checkbook cover

[pino]

Hey Ya'll,

just finished this. I wanted to make myself a checkbook cover from scratch. So I took all the measurements to the best of my ability and decided to tool a scroll in the front and basketweave in the back. Cut the leather and started working ..when I found a pattern and noticed that the size was bigger than mine. Said to myself: self, what you did is more accurate!. So went on working....then I realized that the scroll is pretty tricky for a beginner but I kept on going. Then I started the basketweave. For that I was sure I was going to do something presentable, because I had done some already and plus, I just found in the forum a great tutorial..... lol, the tutorial is perfect but not me, I kept on messing it up at every line but somehow managed to salvage it a little. Well, the monster is finished, I try to insert the checkbook in...and....the slot is too small, I have to trim the back of the book to put it in....but, looking at the bright side, it fits perfectly in my jeans back pocket and I had a great time doing it, I even invented some new cussing words!!!!

Thanks for looking

Pino

[TomSwede]

Hey Ya'll,

just finished this. I wanted to make myself a checkbook cover from scratch. So I took all the measurements to the best of my ability and decided to tool a scroll in the front and basketweave in the back. Cut the leather and started working ..when I found a pattern and noticed that the size was bigger than mine. Said to myself: self, what you did is more accurate!. So went on working....then I realized that the scroll is pretty tricky for a beginner but I kept on going. Then I started the basketweave. For that I was sure I was going to do something presentable, because I had done some already and plus, I just found in the forum a great tutorial..... lol, the tutorial is perfect but not me, I kept on messing it up at every line but somehow managed to salvage it a little. Well, the monster is finished, I try to insert the checkbook in...and....the slot is too small, I have to trim the back of the book to put it in....but, looking at the bright side, it fits perfectly in my jeans back pocket and I had a great time doing it, I even invented some new cussing words!!!!

Thanks for looking

Pino

Hey Pino, it looks good to me so don't be too hard on yourself and be glad it is for yourself. Making mistakes is learning and someone once said in here that mastering leatherwork is to know how to cover up your mistakes and I think you did good on that part.

I can see three other issues that you didn't mention, they are small but pretty important for an eye that catches on to detail. First is the overstitching wheel that went a bit too far. Happens to me too sometimes but I try to stop one or two holes before the end and mark out the last ones with a ruler if needed (I just went too long when marking lines with the groover tool today ;-) Then it is the rounded corners you have, it looks the best I think but the border lines closest to your carving motif doesn't follow the line and have sharp corners and last is the corner where you had a hard time to fit the basketweave stamp in. I don't have a great solution to that other than try to tilt the tool and go gently with it (now you know why I don't do much stamping, lol;-).

All in all your checkbook looks really fine and it shouldn't be long until you handle those scrolls like a pro. I still haven't had the guts to try floral of any kind!!!

Tom

[pino]

Hey Pino, it looks good to me so don't be too hard on yourself and be glad it is for yourself. Making mistakes is learning and someone once said in here that mastering leatherwork is to know how to cover up your mistakes and I think you did good on that part.

I can see three other issues that you didn't mention, they are small but pretty important for an eye that catches on to detail. First is the overstitching wheel that went a bit too far. Happens to me too sometimes but I try to stop one or two holes before the end and mark out the last ones with a ruler if needed (I just went too long when marking lines with the groover tool today ;-) Then it is the rounded corners you have, it looks the best I think but the border lines closest to your carving motif doesn't follow the line and have sharp corners and last is the corner where you had a hard time to fit the basketweave stamp in. I don't have a great solution to that other than try to tilt the tool and go gently with it (now you know why I don't do much stamping, lol;-).

All in all your checkbook looks really fine and it shouldn't be long until you handle those scrolls like a pro. I still haven't had the guts to try floral of any kind!!!

Tom

Thanks Tom, very good remarks; it's true I got carried away with the overstiching wheel, that's when I inventend the most interesting new cussing expressions, and laughed at my imagination! Thank you again. Pino