Outside of my comfort zone!

[CTaylorJr]

I mainly do figure carving and don't do cases, bags, and things like that.  Well, my bride signed me up for something without asking me first.  

I have to make 4 small spiral notebook cases for some ladies that are in one of her groups.  I explained that I don't usually make things like that, but it was like arguing with a wall... So, I made one for my self as proof of concept.   2 of these will be basket weave and 2 will have some sort of floral pattern.  NEITHER of which I am proficient at!

I learned a LOT making this one and now have the correct dimensions to proceed with the next.  You can tell that I haven't been at the bench in a while..

 

[bikermutt07]

Sounds about right. I told a kid at work that I play with leather and he said "Cool, so you make like belts and saddles and stuff?" LOLOL

My wife keeps telling me to make stuff with zippers. I'm terrified at the thought.

[Grumpymann]

I could sit at the bench for years with only time off for bathroom brakes and would still not be able to pull off a basket weave. So congrats!

[JLSleather]

1 hour ago, CTaylorJr said:

my bride signed me up for something without asking me first.  

Welcome.  To marriage.

Without getting too detailed, 'n' stuff, I would recommend a slightly smaller thread -- that stuff looks bulky on a project this small (my opinion).

 

[CTaylorJr]

1 hour ago, bikermutt07 said:

Sounds about right. I told a kid at work that I play with leather and he said "Cool, so you make like belts and saddles and stuff?" LOLOL

My wife keeps telling me to make stuff with zippers. I'm terrified at the thought.

Yeah, funny how that works!  A coworker asked me about a corset not long ago!  I don't need to even begin trying something along those lines, plus I didn't need the mental image!  I sent her to a friend of mine and she got her fixed up...

Zippers?  Um, NO!

[CTaylorJr]

4 minutes ago, JLSleather said:

Without getting too detailed, 'n' stuff, I would recommend a slightly smaller thread -- that stuff looks bulky on a project this small (my opinion).

 

I agree about the thread for sure.  I've made several belts and haven't bought more than a few pricking irons, and those are pretty large in size.  I'm looking at some 2 and 2.5mm irons and also thread sizing to match them.

Thanks for the advice, I can use a LOT of it with these things.  I admire you folks that do bags, books, etc...

[CTaylorJr]

43 minutes ago, Grumpymann said:

I could sit at the bench for years with only time off for bathroom brakes and would still not be able to pull off a basket weave. So congrats!

Actually, once you get the hang of it, it flows pretty well.  I probably used 3 square feet of scrap in practice, but if you look close at the picture, I'm far from being great at it.  But, like everything else in this hobby, practice makes perfect.

[bikermutt07]

1 hour ago, CTaylorJr said:

I agree about the thread for sure.  I've made several belts and haven't bought more than a few pricking irons, and those are pretty large in size.  I'm looking at some 2 and 2.5mm irons and also thread sizing to match them.

Thanks for the advice, I can use a LOT of it with these things.  I admire you folks that do bags, books, etc...

You will find 2.5mm irons really small. When I first bought my Tandy ones I didn't know anything about the sizes. And I bought the 2.5mm. I can't find anything to use them on. They might be good with some .4mm thread on a watch band........

Even 3mm seems too small to me for anything.

I have some 3.82 mm irons and .6mm thread looks good with it. 

Mostly though I use 4mm with .8mm thread. 

[JLSleather]

I don't know nuthin' bout no chisels -- not my thing.  But wait.. 4mm is the SPACING?  That would equate to about .16", making that about 6 stitches per inch (for you American boys).  6/inch is about as fine as I would want to go on a holster or a belt (though it matters the size of thread).  Most of what I do is about 5 - 5.5 per inch, I think.

There used to be a british gal around here.. (english, UK, whatever they're calling that now) who stitched very nicely at like 11/inch.. by hand.  No idea if she's still around, and in fact I'd have to ask somebody else teh name she used here.

The finest I ever sewed was a mistake.  I changed the stitch length on my Consew flatbed machine, without looking up.  And that sucker ran across that material (2 layers of 1.5 oz) at 22 spi   I had to put the glasses on to count 'em, but it did a nice job!

 

[CTaylorJr]

47 minutes ago, bikermutt07 said:

You will find 2.5mm irons really small. When I first bought my Tandy ones I didn't know anything about the sizes. And I bought the 2.5mm. I can't find anything to use them on. They might be good with some .4mm thread on a watch band........

Even 3mm seems too small to me for anything.

I have some 3.82 mm irons and .6mm thread looks good with it. 

Mostly though I use 4mm with .8mm thread. 

 

37 minutes ago, JLSleather said:

I don't know nuthin' bout no chisels -- not my thing.  But wait.. 4mm is the SPACING?  That would equate to about .16", making that about 6 stitches per inch (for you American boys).  6/inch is about as fine as I would want to go on a holster or a belt (though it matters the size of thread).  Most of what I do is about 5 - 5.5 per inch, I think.

There used to be a british gal around here.. (english, UK, whatever they're calling that now) who stitched very nicely at like 11/inch.. by hand.  No idea if she's still around, and in fact I'd have to ask somebody else teh name she used here.

The finest I ever sewed was a mistake.  I changed the stitch length on my Consew flatbed machine, without looking up.  And that sucker ran across that material (2 layers of 1.5 oz) at 22 spi   I had to put the glasses on to count 'em, but it did a nice job!

 

Like I said, I know NADA about stitching, and I don't make good gravy either!  

I just counted the stitches on the cover I made and they are 5/inch.  The main issue I see is the size (diameter/shape) of the holes made by the iron.  I don't want to see a large void.  We shall see, I have a sample pack coming soon and just ordered an awl to try my hand at poking holes in myself.