Soft Leather Edge - What To Do?

[kenwallace]

Hello everyone,

I'm making my first soft leather purse. My issue is with the exposed edge at the opening of the purse. I obviousley don't want to leave it plain. That would be... plain . I've thought of framing the edges out with a thicker piece of leather as a border or maybe even doing a little bit of decorative stitching. Anyways, thats what I've come up with, I am hoping someone here could shed some light on a few more options. Thank you.

[Bob Blea]

Hello,

If the leather you are using is a veg tan type you can burnish the edge. There is a good tutorial on doing that pinned at the beginning of this forum. Otherwise, a laced edge would probably look good.

Bob

[Anacott Steel]

Maybe skive, fold and sew the edge ??

[Ferg]

Make a binding of matching or contrasting leather, preferably chrome tanned. Cut a strap of leather 1/2" plus the thickness of the leather edge you are going to cover.

You will need to skive this binding to very little more than a 1/64" in thickness. Scribe a line 1/4" from the edge of the leather, glue with contact cement just to that line

over the edge and onto the back side. Obviously glue the binding piece you have made. Allow to dry for 20 minutes or so before applying to the edge. Stitch the binding 1/8" from the edge that is next to the scribed line.

Smooth edge that will last the life of the purse.

ferg

[Jimbob]

French edge it, like Kevin King does his wallets!!