MojoGeorge Report post Posted December 25, 2013 (edited) I actually did most of the steps in reverse in making this.... and it glares error... error... error at me; Luckily my brother has a forgiving nature and decided he liked it...\ After looking at all of the members images I am a little embarrassed to post this... \ errors that I am seeing Uneven stitching... getting better every project tho edges are wavy .... I have been dying then edjing.. Dohhhh!! Next one should fix that Dye is uneven.... read up on dying... need to deglaze, then light neatsfoot, next day very light oil, then dye.... I usually have less time to do an entire project than just the time needed to do a proper dye job... I used the cheapest Import I could get at Springfield leather... and after dying a great big cut showed up... hhhhhmmmmm (I think I will call it a beauty mark, Marilyn Monroe had a mole ) I am getting better, but way slower than I would like.. Time to go truck... heading to Sidney Oh with a bunch of romaine lettuce.. Merry Christmas to all Mojo Geo Edited December 25, 2013 by MojoGeorge Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
benlilly1 Report post Posted December 25, 2013 Mojo, I've seen worse... At least you finished it and learned for the next one. Good start!. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MojoGeorge Report post Posted December 26, 2013 Thanx... Gonna try again, hopefully we will see some improvements... Really gotta find a way to compress time in finishing Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kbonecapone Report post Posted December 26, 2013 Sidney, OH is where my parents grew up. I have a ton of family there. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
olds cool Report post Posted December 26, 2013 That cut doesn't detract from the whole piece. I actually think it gives it a nice character and goes along nicely with the pock mark in the upper middle area. I like using the cheaper leather on some projects just for the interesting marks and color differences that come out. If you can, glue the edges together, sand them smooth & even, then use the groover to make the stitch line. The edge will look a lot cleaner when you finish it. Also, leave a little more room between the edge and the stitch line. It will give it a much more professional look. The only dye booboo I can see is the check mark in the corner, not a huge deal but being a perfectionist it did draw my eye. Overall, it looks pretty good. I like the contrast in color & texture. Keep it up and the next one will be twice as good! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WScott Report post Posted December 26, 2013 That cut doesn't detract from the whole piece. I actually think it gives it a nice character and goes along nicely with the pock mark in the upper middle area. I like using the cheaper leather on some projects just for the interesting marks and color differences that come out. If you can, glue the edges together, sand them smooth & even, then use the groover to make the stitch line. The edge will look a lot cleaner when you finish it. Also, leave a little more room between the edge and the stitch line. It will give it a much more professional look. The only dye booboo I can see is the check mark in the corner, not a huge deal but being a perfectionist it did draw my eye. Overall, it looks pretty good. I like the contrast in color & texture. Keep it up and the next one will be twice as good! Really good comments and tips here I think if you follow those suggestions the next one will be a home run! Good for you for posting something you think is not perfect, it allows you to get some feedback on how/where to improve Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MojoGeorge Report post Posted December 26, 2013 I REALLY appreciate all the comments, gonna try again with a large poster titled.... Do This Next! Hopefully doing things in the proper order will help. I used my wing dividers set 1/8 for stitch line should I go to 1/4 or somewhere in between? Also, I have a grooved, but thought it was only for very thick leathers, this was 5 oz, once again, a heartfelt thanx Mojo Geo Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
olds cool Report post Posted December 27, 2013 Honestly I couldn't tell you an exact measurement to use. I just eyeball it every time. The bigger the piece, the more I'll inset the stitch line. After looking at hundreds of projects that others have posted, I just kinda got the feeling for about how much looks right. You can groove a 5oz, just take it easy. No need to carve out 1/2 a cow on each pass. You could get away with not grooving a project like that but still sand those edges smooth before you mark the line with your dividers. You don't need to slick them yet if you don't want to but smooth & even is the key to a clean line. if you have a belt sander, it's great for making those long sides smooth and straight but even a hand sanding block or a dremel can work good. I keep a cheap sanding block on my bench for small touch ups. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WScott Report post Posted December 27, 2013 Al Stohlman had a rule of thumb where he measured the thickness of the two pieces you are stitching together with a divider. That thickness is how far off the edge the stitch line should be. It is in his book, highly recommended if you don't have it already http://www.tandyleatherfactory.ca/en-cad/search/searchresults/61944-00.aspx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites