| |
| |
|
Crafts & Hobbies Information |
|
|
|
Preparing For a Leather Craft Project
Once you've decided on your leather craft project, you'll need the right tools and room to do the work. Being prepared ahead of time will make your task more enjoyable and give you a sense of satisfation when you're done. If you're like most of us you'll probably be working on more leather craft projects over time, so creating a designated area is probably a good idea. What to Cut On: Regardless of the project, you'll need to cut your piece of leather. Choose a flat surface protected with a rubber mat. The latter will help protect your tools and prevent them from becoming blunt. Alternatively, you can purchase a self-healing cutting board that comes with a grid work. Any cuts made in the board seal up. This product is readily available at such shops as Staples. Marking the Cut: Use a ruler or yardstick and a pencil to mark the cut. Just make a light mark with the pencil. A rounded edge will help if you're cutting a curve. Then place a metal straight edge along the line you have drawn. Using the tip of an X-acto knife, cut along the line, keeping the knife against the metal edge Trimming the Edges If you want to trim the edges of the leather, lay the piece out on a flat surface. Make sure the leather is damp, and keep it so by using a spray bottle full of water. You'll need what's called an edge beveling tool to smooth the cut edges. The two prongs that form its V shape need to be positioned so that they are facing upward on both sides of the edge. Keeping the tool at a 45 degree angle, with your index finger on the top of the tool, push it away from you along the cut edge, holding the leather craft piece firmly with your other hand. As you work, small strips of leather will come off. It's a good idea to practice on small scraps of leather before using the leather craft beveller, so you feel comfortable with it and what it can do. Tools to Use * Cutting board, preferably self-healing kind * Ruler, pencil, metal straight edge, rounded edge * X-acto knife * Leather craft edge beveling tool Summary * Use a cutting board * Mark where you want to cut before you cut! * Dampen the leather when trimming the edges * Butt the knife against a straight edge or a curved edge for more control More on Tools For working in leather crafts, consider the basics: an awl and spare point, a retractable X-acto knife and spare blades, a retractable knife with a break-off blade and a rotary punch. In addition, you'll need needles, a lump of beeswax and some waxed linen thread. As well, a pair of pliers to pull the needle through the leather is a must, and scissors you can use for cutting the leather. Then there are edge slickers and bevellers that are used to finish the edges, drive punches for bigger holes and thong cutters for making laces. A T-square, compass and yardstick are essential to ensure that your leather craft piece is measured accurately. If you're just starting out with leather crafts, you might not want to spend a lot of money on tools. Once you've worked with the basic set and completed a few leather craft projects, you'll have a better idea of what tools work best and what you use most. At that point, a little research and some comparative shopping can lead you to acquiring better quality leather craft tools that will enhance your work. Of course, even the most expensive tools won't help if you haven't taken the time to develop and perfect your skills. If you do your very best with what you have, it doesn't matter if you can't afford the most expensive leather craft awl or the latest knife. Quality will show anyway. Summary * Start with a basic leather craft tool set * Buy better quality tools once you've completed some projects and have a better idea of what will enhance the quality of your work *** Hey! Need To Know More About Leather? ***
MORE RESOURCES:
Crafts-Hobbies - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Need A Scrapbook Journaling Idea? Try using song lyrics in your next layout.Song lyrics can be a great source of title and page inspiration for a scraper. Making a Living Making Soap-Questions to Ask Before You Begin Soap making can be a wonderful hobby but if you've ever thought of turning your hobby into a business you know how overwhelming the idea can be. Here are some questions to help you think through your decision:*How much of a business do you want to be? Do you really want to this to be a full-time job? Or would you rather just make a couple hundred bars a year for your church fundraiser? Your answer to this question will determine your next steps. The Making of a Slipcover: A Lost Art Today in this world of fast everything, most of us just don't have the time (nor patience) to do an all consuming job of making a slipcover. We go buy them and not always are they what we want. Hollywood Gets Crafty - Knitting And Crocheting Not Just For Grandma Anymore Sometimes it's hard to imagine that the stars who shine so brightly on cinematic screens are people just like the rest of us. We often think that their lives are so much more interesting and exciting than our own and that we have little or nothing in common with the Hollywood crowd. Scrapbooking Yourself as a Girl, Youth, and Your College Days Now that you grasp the importance of scrapbooking yourself and see how it can add value to your life, you've decided to go ahead and do it.The next question would be, "What's there to scrapbook about me? I don't have a fabulous or most interesting life like Rosanne. Making a Chunk Candle Making chunk candles is an and fun activity for all ages. A unique technique using wax chunks of different colors gives the finished candle a beautiful texture and look. Remember When You Were Taught How To Make Things From Metal With Your Bare Hands? How would you like the chance to use the skills you learnt decades ago.. Make Your Own Citronella Candles Need a cost effective way to get rid of mosquitoes? Try making your own citronella candles and eliminate mosquitoes while providing a romantic, outdoor setting. Making citronella candles is easy and can cost as little as $0. Airbrushing Does Not Have to be All Disappointment, Heartache, and Bloody Hard Work! A smart, but irritating man once told me that Airbrushing did not have to be all blood, sweat and tears. If only I had someone guiding me back in those hard, frustrating and sick in the stomach days of airbrushing, I wouldn't have wasted all that time and money!So here you are. Why Do You Need to Have Your Tools Blade Sharpen After Work If you like to do wood carving or making sculpture as your hobby, you surely need tools to make your creation. If you just starting this hobby, knowing your tools and how to treat your carving tools probably the best way to make everything easier for you, thus make efficient time when doing your work. Are Your Collectibles Valuable? Heres How to Find Out The first thing you will need to do is check out the condition of your item, be it a train, collectible Barbie doll, Disney collectible, or some other collectible item. Is it scratched, torn, clean, dirty, new, in a box, without a box? You get the idea. Old, New, Borrowed, and Blue: Unity Candle Craft Project Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue. There are plenty of crafty brides out there looking for a unique design for their unity candle. Make Origami Origami is a wonderful and elegant art. It has been developed and embraced over the past 2,000 years by young and old alike. A Beginners Guide to Buying Authentic Swords Online Looking at all the various swords for sale online can make you feel a bit like a kid in a candy store. But if you are looking to buy authentic replica swords online, it can be a bit harder to get what you really want than it otherwise might first appear?Sure, if you are just looking for an ornamental sword to hang on the wall - it's pretty easy. Five Ways To Find New Markets for Your Dog and Cat Art As you create your dog and cat art, you will find that you would like to find a market for your many non-commissioned pieces. When it comes to generic dog and cat art, keep the following tips in mind:1. A Few Tips About Comic Book Bags We store comics to keep them valuable. Air pollution, ultra violet light, dirt and oil from fingers as well as rough handling all contribute to the deterioration of a comic. Embroidery Machine Use by New Owners for Good Results Many new home embroidery machine owners have to learn on their own with little instructions and thus have to resort to the "trial and error" methods to get satisfactory results. One can certainly learn to embroidery this way but it takes time, money and patience. Fun with Origami! Storing origamiThis is a great question. Many people want to hold on to their special crafts for years to come. Setting Up Your Display Case One of the best ways to display photographs, memorabilia and other prized possessions is by using a display case. When properly done, a display case can showcase your collectables for all to see in an elegant manner. Treasure Hunting - The Unusual Ways When you think of treasure hunting, maybe gold coins and precious stones come to mind, but it doesn't end there. You can start in your own attic to see what treasures you find.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
