Ok. Let's see' em........

[bikermutt07]

4 hours ago, immiketoo said:

Ok, I'll play.  My first holster and a more recent one. My first ever carving wont load for some reason. 

You've come a long way, baby.

 

4 hours ago, Mhicks said:

The argument could be made this is my second item but it was the first project I started and it took me about 2 months to finish it and in the mean time i did something else small but I can't remember what it was.  Leather camera bag with removable insert.

 

That's awesome. I guess some people start out with a little more raw talent.

[kiwican]

yup...hate them too

[Mhicks]

Thank you!   I'll humbly admit to have been blessed with the ability to do and pick up different skills quickly.  One of the main reasons I started in leather work was to have something I could do inside the house instead wood/metal stuff until I had my own shop built (my parents have a 4k sq ft shop just down the road that I used).  Still working on the shop for my metal and wood working projects but i do have 2/3 of a 450 sq ft shop dedicated to leather working now.

[TucanSam]

Started off making chainmaille jewelry, got into making 11th  Century style armor and wanted a pair of turn shoes. Found out after I made them, that black leather was extremely rare back then (whoops)... but yup... 1st leather project ever.

[bikermutt07]

Cool. This is great guys keep them coming.

[UKRay]

This is a very early piece of work (from the early 1980s) that I was so pleased with I hung it on the wall in the shop rather than finish the pouch. I found it in a box when I moved house and hung it up again to remind me there is always room for improvement!

[bikermutt07]

We are our own harshest critics.

[UKRay]

On 15/02/2017 at 7:24 PM, bikermutt07 said:

We are our own harshest critics.

Ain't that the truth!

 

[cjartist]

Here is mine.  I didn't post it earlier in this thread because I thought some would not believe it was my first.    Now that i see other great firsts, I've decided to have a go too.  The only thing I did prior to this was a small 3 inch phoenix carving on a scrap piece of leather to practice.  This took a few months to complete.

 

[Bodean]

On 2/12/2017 at 10:34 PM, bikermutt07 said:

I was watching a thread and people started posting their first projects. It got me a little nostalgic.

How far have we come since the beginning?

I took up leather as a hobby after my wife and I lost our 2 week old son, Eddie. After his battle was fought I needed something to get my hands moving again. Her and I have come a long way since August of 2014.

Some how we grew stronger through our experience. She got us into counseling almost immediately (big help).

She has poured herself into her middle school teaching program like no one ever has. She is about to do her 2nd annual "The Arts are Always in" event. It even includes a fashion runway show out of upcycled goods with her advanced class. This is a huge undertaking. And I am very proud of her.

I made a few leather goods to get me going and then kind of took a break from it. I hadn't done anything since probably November of 2014, then we had some unexpected space become available in our home last year. Since then I have been puttering when I can find the time.

I enjoy myself when working with leather. I don't want to do it for a living. It's my little escape time. I want to do it for fun and if people want to buy what I make, great. But I'm not doing it for them. It's for me.

So, the point of this thread is.......

Show us your first ever project, and maybe share why you got into it. 

Here is my first piece.

First my condolences to you and your wife. I can't imagine what you guys went through. I applaud you for finding an avenue to take your mind to a better place. I enjoy making guitar straps for people, and to see the reaction or read the reactions from them is the best part. I just started as something to do, and never imagined it would have gone where it has.