Leather Projects For The Beginner
Getting Ready For a Leather Craft Project
Once you've selected your leather craft project you are going to need an appropriated area and the right supplies in order to do the work. Getting ready before you're ready to do the leather craft is going to make your project far more
satisfying.
Marking the Cut:
Find a pencil and a yardstick or ruler to mark the cut on your leather craft. You should only make a very light mark with the pencil. A round edge is going to help if you are cutting a curve. Use the point of an X-acto knife on a
metal edge and cut carefully along the line making sure the knife is kept pressed against the edge.
Trimming the Edges:
In order to trim the leather craft pattern's edges, arrange it on a leveled
work space. Be sure the leather is slightly wet, and keep it wet by spritzing it with water.
You will need to have what is called an edge beveling tool to flatten the raw cut edges. The 2 prongs that form its V shape need to be placed so
that they are facing upward on either side of the leather's edge.
Stabilizing the tool at around a 45 degree angle with your finger positioned on the top of the tool, then push it away from you while cutting the edge, holding the
leather rigidly with your opposite hand.
As you use the beveler, small leather pieces will come off. It is a good idea to practice on extra scraps of leather prior to using the leather beveler on your final project, so that you're more comfortable.
Tools to Use:
For working in leather crafts, look into the fundamentals: an X-acto knife with spare blades, a retractable knife with a break-off blade, a rotary punch and an awl and spare point.
Furthermore, you'll need needles, wax lined thread, a lump of beeswax, strong scissors for cutting the leather, and a pair of pliers to pull the needle through the leather.
Then there are slickers and bevellers to
smooth the edges, a drive punch for making bigger holes and thong cutters for making laces. A yardstick and T-square are important to ensure that the
leather craft project is accurately measured.
What to Cut On:
No matter the leather craft project, it's necessary to cut your leather piece. Choose a surface that is leveled and protected with a rubber mat. The rubber mat is going to
help protect your supplies and prevent them from getting blunt or dull. Alternatively, you can invest in a cutting board that self-heals. Cuts made in a board such as this, automatically seal themselves. Products like this are available to purchase at art or office supply stores.
Review:
If you're just a beginner with designing leather crafts, you might not want to spend too much money on leather tools. Once you have tried a
simple tool set and finished a few leather craft projects, you'll have a
good sense of exactly what supplies and tools you will most likely use.
Finally, a little bit of research and comparative shopping can lead you to buy a better quality leather craft tool when you need it. Certainly, even really pricey tools won't help if you haven't taken the time to perfect and improve your skill in leather crafting.
As long as you do your very best with what you've got, it doesn't matter if you don't have the money to purchase the costliest leather craft awl or the best knife.
Your work quality will be apparent once you are at ease with the basics.
Typically, you can locate a leather supply store in your area when you look in the yellow pages. Several larger stores have a Tandy leather craft shop that is nearby.
