1st finished project in over 20 years

[zman7458]

just finished this and I have to say I think I enjoy this more now than I did way back when. I've been trying to remember how old I was when I quit playing with leather and I want to say around 20 years old, so I guess its been more like 30 years. my how time flies, it seems like only yesterday. well anyway, I hope you like it, but if you see something I can do to improve please be free with any advise you have to offer. I did the edges in double cordovan, I would like to have done the round/mexican basketweave, but I chickened out at the last minute. I need to see some more of how you pro's do that before I'll feel confident enough to attempt it. perhaps my next project.

[lindatt]

beautiful work..lYou've still got it!!! Linda

[Ian]

That braid looks primo - the whole thing looks great

[zman7458]

beautiful work..lYou've still got it!!! Linda

thanks Linda, I would like to think so anyhow. it really makes me itch to get on with my bigger projects, but little baby steps at first right?

That braid looks primo - the whole thing looks great

thank you Ian. I was worried that the brading might throw me, but I muddled through and only got stumped at the very end where they meet. I re did that several times before I got it right.

[Spider]

Zman, this is awesome. Wow. So first I have to get as good as you then I could take a break and then I can continue like you and still be awesome. WOW NICE

[walletman]

hi its very good

[Tae]

Wow that is AWESOME!

I have a stylistic q though: why did you choose the right side to have a black border and not the left?

[zman7458]

Zman, this is awesome. Wow. So first I have to get as good as you then I could take a break and then I can continue like you and still be awesome. WOW NICE

thanks Spider, that means alot comming from you. I love your stuff, my minds eye could use the skew that yours has (grin). as for talent I don't think you have to worry about that from what I've seen.

hi its very good

thanks for the compliment Walletman.

[zman7458]

Wow that is AWESOME!

I have a stylistic q though: why did you choose the right side to have a black border and not the left?

thanks Tae, you have to look really really close , but the border (you mean the ring right?) is actually burgundy. I was using a 50 percent wash to get a lighter color, but it kept comming out uneven and in the process of elimnating streaks it turned too dark on me. I wanted the burgundy to sit next to the redish color of the background. the background of the dragons are both the same color, but the matting changed the tone of the one on the back. I did this project to test out how the dyes are affected by different tooling and application techniques. sometimes that works out good, other times not so much.

[David]

Zman,

Good looking job....by all means give the basketweave or round braid a try. None of this stuff is rocket science....it is just time consuming. Get Tandy's booklet How to Lace, item no. 6004-00 I think it is about $5. It explains it well, a little practice on some scrap and you'll be doing it in no time.

Dave Theobald