]

Thank you grandpa Joel. That’s the value of posting that. What is obvious to experienced leather workers is not so obvious to beginners and that response was very helpful. Thank you. 

[GrampaJoel]

On 11/26/2022 at 2:57 PM, Mulligan31 said:

Thank you grandpa Joel. That’s the value of posting that. What is obvious to experienced leather workers is not so obvious to beginners and that response was very helpful. Thank you. 

You are very welcome.

you have joined a great forum. It has slowed down in postings,,, since Covid,,and the great price increase of leather and its accouterments.

I suggest (if you haven’t already) you immerse yourself in the posts of the past that are here. Some of the finest leather workers in the world have posted tips and tricks here in this forum, to help others. For free!

take advantage of them.

when you practice your leather work. Use cheap leather. Practice until you can make cheap leather look pretty good. It can be done.

when your skills can do that, move to a little higher quality of leather.

if I can help, just pm me. 
I’m not a master, but I know things.

Joel

 

Edited November 28, 2022 by GrampaJoel

[Mulligan31]

5 hours ago, GrampaJoel said:

You are very welcome.

you have joined a great forum. It has slowed down in postings,,, since Covid,,and the great price increase of leather and its accouterments.

I suggest (if you haven’t already) you immerse yourself in the posts of the past that are here. Some of the finest leather workers in the world have posted tips and tricks here in this forum, to help others. For free!

take advantage of them.

when you practice your leather work. Use cheap leather. Practice until you can make cheap leather look pretty good. It can be done.

when your skills can do that, move to a little higher quality of leather.

if I can help, just pm me. 
I’m not a master, but I know things.

Joel

 

Will do. Thank you sir!