I am new to leatherworking and would like to make a tool roll. I thought about hand sewing but Im trying to get a smoother look. I also have never used a sewing machine so… I’m a two time noob. Can someone help?
I’ll wait for someone else to chime in.
Note: You need the Pfaff, not the Thor. The Pfaff is just a heavy-duty sewing machine. The Thor is an industrial machine that handles heavy leather – like shoe soles…
We’ll get something figured out.
You might want to try a “dry run” of your design using a heavy fabric like denim to (a) get used to using a sewing machine and (b) see if your design concept will translate from your head to “real life”. (sometimes they fail miserably. And denim is a lot cheaper than leather for failures.)
On the plus side, you don’t have to do binding on edges with leather, so that will eliminate a lot of work.
I suspect that Beth is right to suggest the Pfaff 130 rather than the monster Thor machine. (a) I think both Beth or I can manage the Pfaff (just threads differently than regular sewing machines, whereas (b) Thor is just SCARY. I don’t think either of us would be confident about showing you the ropes. And I don’t know when Matt will be available to teach. And without a worktable surrounding the cylinder, it would be doubly frustrating for a newbie whose not yet used to wrangling the fabric under the needle.
Is there a day/time you were wanting to attempt this? If you don’t have a pattern already for your tool roll, you can bring the tools you want to roll, and we can see about drafting one.
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I was working on it today by hand sewing. Id like to make a couple things out of this leather I have though. Plus just to learn sewing machines would be good.
I’m usually off work Sundays and Mondays. If I’m up there during the week, its random but always after 630pm.
When can I come see ya?
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What thickness/kind of leather are you using for the roll? 2-3 oz upholstery leather or “designer” sides would be a good choice: anything thicker would add a lot of bulk and weight. It is often on sale and comes in very large portions (typically sides - 20+ sq feet).
Tandy has designer sides on sale right now (11 Aug 2019) for $39.99: https://www.tandyleather.com/en/product/designer-side
I bought a utility side - 3-4 oz? It’s not super thin but not like veg-tan belt/collar thick either. Sorry, my leather knowledge is amateur.
Here’s a pic of the roll I made for my leatherworking stamps using the Pfaff sewing machine. Thin upholstery leather with a heavier leather strap and buckle to keep it closed. i later tried adding a 2nd layer of slots but was not happy with how that turned out so they’re there but not really functional.
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