need to process/organize 20lb's of Springfield upholstery leather

[chrisash]

I think with scraps like that you will find it quite hard to learn to make good results, I would suggest you buy a small goat skin on veg tan 1mm-1,2 mm and practise on that, they are quite cheep about 5-7 square feet and each piece will be consistent with the last so you can see by comparing your previous work how ell you are improving with consistent thread and leather

https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/catalog/item-detail/13307-80/assorted-mystery-goat-hides/pr_69048/cp_/shop-now/leather/specialty/goat-hides

[Kwaaked]

I get these boxes and make, well, small stuff.  Nothing especially leatherwork about it, I have a machine that handles the leather fine to sew it, and I have a grommet machine that does the other stuff fine.  I don't generally mess with storage of the leather: I buy when I am needing stock and go to town.  Also understand I am more of a fashion designer/seamstress so my methods are more in line to that rather then some of these fine folks that create awesome stuff. 

Bags, bracelets, buckskinning stuff, black powder accessories....you get the idea.  If big enough, I make possible bags (and I usually get several from a scrap box).  I sew by trade (fabric) and generally produce a pattern for an idea...in my case it makes no difference if it is leather or fabric and often I make items in both upholstery/drapery fabric and leather.  For soft furnishings, these are fine.  But they are not going to make real good leather art in most cases.

However, when I get ready to work with it, I cut the strings off the leather pieces and toss them in my cabbage basket.  Sometimes they are long enough for a tie for a bag, or an accessory part, but mostly it's just scrap.  I transfer my patterns to oak tag, I trace off with a china marker and I typically work as I go.  I put the patterns on it, trace with a china marker, and it includes the marks for fasteners, snaps and the like.  Usually they get stamped at this point, if I use one for the item (some get tags) and then I can either cut them all out and clip the project pieces together with wonder clips or cut pieces and sew as I go.  This creates less waste for my buck, plus I can see if it will actually fit the leather I have or if I need to use something smaller, or larger, as the case may be when tracing.  All of them wind up in the dump table during this process.  Once sewn, the items needing additional work on my grommet machine get sorted into baskets next to the machine by type of work (all grommets in one basket, all Sam Brownes in another, etc. so I don't have to keep changing dies constantly).  Back to the dump table for tags, then sorted by type to clear storage: small bags, small bags with bases, large bags, etc.  Possible bags are put into plastic poly bags separately and then into a garment bag and hung on a rack.

Clear storage so I can see when I am low on stock.  I also don't sell these myself usually, I make them and it is my brand, but either my husband is the "face" of the items (who looks like Grizzly Adams and therefore more like my customers) or a friend who sells them at a flea market with his stuff (who also looks a lot like a Grizzly Adams) so they can find what they are wanting/needing to get.  I don't look like Grizzly Adams, however.