Working with Saffiano Leather

[BettyJ]

16 minutes ago, RockyAussie said:

That's not so bad.....a little bit of strategic padding and stiffener before lining and I'd say you'd have it about right. Brian

Thanks Brian. Yeah I think that would have helped too. I think I need to find different ways of dealing with this leather. My fav method of folding isn't going to work with it. I'm thinking I should try painted raw edges. Might help stop it tearing from being too thin.

Next project is a laptop backpack with this stuff. Tried so hard to get the client to choose otherwise but they were adamant.  *sigh* 

[RockyAussie]

55 minutes ago, BettyJ said:

Thanks Brian. Yeah I think that would have helped too. I think I need to find different ways of dealing with this leather. My fav method of folding isn't going to work with it. I'm thinking I should try painted raw edges. Might help stop it tearing from being too thin.

Next project is a laptop backpack with this stuff. Tried so hard to get the client to choose otherwise but they were adamant.  *sigh* 

The edge coat method would alleviate quite a few of the folding issues I'd say but to do well will take longer. As long as they are happy to pay ...$$. and the bigger the challenge, the better your skills will be the reward at the end.  Hey...did I say that...?     I do wonder just how many of us do charge enough for this type of work??? Sometimes I charge thousands and not really want the work and they just keep happily coming on back and sometimes to the bone $ and they still want to bargain for less...   Still I keep learning.

[BettyJ]

3 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

The edge coat method would alleviate quite a few of the folding issues I'd say but to do well will take longer. As long as they are happy to pay ...$$. and the bigger the challenge, the better your skills will be the reward at the end.  Hey...did I say that...?     I do wonder just how many of us do charge enough for this type of work??? Sometimes I charge thousands and not really want the work and they just keep happily coming on back and sometimes to the bone $ and they still want to bargain for less...   Still I keep learning.

It will, I'm still trying to think it through but I'll start experimenting soon to see how it looks. Will probably still use the piping but with a slightly thicker cord for more structure.

Hahahahaha! Yes I'm all for improving my skills and charging for that.

I add a "tax" for jobs I don't want to do. It helps me to not complain and just get the job done.   Unfortunately, this time, I don't think I added enough tax. Ah well, you live and learn.

[JeannieH]

Hi everyone!  i am a new leather worker and bag maker...I have been running into a problem with how my seams look on the outside of the bag.  I am very much a perfectionist and after I make a bag...I pinch the seams on the outside..and if I see some thread or holes..I feel the bag isn't up to the standard I want.  I have only made one leather bag.  I have been practicing making bags with cork fabric..(I also have the same problem with the seams with this material) which in no way helped me as far as sewing leather bags lol.  How do you achieve professional seams?  Do you skive or not skive?  Skive, but not glue seam completely flat?  Skive a lot off..or not alot off...glue down but not completely flat?  Help!? lol

Currently I hand skive the leather seam..I use a leather needle size 16 or 18...I adjust my top tension until the top and bottom thread don't show the others thread on the top of bottom ( hope that made sense)..I am sewing with 3 to 4 ounce chrome tanned leather.