Leather Candle Wraps

[Ran]

A friend of mine is designing a building candles that she's making by first cutting beer bottles off about 3" or 4" tall and sanding the edges smooth. She will then pour candle wax into them, etc. I was having coffee with her and opened my big mouth suggesting that we wrap the bottles in leather. We could even tool the leather, etc.

I make holsters and belts. I've never done butt joints or lacing work.

Any suggestions will be much appreciated..

[JustKate]

Are you thinking of just wrapping the cut-off bottle with a strip of leather? Or making more of a pedestal-looking thing?

[Ran]

Are you thinking of just wrapping the cut-off bottle with a strip of leather? Or making more of a pedestal-looking thing?

Kate,

I guess that I should have been more clear. I'm picturing a wrap that encompasses nearly the whole bottle/candle. In other words, almost like a cup with no bottom in it (or actually, they could have a bottom too, but it would serve to real purpose). Something that would come up at least halfway on the bottle, I'm seeing. The bottom edge would be flush with the bottom of the bottle.

My real question, however, is how to make the butt joint where the wrap rejoins itself. I suppose I need a curved needle and awl?? Or might I lace it together??

Randy

[Tree Reaper]

Randy;

Make it like a dice cup without the bottom.

Make a mitered joint and stitch it, a butt joint works too..

You can use a bottle for the form while you stitch.

A curved awl would work the best.

Kevin

Edited February 21, 2013 by Tree Reaper

[JustKate]

Well, here's a coffee cup wrap I did a while back that shows one possible solution. I just butted the ends together and laced them.

[Jason Austin]

You could also overlap the ends about 1/2 inch, skive them down so they lay flat, glue it up, and do a line of normal stitching in the middle of the overlap. In this project you have the luxury of being able to make the thing off the bottle and then slide it on so you really don't have to worry about stitching/lacing it in place.

[Ran]

Thanks folks. Kate....I have a hunch if I showed that coffee cup wrap to my friend Dawn, she'd say, "That it....that's what I want!" If i stitch it, it sounds like I'll need a curved awl and maybe a curved stitching needle too?? But honestly, I like the looks of the lace work better.

Kate, can you give me any tips on doing that lace pattern? Or can you point me in a direction to learn?

Thanks again...I appreciate all the help..

Randy

[Spence]

I've done them by overlapping the leather, installing grommets along one end and grommets about 1" in from the other end. I just used regular lacing to tie the both ends together. I even did it double and was able to make a 4-ply braid of the ends. Overlapping about an inch covers up a multitude of measuring errors. lol. Tried to upload an image but it looks like I have to go with an external storage site and it's not worth it, unless I'm missing something.

[David8386]

Just do one that is a little smaller than the bottle, sew it or lace it together and slide it on the bottle no curved needles unless I am missing something. Just need your true length for the pattern

David

[Ran]

Sounds like I'm back to the drawing board somewhat. She now wants these to be more like short little 'cups' that rise only about an inch up the side of the bottle. She specifically said, "I want them to have the look of a dice cup, but only an inch~ tall..

[Tree Reaper]

This is what the butt joint seam looks like on the bottle coolers I make.

[Ran]

Looks like I could do that on my machine..

[Tree Reaper]

That was hand stitched but you probably could use the machine then trim the excess off.

You might even be able to hammer the seam flat.

[whiteeugene]

Well, here's a coffee cup wrap I did a while back that shows one possible solution. I just butted the ends together and laced them.

That looks like a great idea for gifts would you mind if I used it?

Thanks Doug

[whiteeugene]

Sounds like I'm back to the drawing board somewhat. She now wants these to be more like short little 'cups' that rise only about an inch up the side of the bottle. She specifically said, "I want them to have the look of a dice cup, but only an inch~ tall..

Ain't that the way it goes.LOL

[Northmount]

Sounds like I'm back to the drawing board somewhat. She now wants these to be more like short little 'cups' that rise only about an inch up the side of the bottle. She specifically said, "I want them to have the look of a dice cup, but only an inch~ tall..

For that height, should be able to wet form a square piece of leather.

Make a plug the size of the candle holder (or use the candle holder, cut a couple pieces of plywood, laminate together to get at least your 1" height, drill or cut a hole the diameter of the candle holder plus 2 thicknesses of the leather you are using, sand it nice and smooth on the inside. Dampen the leather, a little more than you would for casing, but not saturated, lay the leather on top of the form and press the plug into it. Let it dry for maybe an hour, pull it out and let it finish drying. (might want to trim the excess off the leather before you pull it out of the form.) I have formed 8 oz over 3/4" so I'm sure you can do 1" with no trouble. You will likely get some wrinkling. Worth a try though and after the first one, the next dozen will go quickly.

Then it is all one piece with no joins.

Tom

[Ran]

For that height, should be able to wet form a square piece of leather.

Make a plug the size of the candle holder (or use the candle holder, cut a couple pieces of plywood, laminate together to get at least your 1" height, drill or cut a hole the diameter of the candle holder plus 2 thicknesses of the leather you are using, sand it nice and smooth on the inside. Dampen the leather, a little more than you would for casing, but not saturated, lay the leather on top of the form and press the plug into it. Let it dry for maybe an hour, pull it out and let it finish drying. (might want to trim the excess off the leather before you pull it out of the form.) I have formed 8 oz over 3/4" so I'm sure you can do 1" with no trouble. You will likely get some wrinkling. Worth a try though and after the first one, the next dozen will go quickly.

Then it is all one piece with no joins.

Tom

Northmount....thanks for the idea. I'm gonna try this tomorrow. I'm a long time woodworker/cabinet maker, and can easily make a jig to try this method. Thanks!

Randy