Patchwork and French seams.

[toxo]

I'm halfway down a rabbit hole! Ever since I've been doing leather stuff I've been drawn to patchwork. It lends itself to many design and colour combinations, can have great impact and can use those pieces of leather that are just too small for something bigger.

Trouble is I'm not a lover of those rough edge overlap seams. I like decorative seams like the French seam where a contrasting thread can really pop. A way to combine the two has escaped me until now. I decided to re visit patchwork this week and I think I've made progress. The problem has always been the bulk of four layers of leather where they cross. Being an ex engineer I don't know why the idea of a mitred joint didn't occur to me before.

I  cut up some old leather and had a play. Had no idea how hard it would be getting all the angles the same else they won't line up. This is the first attempt, cutting the shapes by hand. It kinda worked but I found that the stitching line is important to avoid the bunching up in the middle. If the seam allowance is too small you'll end up with a hole in the middle.

I decided to make this cutting die. It was better but I couldn't get it perfect with the tools I have.

This was better but still not right. Still bunching in the middle.

Almost there. I shortened the seam allowance and no hole in the middle. Bear in mind those decorative stitches won't be done until after any lining is put in and those stitches will go through all.

Remember, this was just to prove a theory. Any and all advice will be very welcome.

 

[Dwight]

If my mother . . . the quilt maker was here . . . she would fix you right up.

I'm into quilts as well . . . but she made em . . . all I do is sleep under them.

Check around . . . find a quilt maker . . . she'll help ya out.

May God bless,

Dwight

[toxo]

inally making some progress. Turns out, for a project like this, unless the die is perfect, lining up can be a problem. A perfect square made out of card and my little notcher got me out of trouble. Now I'm thinking about what colour the decorative seams should be. Typical situation, some colours are not thick enough and the ones that are I don't have big enough needles for until Tuesday. 

 

[DieselTech]

13 minutes ago, toxo said:

inally making some progress. Turns out, for a project like this, unless the die is perfect, lining up can be a problem. A perfect square made out of card and my little notcher got me out of trouble. Now I'm thinking about what colour the decorative seams should be. Typical situation, some colours are not thick enough and the ones that are I don't have big enough needles for until Tuesday. 

 

I am thinking red would look nice for the decorative stitching. Look nice. 

[toxo]

20 minutes ago, DieselTech said:

I am thinking red would look nice for the decorative stitching. Look nice. 

I agree but black or a maroon/burgundy also. Depends how brave I'm feeling. Black won't show mistakes so much. Here's some musing. Red is too thin and too bright I think.

[DieselTech]

1 hour ago, toxo said:

I agree but black or a maroon/burgundy also. Depends how brave I'm feeling. Black won't show mistakes so much. Here's some musing. Red is too thin and too bright I think.

A dark gray would look snazzy too against the black. Something like this or a shade or 2 darker. 

Edited September 15 by DieselTech

[toxo]

3 hours ago, DieselTech said:

A dark gray would look snazzy too against the black. Something like this or a shade or 2 darker. 

Not that easy to get bonded polyester in all the colours over here and then it's an arm & a leg. Have lots of colours but not for this project. Have a great grey but it's V69. Have lots of V69, have a few V138 but not for this except black & white and don't have the needles til Tuesday. Found a couple a couple of V92s, here's a toast and a powder blue but I'm almost sure it's gonna be black in V138.