Connecting two ends of leather? (baseball glove watch strap)

[NeilMott]

Hey all.

I'm making a watch strap out of an old baseball glove and for the short side (that will have the buckle on the end), I want to use this piece of the glove with "Ken Griffey Jr" on it.  While I have a decent amount of leather to work with, when I fold the leather over, I have enough so the ends butt up against each other.  I'm wondering if glueing them together and stitching (X-stitch?) would be a good way of connecting the leather, or if I should skive the ends down, then glue in a filler piece, and stitch the areas that overlap?  

Thanks in advance for your time,

Neil

[garypl]

Hi Neil, I don’t make watch straps, but rather than butt joining the ends in the middle, I think I would just sew a small loop in one end for the pin and attach the buckle at the other end.  Use a thin piece of leather, maybe 1-2 oz, for the lining.  Kind of like making a small belt!  You could stop the lining at the ends so the leather is thinner where you have to make the loops for the pin and the buckle.

I grew up on the South side of Chicago but left there for good in 1981.  In what area do you live?

Gary

[NeilMott]

Hey Gary.

I'm north of the city now, in Highland Park, but spent my city days in Lake View, Logan Square, and Albany Park which is near North Eastern and North Park Universities.  I bet you don't miss our winters!!

I was thinking of your lining idea but just wanted to more feedback.  Do you think I'd also want to sew the overlap where the lining goes on top of the main baseball leather?  

Best,

Neil

[garypl]

31 minutes ago, NeilMott said:

Hey Gary.

I'm north of the city now, in Highland Park, but spent my city days in Lake View, Logan Square, and Albany Park which is near North Eastern and North Park Universities.  I bet you don't miss our winters!!

I was thinking of your lining idea but just wanted to more feedback.  Do you think I'd also want to sew the overlap where the lining goes on top of the main baseball leather?  

Best,

Neil

I have sisters living on the north side in Chicago, around Touhy and Milwaukee Ave,  Evanston and Wheaton.  Pretty crowded up there and I don’t miss the cold weather!

Whenever I add a lining to anything I glue and sew the lining to ensure it won’t peel off.  Maybe some thin pigskin lining will work - it’s cheap enough to try.

[chrisash]

The only Highland Park I know and love is a whisky made in Kirkwall in the Orkney islands north of Scotland

[Mark3031]

i don't have an answer to your question but I do want to make the request for you to show the end result.  never thought of using a glove to make products.  very cool idea

[NeilMott]

17 hours ago, chrisash said:

The only Highland Park I know and love is a whisky made in Kirkwall in the Orkney islands north of Scotland

That is a very nice Highland Park as well!!

[NeilMott]

Here's the update. I used some of the leather I had leftover from one of the fingers of the glove.  I'm waiting on some new punches and for it to dry to stitch it up.