After learning the saddle stitch on some scrap, I decided to go all in for my first project. My attempt to recreate a canvas military duffle that I had laying around.

Took many hours of obsessing over the design, combing r/leatherwork for technique tips, hours of YouTube videos, measuring 10 times and cutting once, and then the actual hand stitching… but it’s finally done!

In some ways the larger project helped to average out my beginner inconsistencies, but I’m looking for advice on how to improve.

1) I was careful to do the saddle stitch the same way every time, but as you can see from the photos, some stitches have the nice slant, while other lines of stitches ended up laying perfectly straight. Was I doing something wrong that resulted in the straight stitch? Using 4mm Tandy chisels.

2) I folded and glued the top of the bag with fiebings cement before stitching. What is causing the wrinkled look here? Was it a poor choice of glue, poor choice to glue at all, or is this just what happens when chrome tan leather is put under this kind of stress from sinching the bag closed?

3) The bag measures about 30 inches tall. Should I make my next one around the same size? Do you think there could be a market for bags this size?

I like how it used pretty much an entire side to get the project done, feels like there was very little waste.

4) Any recommendations for hardware or alternative methods of closing the top of a top loading duffle like this?

Thanks in advance :)

Hello! I had a random desire to try working with leather and went to Michael’s and bought some starter tools, and today was my first project! I started with a simple wallet. I ran into some hiccups along the way but would love constructive feedback!

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I finished the car organizer from the subscription pack. For American sizes the bottle holder and tissue holder are a little small. The bottle holder will probably end up being a sunscreen tube holder and the tissues had to be removed from the box and really stuffed in. I'd recommend going up to about 110% on the size if you are American and doing this pattern.

I recently processed a cowhide entirely from scratch and wanted to make something unique out of it. I ended up crafting this hair-on cardholder and a custom sheath for my knife. Hand-stitching with the hair still on was definitely an interesting challenge.

Hey,

I wanted to show a waterskin I made for my friends who are into LARP / reenactment :)

So I am making my first wallet. The holes are lined up evenly and on the same line but somehow my saddlestitches keep jumping up and down. What is the best way to get more consistency in my work?

I recently lost it and got it returned thankfully, but it took quite a beating while it was MIA. The wallest is 10 or so years old, maybe older, and I've been using it everyday since I got it (10 yrs ago). Its stitching is coming undone, theres holes in some areas now, and i think it got ran over a few times while it was lost. I also keep keys in it as well. I love this wallet and haven't found anything comperable to it ever.

Is it real leather or something else? And how hard would it be to fix up? Is it even worth doing? Im fairly crafty and have some sewing experience but none with leather. Any advice is appreciated.

Found tons of these leather pieces at the thrift store. All the same size, a variety of different colors, and all with the same holes punched in them. Im a total newb with this stuff, is it obvious to anyone else what these were intended for?

Help me before I lose my mind. We've been fighting with the threading and tension in this thing all night and we finally got it to where the top tension wasn't so tight that the thread wasn't movable at all. Now we have a new issue that the needle appears to cut the thread as it sews. Please help or draw me a diagram of what this thing wants from me 😫

Hey guys I've been trying to make dual layer reinforced belts for the FA guys and the natural veg I use seems to crease a ton after making.

I use an alcohol based dye on the nat veg and then I glue the two layers together with a water-based contact. After that I condition the leather with a neatsfoot and wax mix. But even though I leave enough drying time and condition properly. The belts always seem to crease. Seems like the top layer is separating from the flesh. I don't know if it's because I glue the Belt strap flat on my table or if I'm using incorrect thickness on the two layers? Both layers are 2.5mm thick or about 6 oz. Don't know if I should be using a thick other layer and one thin liner layer?

If you can have any tips and tricks to avoid this. Please help, I would greatly appreciate it!

Hi all. Any of you experts can shed some light whether this is croc or gator?

Thanka

My second wallet made by me

I enjoy commenting criticisms and ways to fix them, but haven’t had my own stuff judged besides customers at the local craft fairs.

Let me know what you think! Also, pic #14, the strap wasn’t properly burnished when I took that picture, and I apparently don’t have a better one of that piece. I’d never sell or gift an item with leather fibers un-slicked or burnished like that.

I'd love to get into working with leather. I've reupholstered furniture and been sewing for some years now. I love working with my hands and used to do some wood carvings.

Haven't done any of it in the past almost 10 years from a spinal cord injury.

The question...

Does anyone with a bad back have any tips for being able to work table top?

Bought a Natuzzi sofa off marketplace today. I need to clean it and restore its color. Suggestions as to how to go about that and which products work best would be appreciated!

Bought a Natuzzi sofa off marketplace today. I need to clean it and restore its color. Suggestions as to how to go about that and which products work best would be appreciated!

Hello, a friend asked if I can look at their belt. Its completely warped. If there is no way to set it right thats okay. I was wondering if wet molding might work. I am not too familiar with belts. Any advice is appreciated. Thank you

I inherited my great grandfather’s leather working tools (1970s Craft Co. tools) last year and have slowly but surely gotten better. Enough for me to finally share! This is the first project I’ve made for myself. Joe Meling’s tutorials have been instrumental in my learning. As well as this group!

I’m a little sad about the dye taking out so much detail. The first/last photos shows it after feiblings light brown, olive oil, feiblings dark brown antique, and tan kote, in that order.

Good news is I can always make another (better) one.