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I'm trying to source the 600mm x 900mm 350gsm craft card to make the pattern out of but cannot find one. Anyone have any success lately in finding this item or know of an appropriate substitution? Thanks and Cheers! - Mark
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Hello from The United States. My name is Mark.
I started leathercrafting in late 2020. My wife had been after me for years about finding a crafting hobby that would keep me from both being bored, and spending money one frivolous endeavor after another. Six and one half years later, I'm the proud owner of thousands of dollars worth of leathercraft tools, supplies, and equipment. The majority of my time, when I am not at work, is spent in the leathercraft area of the house (formerly the dining room) working on multiple projects, watching YouTube videos on leather craft, and now on Leathercraft Masterclass learning more and more every day. On a positive note, I am no longer spending vast amounts of money on frivolous endeavors, and my wife is pleased (I've made her three different purses now). 😁
I've been telling people for years, taking up leathercraft is the best way to save money! 🤪
Thanks for introducing yourself Mark, I'm glad you've joined us here 👍
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In this course Phil edge creases the bottom flap after edge painting and attaching the sides with glue. I'm wondering if the edge creasing could have been done before the edge painting and attaching the sides?
I use a fileteuse edge creaser which is not as accommodating as Phil's manually heated/controlled creaser.
Thanks.
Yes, I you could run the risk of marking the edge paint if using a fileteuse rather than an adjustable creaser.
Absolutely, you can crease the edge ahead of time before edge painting and sticking down.
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I'm quite pleased with how this turned out. The only problem is I used fabric that is not a thick or strong as canvas as a liner...let's see how it holds up.
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Hello every one, my name is Paul and i'm from England i was doing leather work for about 3 to 4 years and then stopped for about 4 to 5 years due to ill health, i've started back up again about 3 or 4 months ago and i bought myself a Bell knife leather skiving machine about a week ago and during the Bell knife skiving machine techniques video i seem to have broken the presser foot up and down lever, it just hangs loose and doesn't lift the presser foot up and down.
I tried but don't seem to be able to fix it, has anyone got any ideas or advise so i can sort the problem out. It would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you, Paul.
Hi Paul. Did this happen all of a sudden while you were making adjustments to any of the screws? You may have added tension to the ram on the inside that connects the lever to the presser foot, causing it to stay in the down position. Either that, or the return spring is caught on something.
Can you expand on what you were doing when you noticed this happening?
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Hello everyone,
My name is Nafisseh, and I’m from Iran.
About nine years ago, I entered the world of leathercraft quite by chance through my sister. After a while, I stopped practicing, but about four years ago I returned to it with renewed passion and determination.
At first, I focused only on creating and selling leather products, but now I also teach leathercraft. However, I have a strong desire to learn at an international level so that I can continue improving both my own skills and those of my students.
By chance, I came across one of Philip’s videos on YouTube, which inspired me to join the Masterclass. I’m very interested in becoming a member, but I feel that I need some guidance because I’m not sure which course would be the best fit for my current level and goals.
I’m looking forward to learning from all of you and…
Welcome Nafisseh! Thank you for joining us all here and introducing yourself.
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Hello everyone!
I'm Prasad from India, and I'm happy to be part of the community :)
I started leathercraft a couple of years ago because I was looking to get a zipper pouch made and unfortunately could not find any maker to agree to make it.
So, I decided to learn the craft and make it myself. Did make it but the result wasn't what I had imagined, haha.
I've been learning from content available online and I'm drawn towards the European style of leathercraft hence looking to improve my skills in a structured manner and make some beautiful pieces.
Cheers,
Hey Prasad, welcome to the forum! Thanks for taking the time to introduce yourself to us all.
Philip
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My niece gave me specifics for her new bag.
Speedy 30 style
Gold fittings
This was the result
Materials
Shrunken calf bag body: Made on Jupiter (Forest T13)
Nice work John, I'm sure your niece loved it! That green is really nice too. I never knew Metropolitan were absorbed by GH Leathers. I don't understand why they went under owing to their popularity in the community. Not popular enough I guess.
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Hi everyone,
I’m Sandra from Germany, and I’m excited to join this community.
I have a background in traditional sewing, but I’ve recently decided to move toward leathercraft. As an absolute beginner, I am particularly drawn to the traditional craftsmanship itself. I’m looking forward to the new challenges that working with leather brings and I’m fascinated by the unique design possibilities this material offers compared to fabric.
I’m starting from scratch with my skills and tools, focusing on learning the fundamentals of saddle stitching and proper edge work. For me, it's all about mastering the hand-tool techniques and understanding the nature of the material.
Any tips for someone transitioning from a sewing machine to hand-stitching with a pony and awl would be greatly appreciated!
Best regards, Sandra
Hi Sandra, welcome to the forum!
Coming from machine sewing can actually be an advantage. Your understanding of tension and consistency will transfer over well.
A few tips that will make the transition to stitching pony and awl much smoother:
1) Practice a lot before making anything or starting a project.
2) Focus on maintaining your awl angle more than speed. When sewing, the machine guarantees alignment, in leather, you are the machine, so your awl accuracy is everything. Eventually you will do this on autopilot, and everything becomes second nature.
3) Learn to control thread tension. Most beginners pull too tight and end up with puckered stitches or distorted edges. Consistent tension is the goal. On soft leathers, this means very little tension at all.
4) Start with firm veg tan. It’s much easier to learn clean stitching and edge work on structured leather than on soft chrome tan.
If you already have sewing experience, you’ll probably pick it up faster than you expect.
Looking forward to seeing your first projects! 😊
I forgot to send the link of the larger sheets that I had ordered from Dick Blick, if you're in the states it's a better option than taping together a bunch of cereal boxes https://www.dickblick.com/items/blick-economy-posterboard-28-x-44-x-8-ply-white/