Stamped Fern Design Clutch Wallet

[Bob Blea]

Here's something else I just finished recently. It's a clutch wallet with a stamped fern design on the front and a geometric design on the back. The edges are triple loop dark brown calf lace and the interior is a thin glazed goat skin. There are five credit card pockets on each side, each pocket can easily hold three cards, and under the card pockets there are pockets to hold bills, notes, etc. The lining behind the card pockets is black pigskin.

Any comments or critique are welcome!

Bob

[onfloat]

Nice!

[capsterdog]

I love it. Many forget how creative stamping can be. It looks wonderful. How did you come up with the pattern. Did you draw it out first and then decide on the tools to use. I would love to know your steps in creating this design. I love stamping. I like doing unique things like you did. So creative is what you accomplished with this wallet. Thanks fro sharing.

[Kd Custom]

The back side is amazing!! very clean piece for sure!

[resqman]

Very clean. Nice even stamping. Well done.

[Bob Blea]

Thanks all for the kind comments!

I love it. Many forget how creative stamping can be. It looks wonderful. How did you come up with the pattern. Did you draw it out first and then decide on the tools to use. I would love to know your steps in creating this design. I love stamping. I like doing unique things like you did. So creative is what you accomplished with this wallet. Thanks fro sharing.

Hi Capsetdog, I apologize for taking so long to get back to you. This fern design originally came from saddle makers back in the late 1800's. Apparently some saddle shops in the Texas area started doing it as a quick way to decorate saddles. I originally learned it from saddle maker Dusty Johnson, who told me he found an old saddle with the design in a museum and worked out how they did it. Dusty wrote an article for the Leather Crafters and Saddlemakers Journal sometime in the 1990's that described how to make the design, but it's pretty straight forward, I'm just not sure I can describe it without lots of pictures! All I did was learn to make the design with smaller tools so it would fit on small items like a wallet.

Bob

[Zanderman489]

Looks great! Great patience. Looking at this stuff really gets me inspired.

[capsterdog]

Thank you for the info Mr. Blea, I will have to search for that article or something similar. One more question, did you cut with swivel knife then do the pear shader and cam?

[nickortizzle1035]

very cool! how do the cards keep from falling down inside?

[Bob Blea]

Thank you for the info Mr. Blea, I will have to search for that article or something similar. One more question, did you cut with swivel knife then do the pear shader and cam?

You've got the right idea. I cut the line for the ferns stem with a swivel knife, then bevel the inside of curve of the knife cuts. I then go around the edge with a crowner, which is like a checkered camouflage tool (and I cam will work for this too). That's what makes the tips of each leaf. Then I go along the cut line with the cam to create the other side of the fern's stem. Next, I use a thumprint or shader (just depends on what you have or call them, either will work) in each scallop created by the crowner, and I finish it up by using the veiner along the beveled areas. Does that make sense?

Bob

[Bob Blea]

very cool! how do the cards keep from falling down inside?

Sorry it took a while to get back to you. Been away from my computer. Try this thread: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=60483

It covers a lot of information about this type of pocket.

Bob

[capsterdog]

Makes perfect sense. I thought it might of been done that way. Thank you for the info. Will keep it in my leather notes. Thank you!

[MonicaJacobson]

Nice! I love that geometric print on the back.

[Bob Blea]

Thanks Monica. It's a Wayne Jueschke stamp.