I Really Suck At Wallets, Any Book Recommendations Or Other Help?

[paradoxbox]

I have made some pass-cases, key tag fobs and I have even made a pair of shoes (You can see them if you check out the topics I have made in the past)

But every time I attempt a wallet everything goes wrong.

I don't know what the problem is but something is always off, the edges don't line up correctly, or when the project is sewn up there's too much loose material and the wallet doesn't stay flat, or sometimes the wallet is too tight to fit in cards or money etc.. My hand sewing is also pretty sloppy but that's another matter.

I am debating taking a course on how to do this but before I plonk down a serious amount of cash and time to get training to make wallets does anyone have any book recommendations or have any advice?

As far as tutorials I have seen Kevin King's tutorials on wallet making here and while they're good they aren't really the same style of wallets I have attempted.

Thanks in advance for any help..!

[Northmount]

Glue together before triming the edges and before punching holes for lacing or doing your stitching. Don't glue the liner at the bottom fold, the liner needs to be shorter than the back so it doesn't pucker up when folded. If I use a one piece liner, I cut the edge back to miss the lacing or stiching at the bottom fold. For a one piece liner, the wallet won't open out flat. A 3 piece liner that allows the center piece to float can lay flat and can fold without puckering.

See the following threads for some help with wallets. http://leatherworker...let#entry265281

http://leatherworker...60881.  There

http://leatherworker...=0

Good luck. Wallets shouldn't be hard to make if you take a look at how the liner and the back have to interact as the wallet is folded.

CTG

Edited September 30, 2012 by northmount

[paradoxbox]

Thanks for the advice!.

I took your advice about gluing together before sewing, it does seem to have helped keeping alignment closer overall.

Here is a little coin/card case/wallet thing I made. It ain't perfect but this is my first real trip into this type of leatherwork! The hand stitching took a while, but I got through it.

[TwinOaks]

There's also this one: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=16830&st=0&p=107705&hl=+hipster%20+billfold&fromsearch=1entry107705

post #8

[paradoxbox]

Thanks for the continual advice. Reading some of those threads and also some threads about hand stitching it became apparent to me that having a stitching pony would be really helpful. Until now I had been holding my items in my feet which works well and is a traditional Japanese method of doing lots of work like this but after a while it's pretty tiring..

Anyway I got a stitching pony and was surprised at just how much faster my hand stitching got.

Here's another version of the same project above I completed tonight, a commuter pass / coin case made out of very suede-like leather:

Edited October 9, 2012 by paradoxbox

[paradoxbox]

Another version I whipped up. Starting to get a bit better at stitching by hand but still need some work.

[Northmount]

The appearance of this one is much improved in my opinion. You could sew around the bottom edge of the front flap (below the snap) as well. Looks like it was missed. (Looks lonesome)

Practise sure makes a difference doesn't it.

CTG

[Shamenlong]

Wow your wallet looks good I've just started my first wallet and ivenmessed up bevelling and I have over worked the leather so don't feel to bad