Confessions of a Leather Crafter

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What a crazy ride and long journey to get here to this point – an official website for Artisan Leather Goods by 3 Parks Design! I cannot wait to see how it develops from here but for now it is a work in progress. Along with introducing you to my artisan leather creations, I want to share my ‘Confessions of a Leather Worker’, first introduced as snippet posts on the 3PD Facebook page. These are leather lessons I’ve learned, moments in my maker’s life, how-to instruction, and so much more still left to decide on. A quirky little blog by a slightly quirky gal.

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Hide & Seek

Antoni Gaudi, a great organic Modernism architect, once said

“Nothing is art, if it does not come from nature”.

I do not hide the so called flaws found in leather but often seek to include them. As long as they do not disrupt the integrity of the item it is to become part of next, I do not want to erase the story of that animal. Fat wrinkles, scars and discoloration can add an unbeatable touch of character and beauty to a piece – one that only nature can make.

Why would you not want to include that story for others to read!

I Don’t Just Talk to Myself

I read something somewhere (and I am paraphrasing here): “If you see me talking to myself, please move along, I am a small business owner and having a staff meeting.”

I believe most self-employed folks, especially those who work from home can relate! But, yes, I often talk to my dogs as well – most furbaby moms and dads can relate to this as well. I am not crazy but often find myself alone at home while my husband works his butt off to help support my dream because he’s AWESOME! So I get lonely and talk to my dogs, and sometimes it helps to thwart my solitude. (I mean, you can only run Bones season 1-12 on demand in the background so many times before you crave some sort of social interaction.) My dogs listen to my troubles, get excited when I am excited over my accomplishments, and comfort me when I feel defeated. They do it all without judgement…err, but maybe a treat or two.

So graduate from talking to yourself and start talking to your dogs! Experts say talking to them is good for them as well anyway (yep, read that somewhere too)!

The Hard Way…

So, I have been wanting to dive into the leather world of knife sheath making and eventually holster making as well. My own lack of confidence caused a significant delay. Finally, I found a really interesting template for a knife sheath holster by Makers Leather Supply online. As you might imagine, I got really excited – click, click and bought! Then when it arrived, I was overcome with excitement to start making. I neglected to work a few things out. Those few things I have learned the hard way with this new venture are as follows:

1. Cut the belt slots AFTER you piece the front and back panels together. Will save a ton of sanding and your hands!

2. Stitch a practice piece first so you can hash out the stitching sequence. This is always my ‘Achilles Heal’ – EVERY TIME – I just want to go for it! (I refuse to learn from my mistake with this one.)

Admittedly, I do enjoy learning the hard way – I think it builds character in me and my product! So last but certainly not least…

3. Find joy even within the mistakes you make.

Ah! Fresh Air

Fresh Air! Who needs fresh air when you get to smell leather all day!?
Yes, leather smells ah-mazing, but eventually I went a bit nose blind to it and usually only smell the yucky. As a leather artisan working in a small space, fresh air is a necessity to escape the bouquet of adhesives, dyes and finishes! So, I enjoy taking walks and hikes in some of the city’s many beautiful parks. Rather with friends, furbabies or just with my own thoughts – three to six miles usually does the trick.