My First Wallet (Horrible!)

[Highlands858]

First of all, I'm seriously Embarrassed to post this up. I kept telling myself I should have made a second wallet before posting it up and asking for advice, but I think asking for advice is the best way to learn.

Primarily I'm concerned with design flaws. I didn't spend much time on the stitching, dyeing, or any "finishing" of this piece.

My method of construction:

Cut the wallet back and dyed it. Cut the corners off so they'd meet up nicely (I thought) after I bent the edges and stitched them. Also cut the 90 degree corner on the top and bottom where the wallet would folder, so it would fold better.

Cut the pigskin back, fold, and pockets to size. Then glued the tops and corners of every piece so it would hold every card and dollar just right, and the sizing seemed just right as well.

It was right around here when I was feeling pretty good about the project. Why had I been so scared of trying a wallet? Why hadn't I tried one sooner? It all seemed to line up just right.

After this I glued the pigskin back to the wallet back, which I seem to have sized and glued correctly.

Carved the stitching grooves into the wallet back, marked holes, and made holes through both the wallet back and the pigskin it was glued to.

Stitched the wallet guts together. I only stitched the fold end together (so only twenty or so stitches in all), and I didn't glue before stitching in order to make sure I could adjust as I stitched. I actually ended up trimming lots of edges as a result. Used normal cloth thread. Thread Suggestions?

From this point on, the wallet guts (card holders) and the piece that holds the money against the wallet back will be called "the fold." Anyone who know the specific name of this part of the wallet, please let it be known to me.

Glued the edges of the wallet fold (now stitched to the card holders) to the back of the wallet (On the left, right, and bottom edges of both the fold and the back). Left enough space for the wallet to fold in half (I thought.)

Went through the fold's edges (now glued to the wallet back) with an awl. Wallet back and lining had had holes put in it already. I felt like the the wallet's fold needed it as well.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/607/wallet003.jpg/

In this first picture you can see unrounded corners and stitch lines that don't meet up. Should I be putting linings over the edges of my wallet, or is there some other way to facilitate rounding the edges? I like the simplicity of the wallet back curling back to grab onto itself (over the wallet guts), but is there a way to give it a finished look if I do so?

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/577/wallet012.jpg/

Folded the edges of the wallet over the pigskin, and stitched. Here's where I felt I really went wrong. When you're going wrong design-wise it's hard to keep going technique-wise. That's part of the reason why this project hasn't been finished.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/84/wallet019.jpg/

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/268/wallet021.jpg/

By the way, I'm using 4-5oz leather for the wallet back, and the wallet guts were sold to me as a sheet of pigskin "lining leather" straight from Tandy. I've made some projects from the 4-5ox leather, but nothing I've had to fold over itself like this.

[electrathon]

What I see right off is that your interior is too long. The interior should be 3/8" shorter than the outside. You put a U shaped notch in the fold area that does not get sewn. This allows it to fold properly without bunching up. It will not lay flat when when open. I also think your outside is a little short too, it needs length to whap around the cards when folded. Use thinner outside leather too. 3-4oz is plenty.

[Cyberthrasher]

What I see right off is that your interior is too long. The interior should be 3/8" shorter than the outside. You put a U shaped notch in the fold area that does not get sewn. This allows it to fold properly without bunching up. It will not lay flat when when open. I also think your outside is a little short too, it needs length to whap around the cards when folded. Use thinner outside leather too. 3-4oz is plenty.

Electrathon, I used the template you had posted up quite some time ago and modified it for my first wallet. So, I wanted to give you credit for that while I recommended that Highlands does the same. Below are some links to the pictures of my first wallet. This was 5/6 oz with a pig skin lining. I cut everything to size, but I found that the 3/8 shorter on the inside wasn't quite short enough, so I just folded the whole thing up and cut off the bits that were sticking out past the tooled back. I can't find the link to the template right now, but it really did help me a lot. Sorry I can't offer much else in the way of advice.

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?app=gallery&module=images&section=viewimage&img=16607

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?app=gallery&module=images&section=viewimage&img=16606

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?app=gallery&module=images&section=viewimage&img=16604

[electrathon]

I was going to try to find this earlier when I posted but was out of time. Here is the pattern I use:

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=32747&hl= wallet insert aaron&st=0

The outside edges can be trimmed when you get it all togeather and see how it fits togeather folded, si I suggest leaving the extra to trim and not cutting it the exact size. The insert is easy to make, very tough and does not ass a lot of thickness.

Aaron

[Highlands858]

Thanks for the quick responses. The U-shaped notch on the bottom of the fold is a great tip. I'll need to pick up some thinner leather in the next couple of days for my next attempt.

Just a couple more quick questions:

What type of thread should I be using to stitch the wallet guts together?

If I plan to stitch the wallet back instead of lacing it, what's the best way to go all the way around the corners of the wallet so the stitch lines meet up? I'm not really happy with how the corners look in general. Maybe when I get some thinner leather they'll be easier to curl around the edges of the wallet and stitch together. Anyone have pictures or a tutorial of how to stitch wallet backs?

Thanks again,

Luke

[electrathon]

Thanks for the quick responses. The U-shaped notch on the bottom of the fold is a great tip. I'll need to pick up some thinner leather in the next couple of days for my next attempt.

Just a couple more quick questions:

What type of thread should I be using to stitch the wallet guts together?

If I plan to stitch the wallet back instead of lacing it, what's the best way to go all the way around the corners of the wallet so the stitch lines meet up? I'm not really happy with how the corners look in general. Maybe when I get some thinner leather they'll be easier to curl around the edges of the wallet and stitch together. Anyone have pictures or a tutorial of how to stitch wallet backs?

Thanks again,

Luke

You should be able to sew the inside with a home sewing machine. Use quality thread on it add you will be good.

As for sewing around it, it will be easier if you start off with thinner leather. You can skive the edges even thinner so it will roll around the edge easier.