Photo Album

[Rumguts]

Latest project finished. Photo Album using a 3 ring binder for my brothers house warming gift. Inner lining of Kangaroo hide, laced also with Kangaroo hide.

This is my first attempt at something this large and first try at lacing....Definately room for improvement - any tips greatly appreciated, especially any tips on keeping a basket weave pattern straight.

[Bob Blea]

I think your lacing looks really good especially for a first time. Whenever I do a basket weave stamp I use a guide line to line up the stamps and make a base row. I take care to make this row as straight and even as possible, and I usually make this line as close to the center of the area to be stamped as possible. Then I work off that line and spread the stamps out to fill the area. It still can drift a bit as you go along, and it's just a matter of experience to keep everything lined up.

The basket weave you were trying is a bit more complicated. For this basket weave there was an article about a year ago in the Lether Crafters and Saddlers Journal by Chan Geer that described how to do the type of basket weave you were doing on the spine. Basically, you draw a reference line down the length of the spine area you are basket stamping. You then lightly stamp the stamp at an angle with the upper right leg just above the line and the lower left leg just below it. Then move the stamp down the line and try to line up the leg in the first impression but with the upper right leg still lining up along the line. You may need to adjust that first stamp to get the angle right. The end result is to get the centers of the basket stamp running in a straight line down the spine but the legs of the stamps going at an angle. It looks great but takes more practice. I wish I had some pictures of this (because that would probably make it much more clear) but I don't at the moment. Hopefully this makes some sense.

Bob

[Rumguts]

I think your lacing looks really good especially for a first time. Whenever I do a basket weave stamp I use a guide line to line up the stamps and make a base row. I take care to make this row as straight and even as possible, and I usually make this line as close to the center of the area to be stamped as possible. Then I work off that line and spread the stamps out to fill the area. It still can drift a bit as you go along, and it's just a matter of experience to keep everything lined up.

The basket weave you were trying is a bit more complicated. For this basket weave there was an article about a year ago in the Lether Crafters and Saddlers Journal by Chan Geer that described how to do the type of basket weave you were doing on the spine. Basically, you draw a reference line down the length of the spine area you are basket stamping. You then lightly stamp the stamp at an angle with the upper right leg just above the line and the lower left leg just below it. Then move the stamp down the line and try to line up the leg in the first impression but with the upper right leg still lining up along the line. You may need to adjust that first stamp to get the angle right. The end result is to get the centers of the basket stamp running in a straight line down the spine but the legs of the stamps going at an angle. It looks great but takes more practice. I wish I had some pictures of this (because that would probably make it much more clear) but I don't at the moment. Hopefully this makes some sense.

Bob

Thanks for the helpful advice mate. I'm happy with the lacing, just need the practice to end - Very Tricky. With the basket weave i think i will go back to basics Will follow that advice of a guide line to start off the job.