What Was Your First Leather Project?

[gaseousclay]

For those of you who are beginners or even seasoned leatherworking veterans, what was your very first leather working project? Wallet? Keychain fob? Belt? Bracelet/cuff?

I'm not looking for ideas per se, i'm just curious where you started and how far you've progressed. Plus, I think it's cool to hear stories of people who have done well for themselves.

[Troy I]

My first project was a holster for a Glock 22. I could not afford a custom made holster, so I made my own. I was then hooked with the craft...now I sell custom holsters, key chains and other leather items to support my hobby.

[JLSleather]

Very first project was a carved belt. It was not beautiful

[veedub3]

I was pretty ambitious and made a cross body bag. I dived in head first, eyes closed, with my arms tied behind my back. :) That was in November 2012 so I have only been at this a little over a year. Now the cross body bags I make are night and day from that very first one.

I learned basic leather working back in the Summer of 82' while in Vacation Bible School. I had completely forgot all about that time. Loved it! Then one day my niece was making a bag out of duck tape from a YouTube video she was watching and I got the idea for her to make it out of leather. Working on that project with her had me hooked all over again.

Karina

Edited February 5, 2014 by veedub3

[WyomingSlick]

Like many kids who started in 4-H leather, my first item was a bookmark. At the time I thought it looked fine, but then what does a nine year old know. The second year in 4-H leathercraft I made this wallet for my Dad which he kept all these years and never used.

It received a blue ribbon at county fair and I thought it was fine. The amusing thing was when I got it back when my Dad died, the mistakes in it jumped right out at me. There were two mistakes in the lacing which I did correct, but otherwise it is just as I made it in 1966. Probably the most glaring is the omission of beveling/matting around the flowers of the cacti. And then today, I would not matt in the clouds as heavily as I did then.

[Bob Blea]

Mine was a Tandy checkbook kit. I had tried a few small floral carvings from the Stohlman books my wife had, and then adapted one to fit the front of the checkbook. I still use it to this day, though I could do a LOT better now.

Bob

[GrampaJoel]

A bi-fold wallet in my crafts shop class in school. 48 years ago.

[camano ridge]

40 years ago I got out of the Marine Corps and got a job as a body guard did not have much money and needed a concealable holster so I made a Roy Baker Pancake Holster. It looked like a leather pancake with a bite out of it where the gun went in.

[Troy Burch]

Mine was putting new fenders on my dad's roping saddle. The fenders were fine but the carving was terrible! He had a new saddle he had won but prefered his old one. Well after I "fixed" it he gave it to his 11 year old grandson and started using his new one. lol Troy

[chiefjason]

Holster for a G19. I'm cheap and have a strong tinker gene. I love DIY stuff. That was about 2 years ago. It's turned into a decent little side gig.