choppinlefty Report post Posted January 21, 2015 Hey there folks. I just started leather-working a few weeks ago. Usually, I do metal work and work on motorcycles for fun but I recently lost my garage space and needed something I could do in my tiny apartment that also includes my partner and all her various hobbies. I started doing small metals, and will be continuing but I also started picking up leather-work. I've got a bad habit when I need something of instead of just buying it, I buy all the tools and equipment needed to make it and learn. So I needed a wallet. This is what I came up with... This is the third thing I've done, the first two being missized. I clearly need to work on my pattern making and I just kind of wung parts of it (the rivet in the middle) and ended up having to remake the snap wholes. Overall I'm happy with it though. Let me know what yall think and what I need to improve on! Excited to be part of this forum. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eccho Report post Posted January 21, 2015 Overall pretty good, you certainly have the idea. Fit and finish would be my suggestion. Slow down and take a little more time, the end result will be worth it. Your stitching is pretty erratic especially on the back side. Get your self a pricking iron to mark your stitch holes and a diamond awl to make the hole you are going to stitch in. Your holes seem pretty large for the thread size, so think about that ahead of time, and make the appropriate size hole for the thread needed.The strap would have looked better if you had burnished the edges to avoid that hairy look. But! You pleased the most important person anyway.....YOU! You enjoyed making it, and are pleased with the result, so things can only get better. It's not about the destination, it's about the journey, so enjoy it. Cheers...Eccho Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
choppinlefty Report post Posted January 22, 2015 Hey eccho, thanks for the advice. I actually do use a pricking iron, but I hammer it all the way through and I'm becoming convinced the more I work with it that it may have been intended for lace work and not stitching. I feel like the holes are too large for the number of stitches per inch in makes. And they are square instead of diamond shaped. I ordered some diamond pricking irons and am gonna give them a go as soon as they get here. As for edge burnishing, I'm still learnin the right way for that. I seem to have some trouble with it and my burnisher is only for 2 thicknesses of leather. I'm going to invest in a set of dremel powered ones of different sizes once I work up some scratch. Really enjoyin the process though. But clearly have A LOT to learn. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MonicaJacobson Report post Posted January 22, 2015 Very, very nice for your 3rd project. What Eccho said, but with what you're doing already, it shouldn't take long. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
