Beginner question about dyes and finishes

[JenGranger]

Hi, I I just entered the world of leather craft this week and I'm very excited about it!  I'm already good with the swivel knife (just a cheap one from Tandy), I'm not very good with the stamps lol, but I will improve.  Anyways, my first projects are going to be the checkbook covers from Tandy.  My question is what dyes and finishes would be suitable for my first projects?

[bikermutt07]

I started with the fiebings spirit dyes and never looked back. I haven't tried the water based ones and probably won't.

Enjoy yourself.

[JenGranger]

Thank you very much!

[DJole]

Dyes:
I don't like the water-based "eco-" dyes. They aren't as rich in color, and the colors bleed (not just when they get wet) unless you really get serious with the water-proof treatments.
Fiebing's spirit based dyes are good.

I also highly recommend Angelus spirit based leather dyes. Angelus manufactures a nice variety of colors with shades and tones that are different from Fiebing's dyes.
For example, Angelus has a lovely Rose dye which is a vibrant pink; they also have some other reds I am fond of (Burgundy and Wine-tone, for example.)

Just remember-- the dye will look different on your leather, so try to keep a scrap sample around to test dye colors on. If you're using a kit, that might be hard to do. 

I have a strip of leather with all of my sample dye colors on it in squares, as a helpful reference. 

Finishes:

It really depends on what you like, and the purpose of the project: a slick, glossy water-proof finish? A matte finish? Something more natural? Whichever one you like, there's a different treatment to get it.

A checkbook cover will need some kind of finish, because of how much handling it will get, but it probably won't need heavy waterproofing. 
I don't know much about how to get the results you might want-- I would do further research myself on this forum. 

[OLDNSLOW]

If you try the Fiebing's dyes keep one thing in mind, they are known for being heavy on the pigment.  This will allow you to cut the dye down using denatured alcohol, but you will need to determine how much you can cut with experimenting.  And the Fiebing's clear coat can be diluted as well with water so that you can stretch you dollars a little more.

[JenGranger]

Thank you everyone!  I have had to put off the checkbook covers for my second projects for a few reasons, unfortunately, those reasons are partly because of financial reasons, partly because I'm not comfortable with my skill level yet and I want them too look very nice because they will be a gift for my parents. And partly because the new project is needed a lot more.   The new projects will be stick hair barrettes for my best friend and and I.  We really need them, especially the best friend, because we both have long, thick, unruly, wavy/curly-ish hair.  Soon, I will make a new post, asking all kinds of questions about making it (the barrette, not the hair)lol

[OLDNSLOW]

those are easy to produce I made 4 or 5 of them recently for a person in Cali that will be giving them as presents I'll check my file tomorrow for the template and post it is you want.

[JenGranger]

Thank you very much!