Hello From Switzerland!

[Blackbirdhills Andy]

Monica,

That's exactly why I love hand-stitching! :-) Machines are way to fast for me, and I like to be in control of my work! Also, everytime I'm making a new piece, when I'm done with pattern making and cutting etc, I'm really excited about bringing all the things together by hand... It's almost a meditative experience... :-) I often do the sewing on my front-porch, that's even better! :-)

[MonicaJacobson]

I wish I had the patience to be meditative; I love to listen to audiobooks while I sew. I go through about one a bag, which is fun. I sometimes try to sew on my front porch while my kids bike around, but the mosquitoes are still too bad. Give them another 2 weeks, and they'll all be dead. (I hope!) Between kids and mosquitoes, I very much doubt my front porch experience is the same as yours.

But yes, I know what you mean. I don't really enjoy the pattern making or cutting out. I consider that a chore, and I get very excited when it's time to sew it all together. It'd be a bummer if the cutting out and pattern making was the longest part of the work.

[Blackbirdhills Andy]

Exactly! Hope those Mosquitos are gone soon, I know how they suck! (literally! haha)

Here's a -not so good- picture of that frontporch expirience; no kids, just my dog and some birds... :-)

I'm currently getting into the whole tooling thing. that'll bring the two things together: my graphic design and the leather work, I have lots of ideas and I'm lookin forward to share some of my first carvings/toolings with you guys here... But first I have to finish my new workbench! :-)

[MonicaJacobson]

Ha ha, yeah, that's not at all like my front porch. Mine is a postman's death trap of kid bikes. We call it a burglar deterrent. Nice looking dog and belt, btw.

Well, I look forward to seeing what you make! Leatherworking is so awesome, because people approach it in much the same way, but the outcome is almost entirely unpredictable and interesting.

[Jimbob]

Andy

Yes, Bern....cool place...been there few times....matter a fact I went to my very first Pro knife show to Bern and was hooked into knive making !!!

We rode many miles around there and other places in drr Schwiitz....love it !!!

Your work is extra cool and you kind of thinking too...keep it up !!

Greetings

Now I have to go outside and see how to get my 250 pound sewing machine on my porch....szzzzz....I wanna relax too....;0

[Blackbirdhills Andy]

Haha, good one james! :-)

Another PLUS for the Hand-Stitch!

Ah nice, never been to a knife show here, but sure love knifes! :-) I always feel like a little boy again when I'm stepping into a knife shop! haha :-)

I have my 100 year old victoria knife with me all the time! (The 1st picture is how it looked when I found it, Pic2+3 I've treated it with some polish and love! ;-)

Edited October 13, 2014 by Blackbirdhills Andy