collar and armbands

[gesa]

Sometimes I go out with friends, who are sort of "weekend-gothics", so I made a collar and armbands for one of my best friends. Dressed all black it look awsome.

They are with grey-blue rhinestones, padded, made of black bridle leather and closed with buckles. Just like a dog collar.

Gesa

[Chitin]

How are the rhinestones set? Those aren't the Tandy fake crystal dealies, so I'm curious where you found a stone or - dare I dream - empty sockets that are capable of going through what looks to be relatively thick leather?

[gesa]

How are the rhinestones set? Those aren't the Tandy fake crystal dealies, so I'm curious where you found a stone or - dare I dream - empty sockets that are capable of going through what looks to be relatively thick leather?

The glass rhinestones are set in a chain, I have never seen sockets who are large enough to set them through thick leather. I buy it from an ebay shop, but on ebay he has only two colors or so. when you ask himhe has much more colors for sale, also black. I use them also to make browbands for horses.

His shop is called World-of-Rhinestones

Now to make this kind of collar:

The first picture shows a strap with decorative stitches with a sewing machine. I do this, because it is easier to handsew the padding under the strap. The second strap shows the channel I made with a u-gauge. This is important in my opinion, because the rhinestone-chain will "sink" a bit into the leather. I like that more than it sits on top. I sew the chain into tha channel every 4 to 5 stones.

This is the backside of the stiched in chain. Between two stones I make two holes and stitch it tight with two or three loops ( turns?? I don't know how to describe it). then i go,on the backside, to the next stitches until the end of the channel. The last and first stitch I seal with a drop of super-glue, still on the backside.

Now I glue the padding with contact cement from the buckle to the end of the chain under the strap. Take my needles and a round sewing awl and sew both parts with fine thread together through the ready made stitches.

That is my favourite way to put rhinestones to thick leather.

Gesa