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JEWELRY

er ewe r30 CONTEMPORARY PROJECTS


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Nathalie Mornu

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\:-lARK BCDKSADivision of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.

New York / London


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Art DirectorKristi PfefferPhotography DirectorDana IrwinPhotographyLynne Harty, principalSteve Mann, pages 8-32Stewart O'Shields, pages 9-12IllustrationsOlivier RollinEditorial AssistantKathleen McCaffertyCover DesignChris Bryant

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publ ication DataMornu, Nathalie.Leather jewelry: 30 contemporary projects / Nathalie Mornu. -- 1st ed.

p.cm.Includes index.ISBN 978-1-60059-529-5 (pb-trade pbk. : alk. paper)1. Leatherwork. 2. Jewelry making. I. Title.TT290.M62 2010739.27--dc22

2009030532

10987654321First EditionPublished by Lark Books, A Division ofSterling Publishing Co., Inc.387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016Text 2010, Lark Books, a Division of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.Photography 2010, Lark Books, A Division of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.,unless otherwise specifiedIllustrations 2010, Lark Books, A Division of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.,unless otherwise specifiedDistri buted in Canada by Sterling Publishing,c/o Canadian Manda Group, 165 Dufferin StreetToronto, Ontario, Canada M6K 3H6Distributed in the United Kingdom by GMC Dist ribut ion Services,Castle Place, 166 High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England BN7 1XUDistributed in Australia by Capricorn Link (Australia) Pty Ltd.,P.O. Box 704, Windsor, NSW 2756 AustraliaThe written instructions, photographs, designs, patterns, and projects in this volume are intended forthe personal use of the reader and may be reproduced for that purpose only. Any other use, especially commercial use, is forbidden under law without written permission of the copyrigh t holder.Every effort has been made to ensure that all the information in this book is accurate. However, dueto differing conditions, tools, and individual skills, the publisher cannot be responsible for any injuries, losses, and other damages that may result from the use of the information in this book.If you have questions or comments about this book, please contact:Lark Books67 Broadway, Asheville, NC 28801828-253-0467Manufactured in ChinaAll rights reservedISBN 13: 978-1-60059-529-5For information about custom editions, special sales, or premium and corporatepurchases, please contact the Sterling Special Sales Department at 800-805-5489or [email protected] information about desk and examina tion copies available to college and university professors,requests must be submitted to [email protected] . Our complete policy can be found atwww.larkbooks.com.


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Introduction 6The Skinny on Skins 8

Materials 10Exotic Skins 11

Tools 20Leather Techniques 24Non-Leather Techniques 31

NecklacesREGINA 136

COCO 139LASSOO 142BIG ZIP I 46

DISCOBOA I 48CIRQUE I 51

RONDELLE I 54FOG I 56

GOSSIP I 59LUNA 162

EarringsTASSEL I 64

POM 167SPRIG I 70

GRAFFITI I 72SCRUNCH 174

KNOTS I 76CACTUS FRUIT I 78

RingsDOT, DOT, DOT I 82

FLUF I 84ROLLO I 86

CONFETTI I 88Bracelets and CuffsARABESQUE I 92

LINK 195POLKA 198

CHANNELS I 101AUBERGINE I 104

CITY I 106Hair AccessoriesGLEAM 1108

LEAFLET I 112PERLA I 114

117 Gallery123 Templates129 About the Designers131 About the Author132 Acknowledgments132 Index


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When you think of leather jewelry, do imagesof hippies wearing wristlets tooled with floraldesigns spring to mind? Or bad-ass bikerswearing black armbands strapped on withbuckles? Punkers bristling with spiked cuffs?Or crafts you made at camp? That's old school.Contemporary leather jewelry looks nothing likethat. Instead, it ranges from stylish to playful,from stark to frilly; it's colorful an d multifaceted,it can even be sculptural. In a word, it's modern.

Flip through these pages and you'll see thescope of today's leather jewelry. Lassoo, onpage 42, is an elegant braided loop to wear longan d slinky, or wrapped twice (or even thrice)around the neck. The hot-pink Scrunch hoops onpage 74 pair bold scale an d interesting texture.Searching for a cool, urban accessory that'stough yet pretty? Check out the fur-covered Citycuff on page 106. For a more feminine look, turnto Gleam, on page 108. In sparkling metal tones,this rose-shaped barrette can also be clippedto a hat or fastened at the neckline as a brooch.And if you want to get noticed, wear a Rollo ring(page 86) ...or a handful!

If you've never made anything from leather,you may think it's like trying to manipulate

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cardboard; after ali, leather's used to makeshoes-it must be tough, right? You might figureit's almost impossible to hack through, difficultto shape, hard to assemble. Nope, nyet, nuh-uhn.Once you get started, you'll discover it's aversatile material that cuts like butter an d is soeasy to work with.

In fact, you already perfected the skillsyou need for fashioning leather into jewelryin preschool. I f you can use scissors, poundwith a hammer, button a shirt, an d knot yourshoelaces, you can make any of the pieces in thisbook. Though you'll need a bit more precisionthan you ha d at the age of five, the techniquesfor making the projects in this book essentiallyinvolve little beyond some cutting, a few strikesof a mallet, assembling simple mechanisms, an dthreading elements together.


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Since working with an unfamiliar materialcan feel slightly daunting, the first part ofthe book covers all the information you'llneed about techniques, tools, and materials,including exotic skins. It also describes a fewjewelry-making techniques, in case you've neverhandled jeweler's pliers. Thirty fun projects withstep-by-step instructions follow, organized bycategory: neck laces, earrings, rings, braceletsand cuffs, and hair accessories. There's also agallery of work by profess ional jewelers , so youcan see exciting pieces from around the globe.

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Not only is leather simple to work with, it'salso pleasing to the senses: it feels good to thetouch, it smells great and it comes in an array ofgorgeous colors and fantastic finishes. So pick aproject to make, gather up a few tools and someluscious leather, and get ready to adorn yourselfwith some fabulous trinkets.

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8

Vegetable-tannedleather

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Almost any kind of leather has the potentia lto become a fantastic piece of jewelry, bu t agiven piece may not be appropriate for makinga specific item. For example, you can't expectto turn a st iff piece of leather that's 6 millimeters (% inch) thick into Regina (page 36); thi sdesign demands a thin, supple material suchas lambskin or sueded pigskin. Consider thecharacteristics you want in your finished bangle,necklace, or earrings, an d then choose theleather accordingly. I f possible, before you buyleather, handle it to see ho w it behaves and togauge whether it w ill act the way you need it to.

Very few of the projects in this book startedout as vegetable-tanned leather. Thinkcowboy belts an d holsters-they're made fromvegetable-tanned leather. This material comes ina plain flesh color and can be rigid, especially in

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heavier weights. Although its surface is a blankcanvas very receptive to transformations such astooling, carving, branding, molding, an d dyeing,I decided no t to focus on it for this book.

Instead, most of the jewelry in th is bookis made from garment- or upholstery-gradeleather. This type of leather is processed withchemical compounds and could never bemistaken for vegetable-tanned leather. Theproject designers chose it either for its coloror for the way it drapes. It's more flexible an dcomes in a w ide range of surface types, fromsmooth to embossed; in hues from natural tonesto electric shades found infrequently in nature;an d in all kinds of finishes, such as metallic andcrackle. It acts much like fabric and, dependingon its thickness, stitches up pretty easily.

Because leather is sucha thin materia l, and itsthickness can vary by subt leamounts, it's more accurateto describe the thickness inmillimeters than in inches.In case you're more familiarwith the standard system, inthis section, metric measurements are roughly conve rted .


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Common LeathersWhen you think of leather, you may assumecowhide or pigskin, but leather comes frommany different sources. Leathers derived fromsmaller animals are called skins; the onesthat come from larger animals are hides. Thethinnest, softest, most pliable leathers come fromsmaller animals and include goatskin, lambskin,calfskin, and deerskin. Women's gloves, forexample, tend to be made from these skins.

Full grain is the natural surface of the leat her; it isn'taltered in any way, meaning that scars, scratches, andwrinkles show. To hide these imperfect ions , leathercan be buffed, much as wood is sanded. When projectinstructions in this book refer to the grain, that meansthe smooth side of the leather-the right side, the onemeant to show, the side with a special f inish .

Suede is tec hnically the flesh side of lea th eropposite the grain; it has a ve lvety appearance. Butbecause there's also a leather commonly called suede(shown at right), to avoid confusion, th is book refers tothe back side of leather as the wrong side.

The thickness of hides varies; to get them aconsistent thickness , they're fed grain-side up througha splitting machine. The top most layer, which retains

One of the great qualities of cowhide, whichhas a smooth grain side and a sueded side, isthat it's usually dyed all the way through. Youcan use either side, so you get two textures froma single purchase.

the grain, is called top grain. The underlayer (or underlaye rs, if there's enough for more than one) is knownas a split or a sueded split, because it has a suededtexture on both sides. When a project in this book callsfor suede, it means a sueded split. Because it doesn'tcontain any fibers to hold it together, suede has lessstructural strength. In cows, unsplit hides averagea thickness of 4.8 millimeters (3/16 inch). Upholsteryleathers range from 0.9 to 1.6 millimeters (1132 to 1 16inch) in thickness.

With stamping or embossing, a pattern is appliedunder heat and pressure to make a cowhide or otherleather resemble something different, usually a moreexotic skin.

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Manufacturers create all kinds of fancyleathers for footwear, handbags, an d variousup sca le products. With its high-glossappearance, for example, patent leathe r isyummy stuff. Other surface treatments include:

* Distressing or crackle finishes* Pearlized finishes* Metallic finishes* Foils applied to imitate exotic skins such as

lizard

* Glazes that give a soft, ha zy shine* Milling to give special textures* Stamped or embossed designs, such as

Western motifs or faked ostri ch or crocodile,applied un der heat and pressur e

* Complex punched patterns* Printing and tie-dyeing* The permanent application of fabrics to the

upper surface of the leather* Varnishes* Laser cutting, both to "engrave" linear

designs and to create lacy cutwork

These top finishes are applied to the grainsides o f all types of leathers, from cowhideto lambskin. It's rare to come across scrapsof especially fancy leathers that make youswoon, bu t you may see manufactured items

you're willing to bu y and cut up just for theiramazing leather.


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All leathers have distinct grains or characteristics.Using exotic skins in your jewelry will probably requirea higher financial investment, and a greater challengeto locate them, but it will so payoff in the visual punchof the jewelry. Howeve r, you may find it easier to locatelambskin or cowhide that's been faked to look likeexotics.

Crocodile or alligator 0 has an armoredappearance, wi th large, rectangular scales that aresometimes ra ised . Depend ing on where it was takenfrom the animal, this leather can be too tough for thedesigns in this book, but that doesn't mean you can'tcome up wi th designs of your own.

Eelskin 0 is soft and deeply lustrous, with a un iquetextured stripe running down its center. Because itcomes from a long, slender fish, the skin comes innarrow strips. Eel is frequently used to make wa lletsand purses, and it's recognizable due to the stripedeffect of the patched panels.

Fishskin e ncludes the skins taken from grouper,salmon, tilapia, and other types of fish farmed forfood. The fan-shaped scales have a texture that'sunm is takable.

Frogskin 1) has a wonderful burnished texture withfreckling. The skins are quite small, but that's not anissue when making small-scale jewelry items.


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12VlZ:.::Vl Kanga roo4) looks much like cowhide but has a

higher tensile strength, so it 's good for making lacingand motorcycle leathers.

The textu res of lizardskin 4) nclude tigh t geome tr icgrids and areas of rectangula r sca les.Depending on where it came off th e bird, os trichhas two differen t appearances . Skin from the legresembles th at of liza rd, while ostrich hide has inte r-est ing nubs, almost like moles, spaced wide apart tocrea te a texture you won 't see anywhere else 0.Some peop le consider ost rich one of the fines t andmost durab le lea thers available.

Sharkski n 4D looks something like sandpaper, coarseand wrink led and heavy, wi th a ma t te f inish, but to thetouch, it j ust feels li ke sti f f lea ther.

Snakeskin 0 has two interesting features- itssca liness, and the play of light and dark camo u-f lage markings on the skin. On pyth on, th is is ca lledthe diamond ef fec t. Its na tural earth tones can bebleached and dyed .

Sting ray looks and feels li ke t iny glass beads ,wi th a pale, cigar-shaped area at the center of theskin . It's also known as shagreen . Manufac turerssometimes dye it and th en sand off a minute amountof the upper laye r, leavi ng behind a dist inc t ive f ield ofco lored cell wa lls enc losing white.

Be sure to purchase exotic skins from reputable dealers;definitely don't support businesses that threaten endan -gered animal species by carrying their skins.


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Locating LeatherAs ubiquitous as leather items seem tobe-there's no shortage of shoes, wallets, belts,and purses around, right?-tracking down theraw material requires a bit of resourcefulness,especially because you don't need a largequantity for jewelry making.

The obvious place to look is hobby stores;most will have a small leather department.Specialty leather outlets are few and far betweenunless you live in a major metropolitan area,bu t if you look online using a search term suchas "leather hobby," you'll come across moreretailers than you would in your local phonebook. They'll be glad to send you catalogs, andthese are the go-to places for leather-workingtools, dyes, and hardware. Some saddle shopsstock tools, dyes, and hardware, too, and willsell you vegetable-tanned leather.

The Internet is a terrific resource for all kindsof fancy leathers, skins, and furs. Dependingon what you want, use variations of the searchterms "leather," "hides," "skins," "bookbindingleather," and "exotic skins." You can also look ononline auction sites, which give you the option ofdoing very specific searches.

Closer to home, you can generally find suedeelbow patches in the notions department offabric stores, but they come in ho-hum colors.Talk to the clerks, though. Many fabric storesstock whole hides in the upholstery section, andthey may also have big bins of scraps sold byweight, or the salespeople may know of otherplaces to find scrap leather. Speaking of upholstering, check with furniture stores; they may bewilling to give you old sample books of leatherfrom last year's models. Ask around at the bodyshops that pimp out cars and bikes, too; if theyupholster seats, there's a good chance they've

BARBARA COHEN RingDyed fox fur, sterling silver,foam, gold, pearlPHOTO BY ARTIST

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got scraps they'll give away or sell. Shoe-repairshops may sell you small quantities of leather,bu t it might not be the most malleable stuff.

I f you're in a metropolitan area with agarment district, check for leather wh olesalers;be aware you'll have to buy entire hides fromthem, an d they do ge t pricey!

Finally, hunt around thrift stores for leatheritems such as old skirts, jackets, or vintagekidskin gloves to repurpose and cut up. You canalso take apart old or new wallets, purses, ortoss pillows, if you think the price is right.

Most likely, though, you're going to makejewelry from factory scraps or smaller piecescut from hides. Look them over before use:make sure they don't have flaws, discoloration,or marks, and check them for stretch . I f you'veever sewn, you know that fabr ic has a grain.Leather has it too, both in the sense of full-grainleather (as in an unbuffed surface) and in thesense of elasticity. Commercial manufacturers ofleather goods typically discard the areas of thehides that distend too much-using them in aproduct could affect its quality and longevityso those end up in the scrap bins at fabric stores.Therefore, when you come across larger piecesin there, pull on them in all directions to checkwhether they stretch, and particularly whetherthey stretch too much.

Athough fabric is measured in yards, leather doesn't come off a mill andcan't conform to standard wid th s. There fore, the size of leather is calcu-lated by its area in square feet (or meters). You don't usually need a lot ofleather for jewelry, but if you're concerned about making something la rge,be careful when you buy sight unseen: a squa re foot of leather doesn'tnecessarily measure 12 by 12 inches. It might be 24 inches long and on ly 6inches wide, which mayor may not matter for your project.

Weight Versus ThicknessBecause leather is an organic material, it's no tnecessarily a uniform thickness so, long ago,tanners began designating the thickness ofleather by weight, in ounces. One-ounce leatherweighed 1 ounce pe r square foot; 2-ounceleather weighed 2 ounces pe r square foot; youget the picture. But what did that mean? Ho wthick was 2-ounce leather? It required gobs ofexperience handling different types of leathersfor it to make any sense. I f this jargon seemsindecipherable to you, you're no t alone!

These days, although the thickness of leatheris still quoted in ounces, the American industryhas in st ituted a standard: each ounce indicates athickness of 0.4 millimeter (%4 inch)-just do themath. For crafters, it would be far more usefulto just assign a measurement in millimeters, bu tbecause you' ll frequently come across leatherlabeled and sold in ounces, you' ll need to knowsomething about wha t that means.

The thinnest leathers are 1 to 2 ounces. Thosewill be the most malleable, and they're about 0.4to 0.8 millimeter (%4 to 1h2 inch) thick. At 0.9 to1 millimeter in thickness, garment leathers justsqueak into this category. Upholstery leathersan d those for outer garments tend to weigh inat 3 to 4 ounces; if you've ever handled chaps,they're made from about that thickness, wh ichruns from 1.2 to 1.6 millimeters (%4to 1A6 inch).The most rugged leathers, like those used forharnesses an d carpenters' belts, are 4 to 4.4millimeters (%2 to 1%4 inch); they're labeled as 10or 11 ounces.


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FlexibilityJust to confuse the issue a wee bit more,depending on ho w they were processed andfinished, leathers of the same thickness canexhibit different rigidities. A thin leather mightbe as limp as an evening glove, or it could bestiff, almost like card stock. This affects how theleather handles for a given jewelry design. Forexample, you want the most flexible suede youcan find to make Gossip (page 59); rigid lacingwou ldn't knot tightly, and the ends would stick upawkwardly, making for a silly-looking necklace.

The materials lists for the projects in this book giveinformation about the optima l type of leat her touse to replicate the item shown in the photo . First,you' ll see how much leather you need, which type,and the co lor (which, of course, is rea lly up to you) .Next, you'l l learn whether the project designer useda soft leather- one that's supple - or a firm, stiffleather. Fina lly, there's the thickness, in mi ll imeters, ofthe actual leather used for the jewe lry item shown,fol lowed by its equiva len t in ounces; that way, youcan tell whether the leather you're conside ring usingfor your own jewel ry will fi t the bi ll-whether it's so ldin ounces or is a scrap whose thickness you need tomeasure .

You don't have to get too worked up abou t exact lymatching what the designer used . Handle your leatherbefore using it for a project; compare how it looks anddrapes to the projec t photos to make sure you thinkit'll work for the piece you want to create. For all theprojects calling for garment-weight leather, you canuse garmen t- tanned cow, calf, goat, kid, lamb, pig, ordeer. Again, don 't get bogged down in specif ics. If yourleather looks like it can do what's shown in the projectphoto, it probably can.

TANIA CLARKE HALL NecklaceCowhide, paintPHOTOS BY PA UL KING

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Hair-On Hides and FurHair-on hides include nu merous animals butyou're mo st likely to find (and be able to afford)cow th at's been printed to look like otherskins, such as leopard, zebra, or giraffe. Likevegetable-tanned leather, hair-on hides tend tobe stiff. So what? The fur looks so cool that it'sworth designing around thatcharacteristic. It'sperfect for flat items such as cuffs.

For fur, tr y to recycle trims from gloves andvintage garments. Some craft stores sell rabbitskins, dyed or not, and some sell fur pompons.

Always cut hair-on hides and fur from thewrong (or back) side, aiming as much as possibleto cu t only the hide, no t the hair or fur.Cord. Lacing. and StripsBecause manufacturers aren't consistent withtheir nomenclature, you'll come across all thesenames for the same product. To help keep thingsstraight, in this book anything desc ribed as cordhas a round cross-section, while lacing (alsocalled lace) is flat or square. The se come in many

colors and in a few different sizes, sold inpackages or on rolls, where you buy

them by the yard. If you can, feelcords an d lacings before you buy

them; try to avoid anythingrigid. It's harder to work with,and it looks stiff in a project.

CleaningI f you're worried about dirt, keep in mind thatsmooth leather is more resistant to soiling thanleather with a rough surface. Clean smoothsurfaces with saddle soap and a damp-notwet-cloth. Most dirt will come off just by wiping.For suede, use a soft brush and suede cleaner.StorageStore leather flat whenever po ssible. I f you haveespecially large pieces and no place to keepthem flat don't fold them: instead, roll them up.If the leather you buy has creases, place a heavybook over the affected areas for a few days to ge tthe folds out. (If that doesn't work, see RemovingCreases on page 24.)


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HardwareSome of the projects in th is book were designedwith leather-spec ific hardware, but othersuse jewelry-making findings, obtainab le frombeading stores and jewelers' catalogs, as well asother useful odds and ends that you can sourcefrom different places.

Eyelets serve a functional purposereinforcing holes so they don't tear-sure,but they can also add a dash of visual interest .Those designed for leatherwork come st rictlyin metallic tones and accommodate thickerleathers. However, if you're working with lightweight leather, you can probably use the eyelettype sold in fabric stores, where you'll finda larger selection of sizes and shades. You' lldiscover an even wider assortment of eyeletcolors in the scrapbooking section of your loca lcrafts store, but these should be reserved for useon only the thinnest leathers.

Grommets reinforce holes, too. What's thedifference between the two? A grommet consistsof two components, an eyelet and a washer; agrommet has a w ider flange, in relation to itshole, than an eyelet does, and therefore hasmore strength. Because it's a beefier piece ofhardware, it looks more industrial.

Snaps come in two types. The kind sold forleatherwork is a post style; it has a shaft thatrequires you to punch a hole to penetrate theleather. These snaps come in a variety of metalfinishes, and you can even find a few with tuffdesigns such as stars or eagle heads on the cap.

The prong-style snap has teeth capable ofpiercing fabric or lightweight leather. You canbuy this sort of snap in fabric stores.

All snaps consist of four-part mechanisms .The parts are not interchangeable, so if you have

Eyelets come in differentsizes and colors.

There are snaps designed specifically forleatherwork. but the kind sold in fabricstores will work in jewelry making.

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IRINA GRINEVITSKY Royal EarringsFine suede and leath er,sterling silverPHOTO BY LYNNE HARTY


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18VlZ:.::Vl Rivets connect two piecesof leather permanently,

so be sure to punch yourholes in the right place.

JOSEPHINE BERGS0E CuffNile crocodile, keshi pearl, diamond, goldPHOTO BY KRISTIAN GRANQUIST

more than one kind on hand, don't mix themduring installation!

Rivets aren't closures; they connect twopieces of leather permanently. A series ofthem can punctuate or emphasize a design.Manufacturers make them in different sizes andassorted metal finishes, including silver, brass,and an tique nickel. You can get domed rivetsas we ll as diamond- and pyramid-shaped ones.There are rivets whose caps are engraved withdesigns such as a flower or a star. Another typeis the double-cap rivet, wh ich, once mounted,looks fin ished on both sides . And you canadd a bunch of bling w ith fancy, ornamentalrivets topped with faceted crystals or polishedsynthetic stones. Rivets require a special rivet-setting kit.

The designers in this book gussied up theirprojects with a ll kinds of cool findings. Theseare the types of things you'll find in bead storesor jewelry catalogs, stuff like beading w ire,beads, bead caps, and cones. You can get headpins, jump rings, sp lit rings, bars (see Coco,

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page 39)' and crimp beads in all sorts of metals;look for warm copper an d brass, dramaticgunmetal, cool silver, or elegant gold. Ear wireseven come in every shade of the rainbow whenthey're made from anodized aluminum! Chainan d clasps, too, come in all metal finishes an da wide assortment of styles, from delicate tochunky. When you select your findings, bringalong the leather. Hold the findings up againstit to see whether you like the combination ofcolors and tones.

Once upon a time, you may have had to looka little harder for ring backs and pin backs, bu tnot anymore with the Internet. Finally, you canuse the barrette backs sold by craft retailers, orgo with the low-profile styles stocked in the hairproducts department of your favorite grocery ordrug store.AdhesivesLeather outlets sell leather cement as well asaU-purpose cement an d contact cement, andthinners for them. Household cement does agood job, too. The project designers in this booklist their own favorite adhesives in the instruc-tions. No matter which type you choose, don'tfry your brain cells while using it: always workin a well-ventilated area.

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VlZ:.::Vl You probably already have many of the tools

listed here. A few are specialized for leatherwork. Familiarize yourself with them beforestarting your project.CuttingBefore I started working with leather, it seemedsturdier than the cardboard used for boxes;because that material is hard to hack through,it appeared logical that leather would be evenmore challenging to cu t. Instead, the first timeI cu t leather, I was astounded at how easy itwas to slice. Professional leatherworkers usetrimming knives, round knives, and head knivesdesigned specifica lly for working with leathertheir shape has changed little over the centuries,and in fact images of these tools appear on thewa ll s of ancient Egyptian tombs-but you don'tneed to invest in these . Any large, sharp, sewingshears should slice th rough leather easily.

Cutting leather will dull the blades, though, sodedicate a pair of them to leatherwork, or beprepared to have the shears sharpened whenyou want to resume sewing with them.

A few of the projects were cut w ith pedicurescissors, but using them is optiona l. Theirbenefit derives from the ratio of short blade tolong handle, which makes it easy to control thecutting oftight curves accurately. Note thatwe're not talking about the cheap clippers youcan find at any drugstore. These high-qualityspecialty scissors effortlessly cut thr ough thickleather like it's butter, but they come at a price.

You probably already have a pair of cheapcraft scissors around; you' ll need them to snippaper and other non-fabric items.

As th e name implies, sca llopi ng shearscut a dainty scalloped edge. The sca llopingscissors sold in the paper or scrapbookingsection of craft stores won't do the trick. Forcutting leather, you' ll need the heavy-duty

Left to right : Pedicure scissors, scalloping shears,heavy-duty nippers, craft knife, box cutter, rotary cutter

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kind. For some reason, nobody manufacturesthese anymore; luckily, they're available atonline auction sites. Only two projects havescalloped edges, and if you don't want to investin specialty scissors, you can always go with apinked edge or even a straight one.

When it comes to straight lines, if the leather'snot terribly heavy or stretchy, you can cut it witha craft knife, or use a box cutter or a utility knifefor thicker leather. Always in sert ne w blades inthe tool before starting a project.

Finally, you can also use a rotary cutter, whichis basically a wheel-shaped razor blade mountedon a handle-it's really sharp, so don't treat it

like a toy. Always use this tool in conjunctionwith a self-healing mat, or you'll destroy yourwork surface and dull the blade faster. Rotarycutters come in a range of sizes, and they're soldin fabric and quilt shops.

Look in a hardware store or a homeimprovement center for heavy-duty nippers. Usethem to cut off rivets that you've assembled incorrectly, or to snip wire and other metal items.

ANDREA JANOSIK Red Spike, braceletSuede sheepskin, leather cord,sterling silverPHOTO BY MAlKE PAUL

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Rotatingpunch

PunchingPunching accomplishes one of two things: it cancut away a hole to create negative space, or ifyou save the positive shape, you end up w ith acircle or another contour.

A rotating punch makes small round holesin a variety of sizes-usually a half dozen,depending on the model you get, which mayrange from a pinhole to 6 millimeters (%2 inch).Simply turn the wheel to select the size. Youdon't need a hammer; just squeeze the tool withthe leather between it, as if it were pliers or ahole punch for paper. A rotating punch can onlymake holes near the edges of leather.

Awl

Gasket punches

High-quality leatherpunches don'tcome cheap.

For cutting circles in a range up to 1.3 centi-meters (Yz inch), you can find gasket punches(also called hollow punches) at any goodhardware store or on line. They're cheap andeasy to locate, but they du ll fast. You can also getleather punches to cut sma ll circles as well asovals, ob longs, an d conchos; you can find thesethrough leather suppliers. They also come inlarger sizes, with a price tag to match.

An awl looks exactly like an ice pick. Use it topoke holes in leather for stitching or for runningother th ings through the material.

PoundingMallets have heads made from rawhide, po lymerplastic, or wood, and they come in differentwe ights. The bigger the punch and the thickerth e leather, the more mass you ought to havebehind the blow. Never use a metal tool, suchas a hammer, to pound punches: it will ruin thecutting edge on the tool. It's fine to use a smallhammer when setting eyelets an d rivets.

Oval leatherpunches

I bid long and hard to winthis old wooden mallet at anonline auction . It's five pounds(2.3 kg) of burnished beauty.

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Work SurfacesIt's essential to use punches on a poly cuttingboard; hardwood is too soft and wi ll absorbmuch of the blow so that the punch doesn'tcutthrough the leather. Punching on a hard surfacesuch as thick glass or marble will ruin the edgeon the punch.

To avoid marring the finish on eyelets, setthem on a scrap of hardwood. Set rapid rivets ona small, flat piece of thick steel or marble.FasteningFastening methods in these projects rangefrom beading techniques (such as crimping) tosewing- and leather-specific methods.

A bead crimper looks like a pair of pliers; thetechnique for using it is explained on page 31.

When hand sewing, you can use heavy-dutythread an d a large needle, if you've prepunchedholes with an awl or another tool. (I f youhaven't, sew with a glovers needle, wh ich hasa triangular-shapedpoint instead of a roundone.) The notions department of your favoritefabric store will sell sewing-machine needlesdesigned specifically for muscling throughleather. Remember that unlike with fabric, youcan't unpick stitching in leather without leavinga permanent trail of visible holes, so be sure tosew in exactly the right spot.

You must have a speciali zed rivet setter tose t rivets; you'll find it anyplace you buy thehardware. It's a rod with a concave end thatprevents the caps from flattening.

In much the same vein, purchase the appropriate eyelet-setting kit wherever you purchaseyour eyelets.

A snap-setting kit consists of two parts-ananvil in which to cradle the bottom part of thesnap, an d a rod. Packets of grommets usuallyinclude the grommet setter as part of the set.

Miscellaneous ToolsFor drawing outlines and making other marks,any permanent marker with a fine point will dothe job. You'll need a measuring tool for manyof the projects. A metal ruler can serve doubleduty, both for figuring lengths and for guidingblades during cutting; a tape measure is handyfor extens ive lengths.

A few tools are needed for on ly one project.The Channels cuff (page 101) calls for a stitchgroover and an edge beveler, bu t they're notrequired for any other projects. You'll find thesetools wherever leather specialty tools are sold. Aknot template makes creating the Knots earrings(page 76) a snap. Look for this in yarn stores, inthe notions department offabric stores, or online.

Clockwise from top left: Leather needles for sewing machines;a knot template; an assortment of tools for setting eyelets,snaps, and grommets; a scrap of hardwood

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Anytime you're trying a new technique orwork ing with a thickness of leather you've neverused before, practice on a scrap piece first.Removing CreasesI f your leather has wrinkles or folds due toimproper storage, you can get them ou t with ahousehold iron. Preheat the appliance to 80F(26PC), or the lowest temperature possible.Place a clean, damp (not wet) cloth-one that'sbeen washed so it doesn't contain starches ormanufacturing chemicals-over the wrong sideof the leather and carefully press it. Don't leavethe iron in anyone spot for long, and check thecreased area frequently so you notice when it'sgone and know to stop.

JOSEPHINE BERGSfllE BraceletsMink fur, diamonds, keshi pearl, silver, goldPHOTO BY KRISTIAN GRANQUIST

Cutting LeatherAs long as you've got sharp blades on yourscissors, you'll find it's no harder to cut leatherthan it is to snip through card stock. The samegoes for the blades on rotary cutters, utilityknives, and craft knives.

I f you need to cu t a long straight line inleather, your best bet is to use a bladed tool (suchas a craft knife or rotary cutter) guided by astraightedge. For short curves, a craft knife orscissors work equally we ll.SewingThe only hand sewing in this book involvesmaking a knot here and there. Thin, garmentgrade leathers-those up to 1.2 millimeters(%4 inch) or 3 ounces- sew easily on a homemachine. (Some machines can lurch throughheavier weights, but it's really hard on the motor,so avoid it.) Install a leather needle in it, and setthe st itch length as long as it w ill go. A rollerfoot or a Teflon foot can make the sewing easier,but neither is absolutely necessary. Here's ahandy trick: place a sheet of freezer paper on theleather, waxy side up, to help it slide under thepresser foot. (Be sure to use freezer paper ratherthan wax paper, which has wax on both sides;you don't want any wax getting embedded inyour leather!) After you've finished stitching, thefreezer paper tears off easily.

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PunchingTo us e a rotating punch, start by dialing thedesired punch size over the table. Slide theleather into the tool, positioning the spot to bepunched under the punch itself. Squeeze thehandle, the way you would pliers, until you feelthe softness of the leather give way.

When using hollow punches, always work ona poly cutting board (placing it on a solid base)to avoid ruining the cutting edge on the tool.Don't work on a wood block; it 's too soft and willsimply absorb both the leather and the punch,so the cut will look ragge d - if you manage tocut anything at all. The bigger the punch, theheavier the mallet and the greater the forceyou'll ne ed to use to drive the tool through.Don't ever use a hammer; striking the punchwith metal can damage it an d dull the cuttingedge. (By the way, if you don't want to invest inpunches, you can always trace a round shapeand cut it out. It won't look as perfect as if it werepunched, bu t it'll do.)To determine the size of hole to punch foreyelets, rivets, or snaps, follow th e manufacturer's directions. If no size is listed, use thesmallest hole possible for th e hardware to fitthrough, testing it on a scrap piece of the sameleath er you plan to us e for your project .

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Setting Leather EyeletsThese are a cinch to set.

colL:t1!c:rAppropriate size punchAppropriate size eyelet-setting kitScrap of leather or fabricScrap of hardwoodMallet

Gather your kit. Punch a hole in your leatherpiece the same diameter as the eyelet or slightlysmaller, and insert the eyelet from the grain sideof th e leather. The eyelet shouldn't go all theway through the hole; its lip should catch on theleather O.

Flip the leather over so it's grain side down,with the tubular part of the eyelet sticking upthrough the hole 8. Put your work on a scrap ofleath er or fabric to protect the finish on the eyelet,and th en on the anvil if one came with the eyeletsetting kit. (If not, use a scrap of hardwood.)

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Place the pointed tip of the eyelet setter intothe eyelet tube e and tap the setter lightly witha mallet until its sides flatten against the leather.Opened up like that, the metal looks like anasterisk O.

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Setting GrommetsFollow the instructions that come with th egrommet-setting kit. The grommet part goeson the grain side of the leather, and the washermounts on the wrong side. Always practice on ascrap first, because it's impossible to take aparta grommet.Setting Rapid RivetsRapid rivets have two halves. The top, whichwill be visible on the right side of the work, hasa slightly domed cap and an external shaft. Theother half has a smaller internal shaft ending ina flat head; when mounted, it will be visible onth e back side of the leath er.C l 1 l 1 l ! ! r ~ 1 fPunch matching diameter of internal shaft of rivetPoly cutting board (if not using a rotating punch)Rapid rivet setterPiece of fiat steel or marbleMallet

Punch holes in the leather pieces you wish tofasten together. Put the bottom half of the riveton the steel or marble, standing on its head.Slide the holes, with the leather grain side up,onto the shaft0. (Slip on the piece of leathe rthat goes on th e bottom first, then the one thatbelongs on top.) For best res ults, the in ternalshaft should stick ou t no more than 3 milli-meters (VB inch). Otherwise, it has a tendency tobend in the next step, and won't set properly.

Cap the shaft with the top half of the rivet.Place the rivet setter over the cap 0, and givea sharp blow of the mallet to pound the halvestogether permanently.

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Setting SnapsSnaps attach overlapping pieces of leather, withthe attaching unit fastened to the leather on theouter part of the overlap. The closure unit getsmounted to the leather resting closest to thebody (the part that appears below the overlap).LEATHER SNAPSThe sturd ier type of snap sold for leatherworkhas a post, so you'll have to punch a hole toaccommodate this. (See page 28 for instructionson setting the prong style of snap, which willwork for th in ner leathers.)

Hole punch in appropriate sizeFlaring tool and dieMallet

Stud Socket

Capped post

Work on a hard surface. Refer to the photoabove for the te rminology of the various parts.Set the attachment unit-the front of the snap,comprised of the capped post and the socketfirst, making sure you install it on the part of theleather that will be the overlap. Punch a hole inthe leather.

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surface and place the capped post in it with theshaft sticking up 8. Slip the leather over thepost, grain side down, and place the socket onthe shaft0. Put the tip of the flaring tool intothe shaft and set the snap with a firm blow of themallet.

To mount the closure unit to the overlap,first determine its placement in relation to theattachment unit, an d punch a hole. Put the studpost in the shallow side of the anvil, shaft upf ) ,and slide the leather over it, grain side up.Place the stud onto the shaft0. With the tip ofth e flaring tool held in the shaft, set the unit byagain tapping with the mallet.

You can buy these in the notions department offabric stores; because of the prongs, you won'thave to punch a hole.

C O l L l L g ~ iScrap of hardwoodScrap of fabricHammerPencil topped with eraserDie and setter from heavy-duty snap-setting kit

Cap

Socket

Stud

Prong ring

Work on a hard surface. Refer to the photoabove for the terminology of the various parts.Set the attachment unit first. Mark its placementon the grain side of the leather. Place thehardwood scrap on your work surface with theleath er on it, grain side up. Put the cap at t he

the ham mer to set the attachm ent unit. 29


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marked spot, prongs do wn G.To protect thefinish on the cap, put a scrap offabric over it,then tap lightly with the hamm er to drive theprongs through th e leather.

Pull the leather off the wood and flip it over;press the pencil eraser over the prongs to pushthem all completely through the material. Setthe die on your work sur face, concave side up .Put the cap into the die; the leather w ill be grainside down, with the prongs peeping through 0 .Balance the socket on the prongs; it's impossibleto describe which side of the socket faces up,bu t one fits better then the other, so just tr y bothto determine the correct or ientation. Place thesetter over the socket i ) and give a firm blow of

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To set the clo sure unit, mark the snapplacement on the wrong s id e of the leather.Beg in with the hardwood on your work surface,and place the leather on it gra in side down. Putthe prong ring in the appropriate spot, prongsaga inst the ~ Tap lightly with th ehammer to start driving the prongs through theleather, and finish the job with the pencil eraser.Put the fabric on your work surface to protectthe finish on the prong rin g, place the leathergra in side up on it so the prongs face up, andba lance the st ud on the points. With the setter inplace, hammer.

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Dyeing Vegetable-Tanned LeatherBecause vegetable-tanned leather naturallydarkens with exposure to light, and becauseaniline dyes are mostly translucent, leatheryou've applied color to won't remain the sameshade as when you originally dyed or stainedit. Do note that areas of leather with flaws,scratches, or tooling will take color differently.Unless advised specifically in the in structions,always dye or stain the leather before cuttingout the jewelry components, because leather canshrink as it dries. I f achieving a specific, stableshade is important to you, experiment first withthe various commercial dyes on a scrap of thesame leather you plan to use for your jewelry.After it's made, store your finished jewelry in alightproof box.

Set up in a well-ventilated area with accessto a sink, and cover your work surface withplain paper; don't use newsprint-the ink couldtransfer to the leather.

Any oils the leather may have absorbedduring handling could prevent an evenabsorption ofdyes, so you must first clean thesurface with lemon concentrate. Apply lemonjuice to a damp (not wet) sponge and wipethe surface of the leather. While you wait oneor two minutes, rinse the sponge with cleanwater and wring it out. Wipe the treated areasof the leather with the clean, damp spongeto neutralize the acid in the lemon. Allow theleather to dry before dyeing. Apply several lightcoats of stain or dye, rather than a single heavyone, using a swab or piece of clean fabric in acircular motion.

All kinds of effects are possible, particularlyif you use multiple colors. Sponged textures,dragging the brush to create a wood-like grain,shading, and combing are just a few. Look fortechniques booklets wherever you buy your

surface, seal it with a compatible leather finish(many are availab le), following the manufacturer's instructions.Preventing CrockingLoose fibers on suede can fall off during use,and if the dye isn't colorfast, pigment cantransfer onto your garments, just by lightrubbing during wear- th at's called crocking,and you want to avoid it! To prevent it, sandwichone end of the suede strand firmly between aclean, folded washcloth, and pull the strandthrough to remove any excess dye. Repeat threetimes to make sure you get it all.

Al l but one of the projects in this book star ted withleather that had already been dyed commercially. Theadvantage of predyed leather over dyeing your ownvegetab le-tanned leather is it's less likely to fade overtime, it comes in every color of the rainbow (and thensome), and the shades can be brighter.

A ew manufacturers stil l use aniline dyes, which arederived frompetroleum, but it's now possible to avoidthese chemicals with water-based dyes, stains, andpaints.

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The more techniques you have tucked in yourbag of tricks, the more variations an d possibilities you have for design.Crimping BeadsAlthough it's possible to squeeze a crimp beadflat with nothing more than chain-nose pliers,this creates an iffy connection. Use crimpingpliers instead for a secure outcome.

Slide the crimp bead onto the wire and intoposition. Look at the jaws of the crimpingpliers, and you'll notice two sets of openings: aU-shaped one closer to the handle, and a circularone nearer the tip Squeeze the crimp bead inthe U-shaped notch first. Then rotate the crimpbead 90 and set it into the round notch. Squeezeto form it into a round tube.

MARl ISOPAHKALA RingsReindeer fur, silverPHOTO BY CHIKAKO HARADA

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Papercraft EyeletsAll eyelets are set in essenti a lly the same way,so refer to the in structions for setting leathereyelets on page 25.

Prong SnapsProng snaps have teeth designed to piercethrough fabric, so you don't have to punch ahole; they work just fine on thin leather.

c 0 : . L l L g c ~Snap-setting kitPoly cutting boardPencil topped with eraserMallet

Prong ring Stud

(Because of its design, it's impossible to describewh ich side of the socket shou ld face up; just tr yboth sides. One fits better than the other, andyou'll feel it immed iately.) Put the setter onto thesocket an d hammer firmly with a mallet to setthe snap.

To set the closure unit, mark its placementon the leather, then set a prong uni t - prongsup-on the poly cutting board. This time, laythe leather over the prongs grain side up andpush the prongs through the material w ith thehelp of the pencil eraser. Balance the stud on theprongs i). Position the setter over the socketan d hammer to se t it.

Socket Prong ring0 //

Refer to the photo above for the term inologyof the va rious parts. Mount the attachm ent unitfirst. Determine the placement of the snap, andmark it on the wrong side of the leather. Pl ace aprong ring on the poly cutting board, with theprongs facing upward. Put the leather on theprongs, grain side down, and press down withthe pencil eraser to push the prongs through the

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MICHAELA BINDER BraceletMink fur, silverPHOTO BY ARTIST

AIKO MACHtDA Charms, necklace charmlhair accessory/broochClockwise from top left, Planet (two); Nebula; Asteroid(three); Meteor; detail of Nebula as a hair accessoryCowhide, hand-dyed leather, oxidized silver chainPHOTOS BY KOJ T UDO

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:.::Vl You'll get the best results from permanent or

solvent-based ink pads recommended for fabricor leather. Some pigments require special procedures, such as heat, for setting. To make sureit will create a sharp image an d to check therequired drying time, test the rubber stampand the ink on a scrap of the same leather you'replanning to use for your finished item.

Work on a smooth, flat surface. Don't rock thestamp from side to side-this may distort theimage. Instead, press down firmly on the stampwith your palms to ensure that all parts of theimage make contact with the leather.Opening Jump RingsYou'll need two sets of chain-nose pliers. Alwaysopen jump rings by holding each end withpliers, near the opening; twist one end of thering toward you and the other end w a y ~ . Ifyou pull the ends straight apart, it will distortthe shape of the ring.

Bead Loops and Wrapped Bead LoopsIn this book, a bead loop describes a piece ofwire with a bead on it, held there by loops oneither side that link to the rest of the jewelry.

To make one, cut 3 inches (7.6 cm) of wire.About Yz inch (1.3 cm) from one end, make a 90bend with the round-nose pliers fD. Hold thewire with longer portion pointing down andthe short bent end pointing toward you. Graspthe short end with the pliers, holding the toolso the back of your hand faces you. Keeping thetips stationary, rotate the pliers up and away,

careful not to unbend the 90 angle Slide thetip of the pliers back along the w ire a little andfinish making the rest of the loop @). Cut off anyextra w ire. Next, slide a bead onto the wire andfashion another loop on the other end of thewire, starting it right next to the bead.

A wrapped bead loop is merely a variation onthe bead loop, with wire looped an d wrappedon either side of the bead for a more secureconn ection. Start with a little longer piece ofw ire to account for the wraps, and make yourinitial 90 an gle V4 inch (1.9 cm) from the end.Once you've made the loop, don't cut off theextra wire. Instead, position your pliers insidethe loop to steady the work and use your otherhand to wrap the ta il of w ire around the base ofthe loop a few times then cu t off any excess.Slide on your bead and repeat the process on theother side

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ALESSANDRA CALVANI Euclide, necklaceLeather, metalPHOTO BY GILBERTO MALTINTI

MARINA MOLINELLI WELLS Petalos, earringsCow leather, silverPHOTO BY ARTIST

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Leather12 x12 inches (30.5 x30.5 cm)of rose-colored garment-tanned

pig suedevery soft 0.4-0.8 mm/1-2 oz.

Matching thread2 eyelets, 1 8 inch (3 mm) in diameter11 4yards (1.1 m) of 6-pound braided

beading thread9 inches (22.9 cm) of brass chain7 to 11 brass filigree beads, 14 mmBrass lobster clasp

PenRuler

Scalloping shearsSewing machine with leather needle

Rotary punchEyelet-setting tool

ScissorsNeedle

Wire cuttersFlat-nose pliers

1Make a long strip of suede by drawing twoparallel lines 11;4 inches (3.2 em) apart on thewrong side of th e materia l. Cut along the lineswith the scalloping shears, making sure thescallops face outward on either edge. Repeatuntil you've cut enough strips to achieve acombined length of 80 inches (2 m).2 Sew the strips into one long strip with lappedseams. To do so, place one strip grain side up.Put another strip over it, also with the grainfacing up, overlapping the ends by 1 inch(2.5 em). Stitch down the center of th e overlap,then trim close to the seam on both the rightside and the wrong side.3 Lay the st rip of suede flat an d horizontal on awork surface. Working from its left end, mark apoint that's centered along the width of the st rip,close to the edge.4 Draw a point 1;4 inch (6 mm) to the rightofthe first one. Draw another point % inch(1.6 em) to th e right of the second one. Repeatalong the length of the entire strip, alternatingthe measurements O. Set the rotary punch tomake the smallest hole possible, an d punchholes at every point.

y., inch (6 mm) y., inch (6 mm ) y., inch (6 mm ) y., inch (6 mm)

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Texture,texture,texture. Inachoker fitfor aqueen,the softestsuede, tightlygathered,framesfiligree orbs.

Nathalie Mornu

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1 11 1111 11 11115 Set one eyelet in the leftmost pair of holes so Begin by picking up five ruffles as counted from


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that it catches the wrong sides, making a sort ofhem. Trim the edge into a curve8.6 Thread the needle with the beading threadand double it. Cut a 6-inch (15.2 cm) piece ofchain and tie the end of the thread to an endlink. Run the needle through the right side of theeyelet.7 You'll weave the thread through the holes inthe strip as follows: the thread shows on theright side of the suede between the Y4 -inch(6 mm) holes e. It shows on the wrong side ofthe suede between the %-inch (1.6 cm) holes.

the right side of the suede, then pass through afiligree bead.8 Pick up five more ruffles, then add anotherbead. As you weave, push the strip along thethread to create tight ruffles, adjusting both theruffles an d the beads so they're even. Repeatuntil all the beads have been strung, or untilyou've achieved the desired length. (Keepchecking the length as you work until the ruffledstrip is 2 inches [5.1 cm] short of reaching all theway around your neck.) Next, pick up only fourmore ruffles. Don't cut the thread.9 In the next pair of holes, mount an eyelet inthe way described in step 5. Trim off any extrastrip. Run the needle an d thread through theback of the eyelet. Set as ide momentarily.10 Attach the lobster clasp to the remainingchain. Trim the chain so it's 1 inch (2.5 cm) long.11 Cutthe needle off the thread, being sure toleave an 8-inch (20.3 cm) tail. Tie the thread to thechain cu t in the previous step (not the end withthe clasp on it, obviously), making sure you pullthe final set of ruffles tight as you make the knot.


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Making sure you maintain the curvature of thecords, attach a small spacer 2% inches (5.7 cm)from the previous one.7Repeat step 6 on the other set of cords.8 Making sure you preserve the curvature ofthe cords, cut the tips off flush on both sets, 2Yainches (5.4 cm) from the most recently mountedspacers. Set aside.9 Push a head pin through the hole in a beadcap, with the head inside the cap. Use the round-nose pliers to make a loop as close as possibleto the cap, an d snip off any excess wire. Repeatwith the other head pin and bead cap.10 Attach a jump ring to each of the loops madein the previous step, catching the lobster claspin one of them.11 Mix up a small quantity of epoxy accordingto the manufacturer's instructions. Apply someto the very tips of one set of cords to glue themto each other. Do the same to the other set ofcords. Dab epoxy inside both of the bead capsand insert one set of cords into each. Allow todr y completely.

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Leather15 yards (13.7 m)* of red garmenttanned pig suede lacing,

1/ 8 inch (3 mm) widevery soft 0.4-0.8 mm/1-2 oz.

44 inches (1.1 m) of 1/4-inch (6 mm)round cord, in color matching the

suede lacing6 inches (15.2 cm) of 22-gauge half

hard round sterling silver wire2 sterling silver cones, liz inch

(1.3 cm) long2 sterling silver beads, 4 mm2soldered-closed jump rings, 5.3 mm1S-shaped sterling silver hook clasp

ScissorsMeasuring tape

Clean white terrycloth washcloth6 plastic zip-top bags, 2 x 2 nches(5.1 x 5.1 cm)

EpoxyThread

Wire cuttersPliers

Jeweler's cementRound-nose pliers

*You may need more than 15 yards;see step 1 or an explanation.

1Cut the suede lacing into six strands, each90 inches (2.3 m) long. As you measure, inspectthe lacing for splices. No strand should containa sp lice, so if you come across one, discard thestrand and replace it with another.2 Pull the suede strands through the washclothto prevent crocking (page 30). Roll each strandinto a small ball an d place it inside its ownsandwich bag, with about 5 inches (12.7 cm) oflace extending from the top of the bag. Close thebags as much as possible.3 On one end of the round cord, apply a lightcoat of glue to the first %inch (6 mm) of material.Arrange the tips of the suede strand s evenlyaround the cord, pressing each strand so itadheres to the cord. Wrap and tie thread aroundthe suede-wrapped cord %inch (6 mm) from theend. Position the bags containing the strandsso three are on the left of the cord-at the leftback, left side, an d left front-and three are onthe right-at the right front, right side, and rightback positions O. In the illustration, these havebeen lab eled 1 through 6, respectively. Markyour bags with the same numbers to help youkeep them straight.

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Wear It as asingle strand,double It,wrap Itaround theneck threetimes-youcan even bindyour wristwith It.

Paula Darnell

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II II4 The braiding isn't immediately intuitive; don'ttr y to understand what you're doing, just follow

7Repeat steps 5 and 6; you'll notice a diagonalbasketweave pattern forming. Pretty cool,


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the instructions to the letter an d everythingwill work. Begin by flipping the left front strand(labeled 3) over th e cord, and crossing over itwith the original right front strand (labeled 4).Your work should look like 8.S Bring the right back strand (labeled 6) aroundthe back of the cord and over the left back strand(labeled 1), under the left side strand (labeled 2), andover the left front strand, bringing the strandyou've just woven to the right of the cord, whereit now becomes the right front strand. Rotatethe cord slightly so that it's clear which positioneach strand occupies; your work should looklike e. After each braiding pass, you shouldalways end with three strands to the right of thecore cord an d three strands to the left.6 Bring the left back strand around the backand over the right back strand, un der the rightside strand, and over the right front strand,ending with the strand you've just woven to theleft of the cord, where it now becomes the leftfront strand O. Rotate the cord slightly so thatit's clear which position each strand occupies.

1 _.:_

huh? Continue alternating steps 5 and 6 untilthe entire length of the cord is covered in asuede braid. After each pass, make sure noneof the strands has twisted or folded an d checkthat all strands are in the correct position. Asyou go, gently tighten the braiding, using yourthumbnail to ease the strands into place. (Don'ttug-breakage could occur.) When necessary,pull a manageable length of suede from eachba g as the work progresses .8 At the end ofthe cord, trim any excesssuede so that all ends are even with the end ofth e cord. Glue each suede strand to the core,maintaining its position so it doesn't pull ortwist, and allow the glue to dry. Wrap and tiethread around the suede-wrapped cord, about1;4 inch (6 mm) from the end.9 Cut the wire into two equal lengths.10 Use the pliers to make a 90 bend at thecenter point of one of the wires. Tuck the threadwrapped area of one end of the cord into thebend in the wire, and wrap half of the wirearound the cord, allowing the other end of thewire to extend beyond the cord 0.

2 / 34 6

11 Apply a light coat of jeweler's cement to th einside of a cone an d to the entire wire-wrapped

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area of th e cord. Slip th e larger opening of th econe over the wire, pull the cone against the endofthe cord, and hold it in place for 10 minutes toallow th e bonding to take place.12 Slip a bead onto the wire. Using round-nosepliers, make a wrapped loop (page 34) above thebead, catching ajump ring in the loop.13 Repeat steps 10 to 12 on the other end of thebraid-covered cord. Slide one side of the S-shapedclasp onto either one of the jump rings andsqueeze the clasp so the two won't come apart.

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Leather3 x 30 inches (7.6 x76.2 cm) ofcrocodile-embossed patent (or othertop-finished .

garment-tanned) leathersoft 0.4-0.8 mm/1-2 oz.

1black zipper with silver teeth.22 inches (55.9 cm) longThread to match leather

Measuring tapePen

Cutting matRotary cutter

YardstickShears

Sewing machine with zipper foot andleather needle

I" .

1Close the zipper; w ith a measuring tape, measurefrom the slider, or pull, to the bottom stop. Onthe wrong side of the leather, mark the eventualplacement of the zipper by drawing a line exactly thatlength, centered between both sides and both ends.2 Using the cutting mat, the rotary cutter, and theyardstick, carefu lly slit along the lin e; do not cutbeyond it.3 Put the zipper right side up on your worktable.Place the leather over the zipp er, grain side up, withthe ends of the slit lined up with the zipper's sliderand bottom stop. Trim the leather with shears to allowthe slider to fit through. Remove the zipper. Along therest of the slit, trim Ys inch (3 mm) off both sides.4 In stall a zipper foot and a leather needle on thesewing machine. Place the leather wrong side upand put the zipper over it, its slider and bottomstop lined up with the ends of the slit O. Attachthe zipper to the leather by machine stitching withmatch ing thread along the edges of the sli t, closeto the zipper teeth. The leather may stretch a little;to accommodate that, you shou ld sew in the samedirection on both sides of the zipper. Leave the zipperfoot on the machine.SPlace the short leather grain sides together,forming a large ring, an d sti tch them, using aYs-inch (3 mm) seam allowance.6 On one side of the zipp er, fold the long side of theleather up to meet the back of the zipp er, lining upthe straight edge of the leather against the teeth.Alongside only the zipper, stitch the leather downthrough all layers to encase the zipper tape. Do thesame on the other side of the zipper tapee. To give abetter understanding of the construction, some of theelements in the illustration haven't been included.)

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111 11 11 11 with their11 11 11 1 11 11 11 111 1 11 Industrialplll il 11 111 1 1 zippers, thisI11 111 111 11 11 1 neckwear

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features anunexpectedbit ofhardware.Wear It openor closed.

Joan K. Morris

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4 Here's how to achieve the corkscrewappearance of the assembled boa.a: Place one of the end pieces, grain side down,


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on the table, referring to 0 for orientat ion. Stillreferring to 0, lay a center piece over it, alsograin side down, with a %-inch (6 mm) overlap;mark the placement of three holes.b: Punch holes where marked f.).c: Insert an d set an eyelet in each hole(page 25) 8.d: Place a center piece over the previous two,with a %-inch (6 mm) overlap as shown in 0,and mark three holes. Set eyelets in the holes.Repeat a through d using only center pieces untilall have been assembled.5 Attach the remaining end piece in theestablished manner.

In leather, velvet,III II III II I

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and organza,people will mistakeyou for an artiste.

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10 x10 inches (25.4 x25.4 cm) oforange garment-tanned leathersoft 0.8-1.2 mml2-3 oz.,

for bottom layer10 x10 inches (25.4 x25.4 cm) ofburgundy garment-tanned leathersoft 0.8-1.2 mml2-3 oz.,for third layer

3 x 20 inches (7.6 x 50.8 cm) ofrust garment-tanned suedevery soft 0.8-1.2 mml2-3 oz.,for top layer

3 inches (7.6 cm) of gray organza,44 inches (1.1 m) wide,for fourth layer2 nches (5.1 cm) of gold velvet,44 inches (1.1 m) wide,for second layer

Orange thread30 inches (76.2 cm) ofantique silver chain

1antique silver clasp

ScissorsShears

Sewing machineNeedle-nose pliers

1Enlarge both templates on page 127 and cutthem out with scissors. Note that this neck laceconsists of five layers; they'll be referred to asthe top, second, third, fourth, and bottom layers,with "second" meaning second from the top.2 Trace the template for the bottom layer ofthe neck lace onto the grain side of the orangeleather an d cu t it out with shears. Trace thetemplate for the third layer onto the grain sideof the burgundy leather and cut it out. Set bothaside.3 To create the fourth layer, fold the organzain half lengthwise. Set the sewing machinefor the longest stitch possible and use orangethread to machine baste two parallel rows ofstitching close to the fold, leaving the end s of thethreads long. At one end of the stitching, knotthe bottom-or bobbin-threads to each other.From the other end of stitching, pull gently onthe bobbin threads to gather the organza untilit's 20 inches (50.8 cm) long. Knot the threadsand distribute the gathers evenly.4 The necklace is assembled from the bottomup. Machine stitch the gathered organza to thebottom piece of leather, wrong side up, with theraw edges o f the fabric parallel to and % inch(6 mm) away from the lower edge of theleather O. Note: You should st itch over theouter basting line on the organza.S Stack the leather cut to serve as the third layer,wrong side up, on the organza, with the lower edgeof the leather parallel to and % nch (6 mm) awayfrom the raw edge of the fabric. Stitch as close aspossible along the upper edge ofthe leather.


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6 To make the second layer, begin by sewingtwo parallel rows of basting stitches along oneof the long edges of the velvet. Gather the fabric,as described in step 3, until it's 18 inches(45.7 cm) long. Stack the velvet on the thirdlayer, parallel to and 14 inch (6 mm) away fromthe lower edge of the leather. Stitch everythingtogether along the outer basting line on thevelvet. Set aside.7 Place the chain along one long edge of therectangle of suede with 10 inches (25.4 cm)extending on each side. Fold the edge over thechain % inch (1.9 cm) and stitch near the edge,encasing the chain as you do 8.8 Gather the suede along the length of chainuntil it's the same length as the upper, concavecurve of the four stitched-together pieces. Stackthe suede atop the other pieces, matching thefold of the suede casing to the upper edge of thebottom layer. Stitch along the stitching line usedto encase the chain.9 Trim the unstitched side of the suede into acurve that's 14 to Yz inch (6 mm to 1.3 cm) fromthe raw edge of the velvet. Round the edgewhere the chain exits from the casing. Useneedle-nose pliers to attach the clasp to one endof the chain.


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Leather

II I II III III

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4 x 0 inches (10.2 x25.4 cm) of dyedgarment-tanned leatherslightly firm 0.8-1.2 mml2-3 oz.30 rapid rivets.3fs inch(1 cm) diameter

Nail polish in color matchingthe leather

4 large punches ranging from 3 /4 to13/4 inches (1.9 to 4.4 cm)*Mallet

Punches in 2 sizes: '/8 inch (3 mm). 3 '6 nch (5 mm)

Rivet setterPedicure scissors

Plastic cutting board

*See page 25 for alternative.

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1Punch or cut between 25 an d 40 circles in fourdifferent sizes, making roughly the same quant ityof each.2 Arrange the circles in a line 16 inches (40.6 cm)long, or as long as needed to fit the in tended wearer,making sure the circles overlap.3 Starting from one end, use the Ya -inch (3 mm)punch to make a hole in the first pair (or trio) ofcircles; rivet them together in such a way that thecircles can pivot bu t that the connection isn't floppy.Move to the next set to attach and repeat. Proceedin this manner to attach all the circles together in along strip. As you near the end, check the length bytrying on the necklace; adjus t as necessary.4 At one end ofthe strip, punch a hole in whichto mount a rivet that will serve as the fasteningmechanism. The rivet should fit loose ly. To achievethis, cut two or three small scraps of leather withpedicure scissors an d punch a 3A6-inch (5 mm) hole ineach. Put the rivet base on the cutting board, th readthe punched scraps onto it, then thread the necklaceend, right side up. Set the rivet head. Flip the stripover and cut away the scrap pieces of leather.S Paint the head of the rivet meant to serve as afastening mechan ism with nail polish to help identifyit later when you're wearing the necklace and want toremove it. Allow the po lish to dry complete ly.6 At the opposite end of th e necklace, make thefastening hole by punching a :Y;6-inch (5 mm) holeand cutting a Ya -inch (3 mm) notch in it O.

Painting the fastening rivet withnail polish makes it easy to identify.

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necklace, asequence of

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11111 An Ingeniously1111

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II II blends In with11111111111111111 the rest of the111I1111 1!l111;11 design.11111111 111111111

Design by Nathalie Mornu


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Those catty girls.111111111

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Their eyes appraiseyou with envy. The

whispers start.What are theysaying? It cant be

nice.

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111111111 111111111 Leather14 feet (4.3 m) of garment-tanned


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suede lacing in lavendervery soft 1.2-1.6 mm/3-4 oz.14 feet (4.3 m) of garment-tannedsuede lacing in purplevery soft 1.2-1.6 mm/3-4 oz.

Fishing line4 antique brass closed rings, 3/ 8 inch(1 cm) diameter

7 antique brass eye pins, 2 nches(5.1 cm) long2 oval antique brass filigree beads,

12 inch (1.3 cm) long38 inches (96.5 cm) ofantique brass chain

6 antique brass jump rings, 5 /8 inch(1.6 cm) diameter

1 iligree star, 11/4 nches(3.2 cm) across

5 filigree tubes, 12 inch (1.3 cm) long

WashclothScissors

Measuring tapeRound-nose pliers

Wire cuttersChain-nose pliers

1Pull the suede strands through the washclothto prevent crocking (page 30) . Cut 80 pieces oflacing 4 inches (10.2 cm) long-half of them inone color, and half in the other.2 Cut a piece of fishing line 24 inches (61 cm)long. Double it, catching a closed ring in a loop atthe center.3 Tie a 4-inch (10.2 cm) piece of lacing of eithercolor around the doubled line, using just a singleknot and keeping the tails eq ual in length. Slidethe knot against the closed ring. Using a 4-inch(10.2 cm) piece of lacing in the other color, tie itaround the line with a single knot an d with tailsof the same length, and slide it snugly against theprevious knotted piece. Continue in this manner,alternating colors, until you've tied on a total of35 pieces of lacing. Tie the two protruding tailsof line together, catching a closed loop in themso that it rests against the last knotted piece oflacing. Tie the line a few more times to secure theknot, and snip off any excess. You should end upwith a length of knotted fringe with closed ringsattached at both end s. Set aside.4 Repeat steps 2 an d 3, but knot 45 pieces oflacing on the line. Set aside.


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Leather8 x8 inches (20.3 x 20.3 cm)


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of off-white top-finishvegetable-tanned cowhidefirm 0.8-1.2 mm!2-3 oz.

30 inches (76.2 cm) of black satinrat tail cordCard stock

Leather cement

ScissorsPen

Shears1knitting needle. size O!2mm

Black permanent marker

- - - - - ; - - - -7

The ends of the ties

1Copy the templates on page 125, transfer them ontocard stock, and cut them out with scissors. Trace themonto the leather with a pen and cut them out withshears, making the quantities listed on the templates.

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2 Apply cement to the wrong side of A leaving a band 1111111111111111111down the center with no glue on itO Immediately IIwrap it around the knitting needle, grain side out, 111111111111111111as shown in f ), and allow it to dry completely. Pull itgently offthe needle3 Repeat step 2 to all B, C, and D pieces.4 String A onto the ra t tail cord. Center it on the rattail, and tie a knot on each side. String a B on one sideof A. Tie a knot to hold it in place. Repeat on the otherside of A.S String a C next to a B, and tie a knot to hold it on.String the other C next to the other B and tie a knot.6 String a D next to a C. Tie a knot, then stringanother D beside it. Tie a knot. Repeat on the otherend of the strand.7 Apply cement to two E pieces and sandwich oneend of the rat tail cord between them. Repeat on theother end of the rat tail. Allow to dry completely.8 Using the permanent marker, carefully drawover the exposed edges of the leather to givea finished appearance.

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Design by

Oftentimes.simplicity packsawhole lot ofpunch. Cut. fold.and glue to makeleather beads.then string themon acord.

Isabelle AZcfs


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Leather1x 4 inches (2.5 x10.2 cm) of purple

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top-finished calf (or other leather)slightly firm 0.8-1.2 mml2-3 oz.1x4 inches (2.5 x10.2 cm) of browntop-finished calf (or other leather)slightly firm 0.8-1.2 mml2-3 oz.

4 antique-brass head pins,1112 inches (3.8 cm)

4 antique-brass bead cones,7 x10 mm3 1/8 inches (8 cm) of 21-gaugeantique-brass wire

2antique-brass metal beads,14 mm long

2 glass beads, 9 mm long2 small antique-brass bead caps,6 mm in diameter

2 antique-brass ear wires

ScissorsPen

Poly cutting boardCraft knife

Ruler with metric markingsCyanoacrylate glue

Round-nose pliersWire cutters

1Copy the templates on page 128 and cut themalon g their outlines on ly.2 To make the longer tassels, trace theappropriate template twice onto the purpleleather. To cut the fringed area, place the leatheron the cutting board an d use a craft knife tomake parallel slices 3 mm wide, referring to theirplacement on the template. Be sure no t to cu t allthe way to the opposite side.3 Place one of the rectangular st rips wr ongside up on your work surface. Place a head pinon the end of it O. (The head should be 7 mmfrom the lon g edge.) Roll the leather around thehead pin. As you approach the end, place a spotof glue on the upper corner 8. Finish rollingover the glue and press, holding the roll togetherfor the amount of time recommended by themanufacturer, until the pieces bond. Repeat withthe other rectangular strip and a second head pin.

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I 1III 11111111I II II

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I 1III 11111111I III II Turn leather

111111 IIld II fringe onil llllllll lll 11 1111 Its head

III11111 1111111 by roiling ItI II up. Filigree

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little leathertassels.

Design by Delphine Muller

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II I II III III

4 To make the shorter tassels, use the brownleather and the appropriate template, and repeatsteps 2 (the parallel cuts for the fringe should be4 mm wide) and 3.


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5 Thread one bead cone onto each head pin,pulling the w ire to wedge the tassel tightlyinside. Near each cone, make a loop with roundnose pliers (page 34) and cut off any excess w irewith wire cutters . Set aside.6 Cut the 21-gauge w ire in half. Set one pieceaside.7 Fashion a loop at one end of the wire; threadon a metal bead, a glass bead, and a bead cap.Make a loop to hold the beads on, cutting off anyextra wire.8 Open the most recent loop made- the oneclosest to the bead cap- slide the loops of ashort tasse l and a long tassel on it, and close it.Open the loop of an ear wire, catch the loop nextto the wire bead on it, and then close it.9 With th e remaining piece of w ire, repeat steps7 and 8 to make the other earring. JUDITH PLUCKER Rings

Interchangeable mink-furinlays, silverPHOTO BY ARTIST

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67


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Fur3x3 inches (7.6 x7.6 cm) of mink


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Thread or fishing line4 sterling silver bead caps. shallowformed and 112 inch

(1.3 cm) in diameter2 sterling silver ballpoint head pins.

2114 inches (5.7 cm) long2sterling silver crimp beads

ScissorsRuler

NeedleNeedle file or any long. sharp tool

Flat-nose pliersBallpoint pen

1Cut two pieces of mink from the wrong side,each 0/4 x 2 inches (1.9 x 5.1 cm) .2 Thread the needle and make a knot, leavinga long tail. Starting from the wrong side of onecorner, insert your needle an d use lon g bastingstitches to hand sew along all four edges of oneof the rectangles. Make sure that for the finalstitch the needle exits on the interior of the hide,not the fur side. Tie a loose double knot in thethread, then gently pull. The edges should ruffleup and produce a pompon shape. Tie anotherknot an d trim the thread ends. Repeat with thesecond piece of mink.3 Slide a bead cap onto a head pin, concaveside up.4 Gently work a sharp, narrow tool-such asa need le fi le-through the puckered end of thepompon and poke a hole through to the otherside. Slide the head pin with the end cap onit through the hole. Tip: When you make thehole, pu t the head pin with the bead cap on itbetween your lips or on the table within yourperipheral vision. When you remove the tool,keep look ing at the hole and grab the head pinwithout removing your eyes from its location.The fuzziness of the fu r makes it impossible toever find the hole if you avert your eyes even fora second!5 Place a second bead cap on top of pompon,convex side up O. Push all the elements firmlyagainst the ballpoint of the head pin. Repeatsteps 3 to 5 to make a second component.

69


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APRIL HALE RingsFur: opossum, raccoon,squirrel, rabbitPH OTO BY JOH N LUCAS

6 Slide a crimp bead onto a head pin anduse flat-nose pliers to crimp it. Crimp just thecorners of the crimped bead to ensure it reallystays on. Repeat on the other component.7To make the ear wires, shape the upper%inch(1.9 cm) of each head pin over the barrel of theballpoint pen. Use pliers to create a small bend atthe end of the wire. Attach one to each component.

GAYLE FRIEDMAN BroochReclaimed mink fur, sterling silverPHOTO BY JE SS ICA MA RCOTTE

All kinds of variations arepossible. Experiment withdifferent colors of dyed mink,or look for commerciallyfabricated fu r pomponsin a multitude of shades.Make swaying pompons byshortening the head pins andattaching them to lengths ofslender chain hung from store-bought ea r wires, as shownat top right. Or if you wantsomething sparkly danglingbelow the pompon (belowright), fabricate the earringswith eye pins instead of headpins, to allow you to suspend alooped bead in that spot.


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Leather2 x 4 inches (5.1 x10.2 cm) ofunvarnished* dyed

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7/27/2019 Espectacu

Espectacular Trabajos en Cuero

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