working on a portfolio cover

[sheowahya]

I have been working on a portfolio cover for almost 8 months .

(yeah I know I'm slow, I'm just a beginner).

I was using the Craftool Adjustable "V" gouge to make the inside fold line.

As you can already guess, I went a little too deep, and right in the middle of it too.

Can anyone suggest a way I can salvage this?

I will be forever grateful.

Marilyn

hole.BMP

hole.BMP

[David Genadek]

Bummer!!!!!

So you have learned a rule the hard way. The rule is to do all the construction elements that you possible can before you carve. I usually learn them the hard way myself.

I can't think of a way to fix it where it is so I might cut off the binding part and stitch a new one on. It would just be a slight design change.

David Genadek

[pepin1948]

I would suggest the same thing David did - cut the binder into three pieces: front, spine, back, and make a new spine to attach to the front and back. Perhaps with a nice overlay on to the front/back, not just right up to the edge. Can't really explain that part well....

[The Major]

Marylin,

Before you cut it into pieces, there may be a couple options. But I need to know what color it is before I recommend what I am going to recommend. It may be workable. Also, can you post a couple pics of the area where it is.

[abn]

I agree with the Major... Posting some pictures might spark a few ideas on the best way to remedy the problem...

I'd hate for you to lose so much effort...

[sheowahya]

Thank you SO much everyone for your suggestions.

I appreciate it so much.

Here is a better picture.

It shows the whole middle section from top to bottom,

along with the problem area, which is that UGLY line above the T and the V.

[The Major]

Ok. First off OUCH. Secondly, nice work (on the rest of the binder).

This is how I see it. and maybe some others can offer some more suggestions.

You could plug and patch it with leather dust and rubber cement and sand it down, but I would be concerned with the patch not lasting as that is a really flexible joint.

What you could do is an applique braid on the folded corners (Where the white lines are in the picture.) A simple 3 strand would work. This would make a nice transition from the cover to the spine which has a weave design on it. Just put a patch on the other side before you do it.

OR

Decorative cut out a small section and inlay something.

Cut it apart as a last resort.

Edited April 24, 2007 by The Major

[sheowahya]

Update on disaster recovery.

Well... it took me a LOT longer to finish this than I ever wanted or expected, but I finally finished this project and sent it away to the lucky recipient in Australia. Word came back that she was SO happy with it that she cried. Oh dear, now I've made someone cry... shame on me.

Here is a picture of the final product. I ended up cutting out the spine and inserting a new piece. Of course I couldn't get the coloring to match to save my life!! Lesson learned... ALWAYS have extra pieces from the same hide to work with if at all possible.

That turned out nice, except I had a new problem, the spine was now too wide to be used as a zipper portfolio. (good grief)

So I special ordered an A4 4-ring binder. I took the leather piece and made it into a binder cover. I took the ring section and remounted it to the proper size masonite board which I had machine stitch covered with a lightweight denim. Somewhere I remember someone talking about how nice denim and leather go together.

I attempted the mexican basketweave around the edge, but had problems with that too. I don't think my holes were close enough together or close enough to the edge. I was so worried about ripping them out that I guess I placed them too far in/apart.

So... lessons learned... and it will be a very long time before I agree to do a project for someone else ever again.

But that said... I am starting yet another ambitious project for someone of my limited experience. I'm going to cover a premade wooden box with leather as a gift to myself. I'm posting a request for hints and suggestions in the "How Do I" section. All comments welcome.

Marilyn

[The Major]

I think you salvaged it nicely.

[Guest]

Marilyn,

An EXCELLENT, EXCELLENT save! You can be proud of it. My wife always criticized me for describing craft work as the art of covering your mistakes. But think of it....we all make mistakes in every piece we make, some of them are big and others are not.....but we learn how to cover all of them. That's a mistake you probably won't make again; but if you do....you know how to fix it.

Here's another bit of "pessimist's wisdom" Experience is the wealth of knowledge that enables us to recognize a mistake when we make it....again.

I like your work,

Dave Theobald