Leathercrafting Creations: PYC

[WhoKnewI]

Your stitching is flawless now.

[corter]

Here's a girl's wallet I did today. Got to use some nice vintage fabric, and I hand painted and aged a concho to give it an even more vintage~y feel.

[corter]

Dip dyed red shell with an old seamless bag inlay

[Happy Hooligan]

^^ do you hand stitch or machine? They look awesome

[corter]

thanks! yes, that's all hand stitched.

[coleslawyum]

Awesome work Corter.

[echoepidemic]

that button snap inwhite looks amazing... what did you use if you dont mind

[corter]

Thanks guys!

Echo- I just used a concho from Tandy Leather I think, I've had it laying around for a year or more. I used a green scrub pad to scuff up the clear coat, then used high temp paint in a rattle can (the kind you use for engine blocks and grills). I like using this stuff on small metal stuff because 10 minutes after you spray it, just stick it in an oven at 425 for 10 minutes and it's baked on pretty permanently. After that I used the scrub pad again to dull down the paint and wear through the edges, and it came out looking just as I hoped.

[KFC ONE]

I think my brother bought me a Summer Card Holder from Corter for xmas

Haven't gotten it yet though...

[corter]

first machine sewn leather piece that I'm more than happy with

[zissou]

Your hand stitching is always nice, corter, but that machine stitch is so clean!

[corter]

Thanks! I felt a little guilt using the machine at first, but I looked at it after and went "woooaahhhh". Here's a bifold I stayed up to finish, it's not perfect but I'm starting to really understand there are applications for the machine. The bifold is only about 1/4" thick and 3.5~ish oz leather, more like a traditional bifold wallet.

[zissou]

Mind if I ask what machine you are using?

[Happy Hooligan]

did you grove out the channel for the thread? It doesn't look like a walking foot did that as I don't see any marks from it....

[corter]

sure thing! it's a 1937 Singer 15-91, restored with a new old(ish) stock motor. It's nothing fancy- knee control, one speed, and to do real leather work I'll absolutely need a different machine, but to cut my teeth it works fine. The old machines are perfect with a leather needle for this sort of stuff because they're all metal inside, and the motors (which are only around $15) blow out instead of plastic internals breaking in newer machines. You can also hand walk it through just about anything, so even if you just use a treadle it'll work great.This is it:

Happy- you're right, I grooved it because I didn't want walking foot marks. My machine isn't a walking foot, but I do have an original Singer metal walking foot attachment from the same era as the machine & while it works well, I wanted it as clean as possible. The groove also puts the stitching nice and deep to protect it, as I can only assume the machine thread isn't as strong as the waxed saddle lace (though it's amazingly strong, I hung a 15lb weight from a length of it the other day).

[zissou]

Ah, very nice machine! I have thought about picking up an old Singer for sewing denim and canvas. I borrowed a friend's more modern Singer, and I think I've wrecked the plastic gears :\

[Happy Hooligan]

15-91's are great. I own one. the 201-2 are almost the same machine only a tad fancier.

I just picked up a 111W155 and bought some leather so you may be seeing some stuff in the future from me.

[corter]

For sail cloth and denim this machine is amazing, it flys through the bags I've been making. Plus, it can handle small amounts of leather (tags, pockets, etc) with ease (hell it does two layers of 4oz with ease too). Plus they're suuuuuuper cheap on the used market. I think I paid $75 for mine with the cabinet, fully serviced from a sewing machine repair/sales family business. I remember that bag you made Zissou, I'd love to see one of these in your hands!

[TheBlackGoat]

thats a nice machine corter, i have simlar singer non motor version that is hand crank. the problem i always have is, the thread gets caught up in the needle all the time and frays.

so i bought this big bad boy, but i barley use it. it's a lubertos classic cub, it will sew up to 3/4" of vegtan with massive string. I am thinking about selling it if anyone is interested.

[TheBlackGoat]

here are a couple things i have made as of late

[zissou]

Good to know on the 15-91, corter! I will keep my eyes open.

Nice wallets, blackgoat. So you have to crank with one hand and hold the leather with the other?

[Happy Hooligan]

^^ be careful when it comes to buying sewing machines. It can be very addictive.

[TheBlackGoat]

Good to know on the 15-91, corter! I will keep my eyes open.

Nice wallets, blackgoat. So you have to crank with one hand and hold the leather with the other?

thanks Zissou,

the classic cub is hand crank, but its quite easy to use since the presser feet help to guide the leather. its spring loaded, so it sounds like a pump action shot gun with every stitch (pretty cool!!!)

the machine is great for thick belts and anything with a straight line stitch.

where is lacks is doing curves, once you get to a rounded corner, you have to adjust the stitch spacing on the machine.....A bit of a learning curve. but this a problem all sewing machines for the most part.

[corter]

note also- stay the fuck away from eBay sewing machines. eBay pricing is absolutely insane

[call_me_diamond]

seeing all those machines reminds me of my grandma industrial singer. Unfortunately it got stolen during the move

Stood up all night stitching together an iPad case, really pumped on the turnout.

on this one my girlfriend handed me a handful of hardware and said make me a belt.

[pepper davies]

Can anyone post some walkthrough pictures on a project? Kinda Miznation "I'm having a pair of jeans made" style. I would greatly appreciate it as a newbie to leathercraft.

[hollowsleather]

Can anyone post some walkthrough pictures on a project? Kinda Miznation "I'm having a pair of jeans made" style. I would greatly appreciate it as a newbie to leathercraft.

I made one a while back, here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hollowsleather/sets/72157624896343260/

It's really basic, and I'm sure that others do things differently, but this is what works for me.

[pepper davies]

I completely forgot about that tutorial. Thank you Hollows. It means so much more to me now after all of the leathercrafting research I've done thus far.

[lazybum]

here are a couple things i have made as of late

Very nice! Just wondering whats the weight of the leather used?

Loving that concho too. Where did you get it from?

[TheBlackGoat]

Very nice! Just wondering whats the weight of the leather used?

Loving that concho too. Where did you get it from?

Its 4-5oz on the front and 3-4oz on the insides of the long wallet.

The concho is from a maker in the mid west.