Members chriscraft Posted April 23, 2016 Members Report Posted April 23, 2016 This is my first project using an alphabet set. I have been carving out my own freehand style lettering in the past on the few personalized projects I've made. The top of the leather shield needed to fit 14 letters with some spacing in between. Bottom section needs to fit various length last name on each shield. So I had to order a small 1/4" alphabet set for this Firefighter shield project. I designed the layout for this shield to be able to accommodate the top lettering the best. Quote
Members chriscraft Posted April 23, 2016 Author Members Report Posted April 23, 2016 This small order was for 9 leather shields so I had a die made to cut my shields. Quote
Members chriscraft Posted April 23, 2016 Author Members Report Posted April 23, 2016 I made my pattern from poster board. I've been using poster board for templates for many years now and I just feel comfortable using this material. It cuts easily with an X-Acto blade and has a clean edge to lay an outline against. Quote
Members chriscraft Posted April 23, 2016 Author Members Report Posted April 23, 2016 After hand cutting out the number and bottom cutout for the last names I used a stitch groover only on the outer edge of my shield. My top banner will be tooled and I had already spaced out my 1/4" lettering to fit within this banner. Quote
Members chriscraft Posted April 23, 2016 Author Members Report Posted April 23, 2016 Using a small 5 3/8" divider, I layed out my stitch line and outer swivel knife line. Quote
Members chriscraft Posted April 23, 2016 Author Members Report Posted April 23, 2016 Now I just follow my lines along with a swivel knife to make my cuts. Quote
Members chriscraft Posted April 23, 2016 Author Members Report Posted April 23, 2016 I used a small 2-pc. pebble background tool. This shield will be dyed black so I really didn't take additional time to carefully make these impressions, you can see heal marks and such but it will all blend in when finished. Quote
Members chriscraft Posted April 23, 2016 Author Members Report Posted April 23, 2016 This is where I begin to stamp the 1/4" letters. I made the right side of the banner same length as the left to keep things slightly centered. I'll need to end the last letter near the edge of the right side so I'll start with the last letter first working toward the center. Quote
Members chriscraft Posted April 23, 2016 Author Members Report Posted April 23, 2016 You can make yourself a lettering template and use it to center all your letters. That way all your multiple work looks similar. Quote
Members chriscraft Posted April 23, 2016 Author Members Report Posted April 23, 2016 Each letter is marked where it will be stamped. Quote
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