Leather bushcraft sewing kit - help needed

[gra_farmer]

Right my lovely wife has said, that for valentines day, any gift needs to be made, rather than bought. I love this idea, and would love to make her a pocket sewing leather case / tool roll.

I have some 2mm leather which is strong and soft'ish, but I have not really done any leather work before. I have ideas, but would be grateful if anyone has a example of this they can share a picture or printable plans to help with the design...i don't have any leather working tools so this will be drilled and hand sewing to put this together.

At the moment I am leaning towards a pouch with multiple compartments for needles, slim long threads, etc. Kind of a hybrid between a pouch and tool roll.

Also when gluing leather, before sewing, what glue do you use?

Many thanks in advance and looking forward to seeing some pictures to help me.

 

[Tengu]

It would be UHU or some like contact adhesive.

But leatherwork seldom needs gluing.

What tools and thread do you have?

I am just thinking for design a rectangle with a smaller rectangle on it? rolled and tied with a thong?

 

[John Fenna]

I use a contact adhesive (such as Evo-stick) - gluing helps stop the pieces floating around as you try to sew them but can block dyes if you dye after gluing/sewing...
Good luck it is a nice idea

 

[Stew]

If you have basic pva, that works well. Only a thin layer. If it’s thick it doesn’t work very well b

 

[Broch]

I use Wilko's leather glue; it is very fast curing but gives you enough time to position and is strong.

Wilko Extra Strong Leather Glue 20ml | Wilko

 

[Toddy]

I no longer have this, but a vintage sewing kit that I did have was made as a roll.

It was the diameter of a 1000yard reel of thread, and was two and a half reels long. It held two reels in a kind of deep half moon shaped end and the leather continued enough to wrap over and stud closed.....well, it wasn't a stud as we now think of them, it was a Sam Browne stud, a brass one that fitted into a slitted round ended hole.

Basically all that needed stitching was the two half moon end pieces.

The space between the reels held a round pin cushion, a measuring tape, a tiny pair of scissors and a thimble.

I'll see if I can find some photos of vintage hussifs like this.

Sounds like an excellent present

M

 

[Toddy]

Not like mine, but very do-able

Vintage HANDY SEWING KIT Travel ROLL UP SEWING KIT Leather Thread Spools | eBay

Six spools of Coats Thread.

www.ebay.co.uk

This one is more like mine, but mine had sewn in ends.

Vintage Round Roll-Up Traveling Leather/Enamel Handy Sewing Kit Wooden Spools | eBay

Inside has two old wood spools, safety pins and stick pins as found.

www.ebay.co.uk

This one's nice, different again

Beautiful Vintage Leather Travellers Sewing Kit | eBay

<p dir="ltr">Beautiful Vintage Leather, Satin Lined Travellers Sewing Kit. Contains needles, tools, scissors, thimble, sewing cottons on wooden reels and plaited, darning thread. Not sure of age. Possibly 1930s. Condition is "Used". Dispatched with Royal Mail 2nd Class signed for.</p>

www.ebay.co.uk

 

[gra_farmer]

It would be UHU or some like contact adhesive.

What tools and thread do you have?

I am just thinking for design a rectangle with a smaller rectangle on it? rolled and tied with a thong?

Standard sewing thread, I am sure I have some heavy duty thread somewhere, but cannot find.
As for the design, I wanted this to be a bit more complex, so a hybrid pouch and roll, is kind of the aim.

I have no hardware like poppers, so it will be a best fit with existing resources available....

I use a contact adhesive (such as Evo-stick) - gluing helps stop the pieces floating around as you try to sew them but can block dyes if you dye after gluing/sewing...
Good luck it is a nice idea

Thank you, yes that was the idea, have to keep everything in place to work with it, I used a very strong super glue before, but made the leather hard and crack. Wanted a softer glue this time.

Yes I have noticed the glue patches on some leather sheaths before when oiling/waxing, so will be careful, but not planning on changing the colour.

If you have basic pva, that works well. Only a thin layer. If it’s thick it doesn’t work very well b

I have loads of pva, I'll give that a go.

I use Wilko's leather glue; it is very fast curing but gives you enough time to position and is strong.

Wilko Extra Strong Leather Glue 20ml | Wilko

I have just seen the MSDS on that stuff, after reading the warnings on the site, sounds like good stuff, but have young children in the house, and don't want them anywhere near that glue.

Thank you everyone, I'll give it a go and see where I go from there.....

 

[gra_farmer]

Not like mine, but very do-able

Vintage HANDY SEWING KIT Travel ROLL UP SEWING KIT Leather Thread Spools | eBay

Six spools of Coats Thread.

www.ebay.co.uk

This one is more like mine, but mine had sewn in ends.

Vintage Round Roll-Up Traveling Leather/Enamel Handy Sewing Kit Wooden Spools | eBay

Inside has two old wood spools, safety pins and stick pins as found.

www.ebay.co.uk

This one's nice, different again

Beautiful Vintage Leather Travellers Sewing Kit | eBay

<p dir="ltr">Beautiful Vintage Leather, Satin Lined Travellers Sewing Kit. Contains needles, tools, scissors, thimble, sewing cottons on wooden reels and plaited, darning thread. Not sure of age. Possibly 1930s. Condition is "Used". Dispatched with Royal Mail 2nd Class signed for.</p>

www.ebay.co.uk

Thank you Toddy, that is perfect, I think my own spin on the last link is just what I wanted....lets see if I can do this now

 

[Seagull]

Its surprising just how much sewing can be done without glue whatsoever. Try using a stapler to hold things in place.
Its one of my favourite leather/canvas tools.
Regards
Ceeg

 

[Broch]

I have just seen the MSDS on that stuff, after reading the warnings on the site, sounds like good stuff, but have young children in the house, and don't want them anywhere near that glue.

LOL, yeh, but that's pretty standard for most contact adhesives to be honest.

 

[Tengu]

Thats a good roll, -just tie it with thongs instead of a popper.

Have you any things, -I may have something suitable but dont know what colour you will need.

Strong thread is a must; button or carpet thread will do.

 

[Erbswurst]

If glue, so Pattex, no UHU.
But: It's easier to stich just leather and no Pattex on top!

 

[gra_farmer]

Thats a good roll, -just tie it with thongs instead of a popper.

Have you any things, -I may have something suitable but dont know what colour you will need.

Strong thread is a must; button or carpet thread will do.

I think I have some strong thread, will have to dig it out, it is the larger enough needle that may be a issue?

 

[Erbswurst]

We have in Berlin a shop for shoemakers, Leder Adelt, Joachim-Friedrich-Straße 41, 10 711 Berlin. They sell all and everything a shoemaker needs.

I think, if one lives in a small town one can ask the own shoemaker if he can't sell a few needles and thread, and if not he surely will tell where he gets his materials.

 

[gra_farmer]

We have in Berlin a shop for shoemakers, Leder Adelt, Joachim-Friedrich-Straße 41, 10 711 Berlin. They sell all and everything a shoemaker needs.

I think, if one lives in a small town one can ask the own shoemaker if he can't sell a few needles and thread, and if not he surely will tell where he gets his materials.

There is one cobbler in the town I live, grumpy fellow, but also we are in lock down. Great idea though.

I'll find something....

I drafted the layout in paper last night, going to hunt for bits over the weekend, and will post pictures when done.

 

[Woody girl]

I use threads and needles from tandy leathercraft. You can(last time I looked)order online. I also use a hole pricking tool to make holes for sewing. I would suggest a smaller one is more useful, as i bought a large one thinking i could make more holes at a time, which is great for straight line sewing, but useless for any curves!
What a lovely idea for your o.h.
Lucky lady. Hope you get something equally fantastic.

 

[Tengu]

Do you need saddlers needles? PM me.

But any heavyweight needle will do

 

[gra_farmer]

I use threads and needles from tandy leathercraft. You can(last time I looked)order online. I also use a hole pricking tool to make holes for sewing. I would suggest a smaller one is more useful, as i bought a large one thinking i could make more holes at a time, which is great for straight line sewing, but useless for any curves!
What a lovely idea for your o.h.
Lucky lady. Hope you get something equally fantastic.

I bought some 4mm spaced stitching punches, hoping that is suitable, was thinking about 3mm, but a lot more stitching needed.

Do you need saddlers needles? PM me.

But any heavyweight needle will do

Thank you Tengu, I bought some thread and needles, I am hoping they are okay? I might take you up on your offer if things don't work out. Thank you

 

[Tengu]

If they are Saddlers, yes. I have saddlers but really often I use any heavy duty needle I have to hand.

You dont need much to start leatherwork. Leather, needles and thread, an awl (Though the multiprong things are handy) and a good quality hole punch, oh, and a bit of beeswax, -you have beeswax?