Leather Portfolio

[Colt W Knight]

Just finished this leather notebook portfolio.

It is going to be auctioned off at the Arizona Cattle Growers Association Cattlemens College this summer. It is made from 7 ounce veg tan leather with a deer skin liner. The pen holder is red lambskin. I have made several of these with a few different designs, and folks seem to like them.

I am currently working on my PhD, and serving as the University's feedlot manager. I go to a lot of meetings and make a lot of notes when working cattle. These heavy duty portfolios just hold up and work better than the vinyl ones you buy at the office supply store.

Still need to press it flat, hand stitching the edges usually puts a bend in the leather. I don't use a fancy stitching vice/pony. Just do it on the couch watching TV. I have to say, hand stitching these guys really sucks, but my old singer wont sew more than 7-8 ounce leather.

[LilyLionLabyrinth]

That looks lovely! I love the decorative border. I am another stitch-by-hand-while-watching-TV kind of person. It can suck a lot, but the tedium can also be nice, sometimes.

[rlpullman]

I like the design. I also like to sit on the couch and sew. Try a stitching pony. It really helps

[Rohn]

That is a very nice piece. Good job.

[Colt W Knight]

I like the design. I also like to sit on the couch and sew. Try a stitching pony. It really helps

I really need to make a stitching pony. When I recently got into leather work, I had no intentions on making as many guitar straps and portfolios as I have been lately. Originally, I bought some leather to make custom guitar straps for folks who bought my hand built guitars. At the time, I basically refused to do any hand stitching. Then I got on this forum and realized I had to step my game up on guitar straps. Went down hill from there. Now I have a fortune in leather tools, and I am getting a lot of orders for leather work, which is pretty nice.

I guess I should get on that stitching pony. I also need to make one of those hand straps for pushing the needle through the leather.

Thanks for the compliments everyone.

[Frederiek]

It's beautiful, what I like most is how you coloured it.

+1 stitch-by-hand-while-watching-TV

I really don't like stitching

[Colt W Knight]

It's beautiful, what I like most is how you coloured it.

+1 stitch-by-hand-while-watching-TV

I really don't like stitching

Thanks. I hate stitching. It is a necessary evil when it comes to leather work.

[mikeyp]

very nice job,i also make portfolios and hand stitch them but finally got a sewing machine hopefully it will help with the stitching.

[Colt W Knight]

very nice job,i also make portfolios and hand stitch them but finally got a sewing machine hopefully it will help with the stitching.

I have been seriously looking at bigger machines. Those Cobra 4s look like the ticket, but they are pricey at near 3000$.

[eby]

Looks great! I did the stitching-on-the-couch routine for a while before I built a pony. $10 worth of hardware and some scrap wood is about all it takes. I did not like stitching at all before using it. Now with my pony and a SHARP awl I find I can get into a rhythm and enjoy it. You might discover the same thing. Definitely makes those really long seams around a guitar strap go faster!

Anyway, love the portfolio, and congrats on having orders stacking up!!

[Colt W Knight]

Looks great! I did the stitching-on-the-couch routine for a while before I built a pony. $10 worth of hardware and some scrap wood is about all it takes. I did not like stitching at all before using it. Now with my pony and a SHARP awl I find I can get into a rhythm and enjoy it. You might discover the same thing. Definitely makes those really long seams around a guitar strap go faster!

Anyway, love the portfolio, and congrats on having orders stacking up!!

Thank you.