February Keep Making Stuff Challenge

[thefanninator]

I went ahead and put a Sam Browne stud closure on mine, took some lousy photos and the whole thing is just mush. It doesn't hold it's shape and is hard to close. I'm currently unstitching it and will line it to stiffen it a up a little more. Hope I don't waste the goatskin lining.

Lined it with goatskin, added a pocket. Hope to stitch it all back together tomorrow.

[Charliewz]

Unfortunately fanninator it isn't glue. I skived the deerskin too far in and that is the roughed up lining showing.

Thanks Monica, I didn't have any D rings so I just sewed the strap to the inside. I like the strap attachment after it was done.

Thanks for the comments Wild Bill. And cardinal leather, it's nice when it can be saved, stressful though.

Forgot to add, I used light brown pro leather paint on the edges,. Probably won't use it all the time, but it works good to cover where the lining and leather meet on the edge, since deerskin won't burnish.

Charlie

Edited February 22, 2015 by Charliewz

[thefanninator]

Well that's a bummer. Sometimes you can clean up some of the glue but you never can uncut leather.

I'll save all of you some trouble and tell you my tale. I decided to stitch this project inside out which worked fine but the leather was, as I said too thin to hold it's shape. I took it apart and added a goatskin liner. Well of course the pricking marks were covered up by the goatskin except on the finished side but because I originally stitched it inside out the marks were backwards. Anyway after trying several different configurations - what was best was to turn the folds out, glue goatskin to goatskin and stitch it normal. I'm not sure what you call the gusset style of the original pattern - the way they fold in but I did it opposite. It's almost ready to photograph, which is something else I need to work on.

[rundogdave]

Here is my February project. Not completely happy with it, but I learn from my mistakes. The next one will be better. Added the strap handle to the end. Should have attached it differently. The black pig skin suede was because I trimmed the pig skin covering, and left the edges uncovered. Made it out of 4 oz. and had to add a stiffener to the inside front, as it was to flimsy for the clasp.

[Charliewz]

Now that's a nice clean looking kit. Really like it. Looks very well done to me.

Charlie

[MonicaJacobson]

It didn't even occur to me to put a clasp on it like that. That solves all the problems mentioned earlier, and isn't as hard to open and close as a buckle. I also like how you sewed the handle. It's tough deciding where it goes on something like that. As another option, I was considering sewing it in at the bottom of one of the side gussets.

[cardinal leather]

i like it, nice and clean ,with the edging to make it pop. I also like the hasp.

[rundogdave]

Thanks for the nice comments. Looking forward to next months project.

[thefanninator]

Mine is about as done as it's going to get. I plan on painting the edges but don't have dark brown right now.

Overall I'm pretty satisfied but have a few sore spots. I used Spanish Glass calfskin in espresso 2.5/3 oz lined with terra cotta Sokoto goatskin (both the same as my vertical wallet). I used chocolate Crawford linen thread from Royalwood. I think my stitching would have turned out better had I used my smaller Fil au Chinois Lin Cable.

I decided on a Tom Browne stud closure which, with this thin calfskin, was a bad decision. I also punched two closure holes and regretted the second almost immediately but it does close a little tighter.

I'm glad I went back and lined it and added an interior pocket which I have never done. I stitched the pocket to the liner then glued it in and trimmed the excess.

Edited February 24, 2015 by thefanninator

[MonicaJacobson]

The folded pocket edge looks really nice. In fact, the overall effect is very slick. If you were selling it, I think you'd have the same permanent closure problem mine has. It'd need something extra to keep it closed, probably.

One thing. I'm not 100% about this, but I think the smaller the thread and thinner the material, the closer to the edge you stitch.

[thefanninator]

The folded pocket edge looks really nice. In fact, the overall effect is very slick. If you were selling it, I think you'd have the same permanent closure problem mine has. It'd need something extra to keep it closed, probably.

One thing. I'm not 100% about this, but I think the smaller the thread and thinner the material, the closer to the edge you stitch.

Thanks, on the pocket.

Yep, on the closure.

Yep, on the stitching.

For some reason I can't see anyone buying it so I'll probably unstitch it again, trim it and make it smaller or a clutch.

Edited February 25, 2015 by thefanninator

[cardinal leather]

i like the leather you built this project out of, very nice. What could be better than a comb pocket in a ditty bag. The closure will work out as it gives extra space in case you get it a little full. nice job chris.

[thefanninator]

Thanks Cardinal! I'm really glad I did the pocket and folded the edge.

Edited February 25, 2015 by thefanninator

[Tinkerton]

Here is my failed attempt, made out of sheep skin. My first mistake was using too soft and too thin a leather, and then using a thicker veg-tan for the closure. Folded and laced the sides to try to give it a little more rigidity. Didn't really work. Also messed up measuring the closure, so they don't line up properly. Next time will definitely use a thicker veg tan for the whole thing.

[YinTx]

Been working diligently on mine, but seeing it may not happen by the end of a short month. What is the deadline?

YinTx

[MonicaJacobson]

Tinkerton, that is not terrible at all. The sheep is interesting stuff, and the lacing actually seems to have given it a bit of rigidity. I actually put on the closure pieces afterwards, which was a royal pain, but the only way I could figure out to get it to line up properly.

[cardinal leather]

tinkerton,

it looks good, the lace and straps give it nice contrast. the hide has a nice grain pattern and the gloss finish is great for a dopp kit, makes it east to keep clean.

yin,

yin,

no rules here, post in this thread when you are done.

[Waylon1977]

I have made something similar to this for a while, but i turned the tabs on the gussets or side pieces outward so the stitching was easier. This time around i did it the way the pattern suggests- which looks better- but it took me a long time! I use a pricking iron to mark the holes and then use the awl as I'm stitching to poke the holes, but i find it hard to keep a even stitching line (especially on the inside) and i am also poking lots of holes in my fingers, or more than I usually do. Also, when i used the pattern , the holes for the straps were not lined up so i added another 3.5 inches to the flap and then cut the holes out when i knew they would line up.

[TheLoudOne]

Well I went off the beaten path on my ditty bag. No offense to the designer but to me I thought it looked more like a motorcycle fork bag. So I pulled out an old classic ditty bag design to make as seeing my old bag has seen better days. I also wanted to try my hand at pictorial carving and coloring as I have never done it before. I really got to wishing that I paid more attention in my 6th grade art class. Well it was a challenge and you said we were supposed to be challenged. Hope you like it.

[cardinal leather]

what was it you forgot about art class again? looks great. the idea behind faninators challenge is to force the thought and design process while developing new or different skills. You did well.

[MonicaJacobson]

Fun idea with all the figure painting and carving. Looks like a solid case, too.

[TheLoudOne]

Thanks! Trying to get the right shading techniques down is pretty difficult. Most all of the coloring was done with spirit dyes are probably mixed up 20 different colors to come up with the shades that I did end up with.

Edited February 27, 2015 by TheLoudOne

[Wild Bill46]

LoudOne..This is almost exactly like what we called shaving kits during my time in the military.

Its not exactly as the pattern tboyce and fannninator have layed out, but,

Different styles and modes of operation, this exersize, is understood completely

All who have displayed their project for the month so far, are definitely definitely doing well,

As Cardinal says its the development, design, hands on experience, which is the lesson/fun/project. plan!

such talent in one place is unheard of in most instances. ---------- Congratulations all --- Wild Bill46

[Charliewz]

Great looking case. Like everything about it.

Charlie

[YinTx]

Bound and determined to finish this thing. Lots of stitching to do tomorrow though! Hopefully I will get to finish the edges by then too, if not I'll enter as is.

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?app=gallery&album=2474

I picked this hobby up last weeks of December, so this has all been learned in the two months since then, and almost entirely using Leatherworker.net.

Handstitching still has a bit to improve, but significantly better than day 1. Looking forward to putting up images of it completed sometime tomorrow! It will be one of the first projects I have ever completed - the others are on the gallery as well - cell phone slip case and a checkbook cover as I was learning.

YinTx