Laying Out Pattern On Leather?

[Deanimator]

How do people lay out their pattern on the leather? I just use a ballpoint pen on the back side.

Does anyone do something different?

[bigo5552000]

I use a ballpoint on the front side..

[Hicks02]

I use a pencil. One of those big fat ones or a carpenter's pencil. I don't like to use a ballpoint pen because I might get ink where I don't want it. Pencils that have soft lead don't seem to mark the leather as much and the unwanted lines are easy to get rid of. that just my thought. JH

Edited September 20, 2010 by Hicks02

[Deanimator]

I use a ballpoint on the front side..

I try to do it on the back, but every once in a while and forget and do it on the front. I dye all of my holsters so it doesn't really matter.

I use a pencil. One of those big fat ones or a carpenter's pencil. I don't like to use a ballpoint pen because I might get ink where I don't want it. Pencils that have soft lead don't seem to mark the leather as much and the unwanted lines are easy to get rid of. that just my thought. JH

I tried using a mechanical pencil, but the lead just broke off on the back side. I may try to use something like a regular wooden HB pencil and see how that works.

Thanks.

[dirtclod]

I use a pencil or scratch awl on the front. If you use a ink pen and get the line in the wrong place it's there !! You can dye it but you can still see the line. I had a guy bring a holster in that he wanted sewed. It was dyed black and asked him why he used a ink pen to mark the pattern and he told me you couldn't see after it was dyed. Then i showed him the ink pen line. You can see it no matter if it's dyed or not.

Edited September 20, 2010 by dirtclod

[Deanimator]

I use a pencil or scratch awl on the front. If you use a ink pen and get the line in the wrong place it's there !! You can dye it but you can still see the line. I had a guy bring a holster in that he wanted sewed. It was dyed black and asked him why he used a ink pen to mark the pattern and he told me you couldn't see after it was dyed. Then i showed him the ink pen line. You can see it no matter if it's dyed or not.

I wonder what he used to dye it and how. I use the EcoFlo Buffalo Brown and no pen marks are visible. Of course I don't lean on the pen. I also use a minimum of three coats.

[gregintenn]

#2 wooden pencil on the front.

[dirtclod]

I wonder what he used to dye it and how. I use the EcoFlo Buffalo Brown and no pen marks are visible. Of course I don't lean on the pen. I also use a minimum of three coats.

Looks to me like you spending money and time on something that could be avoided if you used a pencil or a awl. JMO

I'm don't know what brand of dye he used or how many coats. He didn't lay on the ink pen just made a mark. Have you ever held your holster under a light to see if you can see the marks ?

[Deanimator]

Have you ever held your holster under a light to see if you can see the marks ?

Yes, no marks. I use three coats because that's what gives me a proper finish. It has nothing to do with ink.

[King's X]

I learned my lesson about light color dyes and pen on the front. I now make a pattern out of poster board for all pieces and use a scratch to lightly scratch my line. I then cut, tool and dye before cutting the pieces out. It works for me.

I hope this helps.

[katsass]

How do people lay out their pattern on the leather? I just use a ballpoint pen on the back side.

Does anyone do something different?

I moisten my leather, lay it flat, lay the pattern face up on the grain side of the leather and trace around my pattern with a ball point stylus. No ink, no pencil no mark other than a slightly impressed line. Mike

[Deanimator]

I moisten my leather, lay it flat, lay the pattern face up on the grain side of the leather and trace around my pattern with a ball point stylus. No ink, no pencil no mark other than a slightly impressed line. Mike

I saw you refer to that somewhere else. I was wondering if you actually didn't use ink.

Thanks.

[TwinOaks]

I use a stylus as well. I've put a enough misplaced lines on leather that I typically don't do it anymore. If I do, it's on the flesh side IF I know it'll be covered.

[Deanimator]

I moisten my leather, lay it flat, lay the pattern face up on the grain side of the leather and trace around my pattern with a ball point stylus. No ink, no pencil no mark other than a slightly impressed line. Mike

How much of an impression does it leave, and how hard is it to follow with a knife/shears?

I print my patterns on card stock. How hard would it be to follow a card stock thickness pattern with a stylus?

Thanks.

[katsass]

I use a stylus as well. I've put a enough misplaced lines on leather that I typically don't do it anymore. If I do, it's on the flesh side IF I know it'll be covered.

TwinOaks: If you run the stylus itself over the leather, the mark left can be quite faint...........if you transfer the pattern to tracing film or use something like butcher paper (with a glossy side to it) and trace over your lines and thru the film or paper.........the impressed lines are much more pronounced. All I need to see is just enough to make an initial cut........the marks can be very faint......a horizontal light source assists in seeing them. Mike

Edited September 21, 2010 by katsass

[Shorts]

Ball point on the back. And drawn lines shouldn't matter on either side if you're doing your edges properly. Or if you screw up and draw a left hand instead of a right hand

[steelhawk]

Ball point on the back. And drawn lines shouldn't matter on either side if you're doing your edges properly. Or if you screw up and draw a left hand instead of a right hand

What if you draw the top as left-hand, but the back as right-hand and don't notice until you try to put them together?

I've been using ball-point on the back but will try one with pencil and stylus on the front and see if I like it better.

[Shorts]

What if you draw the top as left-hand, but the back as right-hand and don't notice until you try to put them together?

I've been using ball-point on the back but will try one with pencil and stylus on the front and see if I like it better.

I'm talking about drawing lines, the discovering the mistake and flipping the pattern correctly and redrawing. If you drew the pattern on the same piece of leather as the mistaken lines sometimes you see the ink criss-crossing on the inside of the holster. You can get away with it if the color is dark and the lines are lower down in the holster instead of right around the mouth area or on the sweat shield.

[Dwight]

Ball point on the back. And drawn lines shouldn't matter on either side if you're doing your edges properly. Or if you screw up and draw a left hand instead of a right hand

Works for me too, . . . except my lines are on the front. I don't have enough time left in my life to worry about a stray ink pen line here or there.

I'll use that piece of leather with a stray line on something, some day, . . . meanwhile, . . . I don't see a pencil well enough, . . . stylus lines or scratch awl lines are as dangerous as are ink lines, . . . so why go to the effort?

May God bless,

Dwight

[katsass]

I'm talking about drawing lines, the discovering the mistake and flipping the pattern correctly and redrawing. If you drew the pattern on the same piece of leather as the mistaken lines sometimes you see the ink criss-crossing on the inside of the holster. You can get away with it if the color is dark and the lines are lower down in the holster instead of right around the mouth area or on the sweat shield.

FWIW: The only lines that are drawn by me are the outlines of the individual pieces. I don't draw in the stitch lines, fold lines or anything else. All patterns are marked R/H FRONT so as to preclude reversing them when cutting. Works for me. Mike

[Deanimator]

FWIW: The only lines that are drawn by me are the outlines of the individual pieces. I don't draw in the stitch lines, fold lines or anything else. All patterns are marked R/H FRONT so as to preclude reversing them when cutting. Works for me. Mike

Likewise. I do mark the clip holes on the clip covers for my tuckable IWBs, since those have to be accurately located and cut out.

[Shorts]

FWIW: The only lines that are drawn by me are the outlines of the individual pieces. I don't draw in the stitch lines, fold lines or anything else. All patterns are marked R/H FRONT so as to preclude reversing them when cutting. Works for me. Mike

Wonderful. I meant drawing the outlines too.

I mark the stitch lines on the inside with a Sharpie so I know where to put my glue on both pieces . They don't show

Edited September 21, 2010 by Shorts

[King's X]

too much work....plus most of you are doing holsters.......when I am having to transfer floral and basketweave reference lines....I like a sharp scratch awl or stylus to make a faint line and move on. It is interesting to hear you all mention your methods.

[Bronson]

Stylus for me also. I too have made errant pen marks which were definitely visible through the dye. No worries about that with the stylus. It also works well for transferring directly through the pattern...I use manila folders for my patterns.

Bronson