Leatherworking

[Hullblazer]

Hi all

I finally have some cheap leather (my sister threw out a DFS sofa and allowed me to "de-panel" it) and I have an urge to make a belt-pouch for my mobile and a small, edc pocket knife.

A little timid towards going entirely solo - are there any patterns downloadable that anyone can recommend? Alternatively, I CAN use my phone as a template but I have no idea of how mush extra to allow as a stitching-area?

 

[bobnewboy]

I am by no means a very experienced leatherworker, but in the end you just have to jump in and have a go. It is quite liberating when you do

Having said that, the best way I have found to save time and annoyance from my own lack of forethought is to always make a pattern for the item I want to make, from a cheap piece of card first. You can recycle any card that you have access to, e.g cereal boxes etc, so long as it is reasonably flexible. Make the pattern, and note that because it is only recycled card, you can tape pieces on that you might have missed, or need to make bigger, e.g tabs to create the seams. Remember to allow a little extra material (card in this case) to allow for the thickness of the leather that you will later use. Also remember to allow material in the design for flaps or other closures.

When you have a finalised cardboard model of the piece you will need - it really doesnt matter what it looks like, just that it is about right - then commit to tracing it onto a piece of your leather. Careful positioning of the card pattern will help save leather, so long as you can avoid any existing holes etc in the leather piece that you have. Then you have to jump in with the knife or shears and cut it out.

Keep us posted how you get on. There are some fantastic leatherworkers on this forum, and a wealth of stuff to research from previous posts. So dive in and keep asking!

 

[Mesquite]

Trouble with patterns is they might not be suitable for the phone or knife you have.

Just go for it and make paper patterns yourself before moving onto the leather.

If you want to make a pouch you can always do a sami pouch,

 

[Hullblazer]

That's encouraging guys, thank you!

 

[Fraxinus]

Don't forget to mark the pattern for face side, especially for handed items like knife sheaths, or you might get the item inside out or wrong handed.
Don't ask me how I know

But as the others said "just have a go" it is not overly hard to do until you start making stuff to the quality of say Dreadhead, which is on another scale.

Rob.

 

[Arwon]

Have a look at Pinterest for ideas, but jump in and have a go

Sent from my GT-P6800 using Tapatalk

 

[Trotsky]

Leap before you look and have a go, don't be afraid to make mistakes as mistakes are how you learn. I've been doing leather working for over 2 years now, I still mess things up now and then but, I learn from the experience in two ways, first not to do it again and secondly inventing a way around the problem I just created.
As others have said Pinterest is a good source of ideas, as for patterns etc I've found using 1000 grade lining paper works well for pattern/template making.

 

[Tengu]

Im not much good at leatherwork but I have done a bit.

My first problem which I suspect you have is a terror of cutting such a valuable material.

once you get over that its very easy.

 

[Hone-boy]

I sympathise with this - putting blade to leather is a one-way process. But as the others have said, template making is a very good idea, and deals with many of the unknowns you are worried about before you come accross them. Cereal packets are good because the shiny printed side vs the bare rough card side is a good reminder of the two different sides of leather, and how you dont want to get your template the wrong way round while cutting! (How I have laughed at my mistakes). Thick card templates are handy for acting as an edge guide for your knife cutting the leather.

I also use off-cut or thrown out bathroom or kitchen flooring vinyl to make flexible templates that have the additional characteristics of flexibility, bit of stretch, and thickness. Vinyl can be held together with screw bolts or split pin paper fasteners, or even stitches. Some of my vinyl templates surprised me and have actually been used in active service as sheaths.

I go from tracing paper to card, to vinyl, and then to bridle leather. Template making is good fun, so enjoy it, but leather is the best, and smells great.