Where to find patterns?

[wintermte]

I'm wondering where I can find patterns for things like motorcycle bags, roll/tool bags, etc. I'm not looking tooling patterns, but instead am looking for patterns for the shape/size and assembly of the pieces.

I did find one web site called BigHouseDaddy. Has anyone bought any of his ebooks? He doesn't have anything for roll/tool bags, but he does have a saddle bag pattern set.

I'm still very new at this, so any help or advise would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Dan

[rdb]

I haven't downloaded any of Big Daddy's patterns, but from what I can see, some look pretty good.

The Leather Factory (Tandy) has some bike patterns, and has some instructions to go with 'em. A lot of suppliers sell those same patterns. Those will be basic patterns to get you started, then you can branch out on your own.

Start surfing the internet, and look at all the different types of bags you see out there, and you'll be able to get a rough idea of what you might like to make.

And of course, go over all the postings on this forum, and you'll find some mighty fine stuff, and Help.

[Trauma]

I've downloaded the belt pouch, zippo case (still gotta stitch and block, but lost my lighter ) and also the watch bands.

Best $3 i've spend so far.

I used a stitch spacer rather than the marked rivet holes, and each job has turned out faultless!

A misleader on the page though, the 'fat bag' listed in one of his multi packs is the belt pouch standalone pattern.

i'd recomend the multipack of patterns, just because they include the standalones.

if the descriptions had been better, i would have grabbed a multipack the first time and saved a few bucks on getting the other patterns

[wintermte]

Is there some inexpensive material you can use to help figure out patterns before cutting the leather? I've looked a vinyl, but isn't stiff enough to really piece things together.

Thanks for the help everyone.

Dan

[whinewine]

Is there some inexpensive material you can use to help figure out patterns before cutting the leather? I've looked a vinyl, but isn't stiff enough to really piece things together.

Thanks for the help everyone.

Dan

Dan:

you can use old file folders or light, very flexible cardboard or even stiff brown wrapping paper, if you need to fold it around something. If you need to make a holster, for instance, a file folder wraps around the holster fairly nicely, whereas wrapping paper might not have enough body. Depends on what you want to make patterns of. Once you have your pattern done to your satisfaction, you may want to transfer that pattern to some sort of heavier material for durability, especially if you're going to do a lot of the same...

[wintermte]

Dan:

you can use old file folders or light, very flexible cardboard or even stiff brown wrapping paper, if you need to fold it around something. If you need to make a holster, for instance, a file folder wraps around the holster fairly nicely, whereas wrapping paper might not have enough body. Depends on what you want to make patterns of. Once you have your pattern done to your satisfaction, you may want to transfer that pattern to some sort of heavier material for durability, especially if you're going to do a lot of the same...

File folders! That is a great idea. I would have never thought of that. Thanks for the input, that will give me something to play with.

Dan

[TwinOaks]

Since I was shopping for kids' school supplies anyway, I went ahead and purchased a 'few' extra plastic file folders. They're easy to cut with scissors or exacto type blades, take permanent marker well ( labeling what it is, and which side, etc.). Best of all, they only cost me (tax free) 78 cents each for a 17x11 piece. Then there's the pocket pieces, too. Being plastic, they're waterproof which is nice when laying the pattern down on cased leather for the tracing.

[wintermte]

Since I was shopping for kids' school supplies anyway, I went ahead and purchased a 'few' extra plastic file folders. They're easy to cut with scissors or exacto type blades, take permanent marker well ( labeling what it is, and which side, etc.). Best of all, they only cost me (tax free) 78 cents each for a 17x11 piece. Then there's the pocket pieces, too. Being plastic, they're waterproof which is nice when laying the pattern down on cased leather for the tracing.

Another good idea. I guess I'll have to make a trip to Walmart!

[barra]

I find Off cut vinyl flooring like lino useful for making patterns/templates. You can pick up off cuts from flooring stores very cheaply if not free. It is stiffer than thin and flimsy stretch vinyl sold in most fabric stores.

Barra

[tonyc1]

I find Off cut vinyl flooring like lino useful for making patterns/templates. You can pick up off cuts from flooring stores very cheaply if not free. It is stiffer than thin and flimsy stretch vinyl sold in most fabric stores.

Barra

Yeah Barra, I've nearly always used lino for patterns, I've had a mate for years who sells it and I get good sized scraps and its reall easy to cut patterns out from and they don't get creased or torn like paper etc.

Tony.

[phlegmaticdog]

If you know a nurse or some other medical professional who works in a hospital, they may be able to scrounge some blank x-ray film. The x-ray process produces a lot of wasted blanks and they just throw them away. The film itself is a little stiffer than cardboard file folders, and being plastic, is durable enough to make virtually permanent patterns. They measure 14½ x 17 inches, so are large enough for a good-sized project.

[UKRay]

I use vinyl flooring too, Barra. I find that I can cut it really easily and it has enough 'substance' that patterns hang together for years. I have also used it to 'mock up' a couple of bigger projects. The softer stuff actually handles, stitches and hole punches much like leather and can be used to create a dummy of a finished article without much expense or hard work. I have even thonged and rivetted stuff together to get a better idea of shape and dimensions. Best of all, it is free if you ask the flooring guys for their out of date pattern books!

I find Off cut vinyl flooring like lino useful for making patterns/templates. You can pick up off cuts from flooring stores very cheaply if not free. It is stiffer than thin and flimsy stretch vinyl sold in most fabric stores.

Barra

[WVTriker]

After reading through this thread I decided to purchase the 30-pack. My only complaint this far is that the templates (that I printed so far) were not already to scale. I wish there had been info about that in the e-book segment that they needed to be sized before printing.

[Pip]

There are instructions i the FAQ section on the site, I have recently downloaded a couple but not had time to size them up etc yet.

[WVTriker]

There are instructions i the FAQ section on the site, I have recently downloaded a couple but not had time to size them up etc yet.

I read through pretty much everything and unless I just totally missed it (possible) there wasn't anything about resizing the pattern. After I realized it wasn't right I increased it by 200% and it was fine, just wish it would've said that maybe in the special instructions section for the project.

[wildrose]

As to what to put the patterns on pre-leather, several of the folks I know used butchers paper. It's like a thick brown paper. I don't know if it was really what butchers used or not, that's just what we called it.

[tonyc1]

As to what to put the patterns on pre-leather, several of the folks I know used butchers paper. It's like a thick brown paper. I don't know if it was really what butchers used or not, that's just what we called it.

Lino is good for patterns.

[wintermte]

I read through pretty much everything and unless I just totally missed it (possible) there wasn't anything about resizing the pattern. After I realized it wasn't right I increased it by 200% and it was fine, just wish it would've said that maybe in the special instructions section for the project.

It would have been nice if he had put a ruler or scale on the pattern page, so we know how big to print them. Another alternative would have been to use PDF for the images, as that has the paper size in the document itself, so when you print it, it will be the correct size.

Otherwise the pack isn't too bad.

Dan

[Trauma]

It would have been nice if he had put a ruler or scale on the pattern page, so we know how big to print them. Another alternative would have been to use PDF for the images, as that has the paper size in the document itself, so when you print it, it will be the correct size.

Otherwise the pack isn't too bad.

Dan

I've found most apps, if you print 1:1 will print it to the right size.

I typically use paint or Windows Image and Fax viewer if i'm at work.

If in doubt, go File> Print preview and eyeball it for size, then use scale to adjust to what you want to make.

The fat bag or belt bag scales nicely.