What Are You Afraid Of / What Dont You Like In Leather Working?

[Jazznow]

Hi fellow leatherworkers,

I was inspired by a question in the marketing forum. Somebody - sorry I ont remember who it was - asked if others have problems to give away their stuff to a customer too, after having spend so many hours on it.

I think that's interesting and I want to ask the same I a more general way.

So what are you afraid of, What dont yo like in leather working?

If I ask you stupid questions like that, I think it's only fair to be the first to answer.

I had never problems giving away my stuff to customers although I love (almost) every piece I do and put time, energy and of course love in it. When people buy my stuff it makes me happy. Its not the money that makes me happy (it isn't that much lol). What makes me happy is, that people show how much they appreciate what I do by buying it.

The only item I will be sad when it's sold is my steampunk messenger bag I posted in the show off section recently. I want to use it myself so badly but it's a lot of leather in that bag and I need to sell it to get money for new leather.

At the beginning I had a problem to finish my stuff. I often had 3 or more different projects that only needed to be finished but I never actually did it. I think that there were two reasons. First was that I was simply afraid of dying and finishing because at this step you can ruin a piece with only a wrong movement of your hand. The second reason was, that I was afraid that the item won't turn out as cool and beautiful as I imagined it to be when finished (which happened all the time when I started leather working years ago.

Time gave me experience and confidence so it's not a real problem anymore.

Today I'm afraid of other, more complex things. Im afraid that I will never be able o make that huge step from a hobby leather worker to a prof leatherworker who is making a living with it and who is his own boss. It's so difficult in Germany to start business. Even setting up an online shop is something you shouldn't do over here without consulting a lawyer.

I hope time will give me experience and confidence to solve ths problems too.

So after I wrote so much about myself I want to know where your problems and fears are. You don't have to write as much as I did, lol.

Greetings

Jonathan

[Chief31794]

Only two things I'm afraid of; Women and the Police!!

There isn't too much I don't like about leatherworking, hand sewing large projects makes my hands sore, but I don't really dislike it.

Chief

[Bob Blea]

I really enjoy the carving process. I used to get somewhat nervous about finishing, but I don't worry too much about ruining a project at that point. The part I look forward to least is the actual assembly and construction. I don't have as much confidence when it comes to hand sewing or building big projects, so the final assembly isn't my favorite. Also, it lacks the creativity that the carving stage does, so it doesn't appeal to me as much.

Bob

[DoubleC]

I am terrified at almost every stage because every step gets you closer to a great finished project (well I like them anyway, and my customers seem to) and a chance of ruining that project. I do a lot of guitar straps. And first thing you have to punch the holes. I'm not afraid of cutting anything I can use my strap cutter on, but can't cut a straight line to save myself without it. I am so much better at leatherworking than I was 9 months ago, but still can't cut a straight line. And I have a great oblong punch for those holes, but it's only an inch and I need oblong holes 1 & 1/2" So I have to do a double punch with mine after trying to keep it straight to begin with. I just can't seem to even MEET straight much less become friends with it. I do custom work so every project is different. I am always learning new things and I love that but I am always afraid of messing it up from the beginning of getting the design on until the end. I don't mind dyeing as much as I do everything else. I'be found that if I put my dye on FIRST, including in the holes and then burnish them with saddle soap and canvas the dye doesn't get all wonky around the saddle soap. Took me a long time to learn that. But then trying to go back over with edge kote or something? Since that also takes steady hands I wait until the top has a finish on it, and THEN use it, and when I make an 'oooops' I have a chance of wiping it off.

I guess I should explain I have an anxiety disorder and very shaky hands. Odd combination for someone who loves working with leather. I am sorry when a project ends while heaving a sigh of relief at the same time. So I put off starting a new one while hardly being able to wait to start on it. This is a great topic. Cheryl

[Double U Leather]

I'm with Bob. I get skeered when it's time for the construction phase. Especially if it's something big like a briefcase or purse or something. Gussets make me tremble. Oh and zippers in things like notebooks kinda make my palms sweat a tad. Like Bob, I love the carving part, and am getting much more comfortable with dying and finishing. But ask me to put a zipper in or make something with a gusset, and I don't like it one little bit. I'm grateful I've got some folks around me who are far more skilled at that stuff than I am, and I can go pick their brains when it's time to put stuff together.

[sherlockian100]

Geometric stamping scares the heck out of me. One missed stamp and the project is destroyed. It's a confidence thing for me.

[Rumblestiltskin]

my biggest fear is impatience. I catch myself rushing something and have to reign myself in to avoid a start over because i missed an important step or just screwed something up because I wasnt focusing.

[Toolingaround]

Hi Everyone

Great topic. Ditto everything LOL! I will add two more. Thease two kind of go hand in hand. Sharpening and cutting.

Though I try mightily I can't seem to sharpen anything to the degree I need so thus I dread .......DREAD.......decorative cuts! I do a nice job, I am real happy then I just butcher the project with G-d awful slashes from hell. I do practice and I can draw so I understand flow. My knife just turns in to a feindish Mr. Hyde that makes me want to curl up in a quivering ball. So any part of leather working requiring a sharp implement is the bane of my existence at the moment.

Cheers, Toolingaround

[DoubleC]

Ditto on the cutting :-) All my cutting tools have united against me! Cheryl

[Bob Blea]

I'm with Bob. I get skeered when it's time for the construction phase. Especially if it's something big like a briefcase or purse or something. Gussets make me tremble. Oh and zippers in things like notebooks kinda make my palms sweat a tad. Like Bob, I love the carving part, and am getting much more comfortable with dying and finishing. But ask me to put a zipper in or make something with a gusset, and I don't like it one little bit. I'm grateful I've got some folks around me who are far more skilled at that stuff than I am, and I can go pick their brains when it's time to put stuff together.

I'm with you on the zippers! I've only tried it once with a small one on some scrap and it came out horrible. I need to practice more but I don't have much enthusiasm to start a project requiring one!

Really anything that requires hand sewing is scary to me, it doesn't come out very well. I just need to practice a lot more on that too.

Bob

Edited October 2, 2012 by Bob Blea