Handicraft Simplified Procedure and Projects in Leather, Celluloid, Metal, Wood, Batik, Rope, Cordage, Yarn, Horsehair, Pottery, Weaving, Stone, Primitive Indian Craft. Lester Griswold
and may be secured by snap fasteners.
SOFT LEATHER PROJECTS
13.Split Leather Projects.
The use of split cowhide as a substitute for buckskin in the making of moccasins and other Indian costume materials is described on page 392. This leather is also suitable for vests, sleeveless sport jackets and archery jackets. The illustration shows a vest decorated with painted Indian symbols. For this work leather dye was used but Higgins ink is satisfactory. The shoulder and underarm seams of this vest may be machine stitched or laced together with a narrow thong, using a running stitch through punched holes. The pocket may be attached in the same manner. The edges are fringed and may also be painted if desired. Pioneer buttons, as described on page 82 are used.
A plain vest is also shown. This may have pioneer buttons, but if used for Archery a cross laced closing is suggested. The sleeveless jacket is machine stitched together and all edges laced with wide thongs.
Split Cowhide may also be used for several styles of soft leather bags. The illustration shows the assembly of the drawstring bag which has a painted decoration. Beadwork may also be applied to this style bag. The draw cord is tied with the two strand Turkshead, detailed on page 81.
Animal shapes make attractive purses for children. A dog and owl are illustrated.
See underlay and overlay decoration for other split leather bags.
LEATHER PROJECTS
Pillow
The Handbags illustrated are projects in Underlay Decoration. No. 1. is a pointed gusset type bag made of suede or split cowhide with contrasting underlay and plaited draw cord. See page 89 for four plait round detail. No. 2 is a four sided bag of colored calf or suede in which two sides are folded in as _gussets. These may match the underlay if desired. The four edges are whip laced starting at the top and the ends of the thongs are brought together at the bottom to form a tassel. Plait two inches, four plait round, and terminate with a Turkshead knot, see page 90. Fringe a two inch square of leather which matches the outsides and wrap around the plaited section close to the bottom of the bag. Sew in place with needle and thread and tie a sliding knot tightly around the top of the attached fringe. A plaited draw cord with sliding knot is used. Another style of four sided bag is also illustrated. This has a small outside coin purse attached at the corners with the three hole fastening, see page 81 for detail. This bag may be made of suede or split cowhide and decorated with beads or painted designs. The plaited draw cord and the tassel are made as described on page 89.
The bags described may also be decorated with cut out designs.
REMNANT LEATHER PROJECTS
Colored Calfskin remnants are appropriate for Pillows, Vests and similar projects. This leather is non-tooling and will not mar or show scratches when subjected to hard service.
Vest
REMNANT LEATHER PROJECTS
About one pound of remnants is required to make a pillow. The pieces are sewn together either by hand or on a machine. The home type sewing machine may be used for this purpose. The leather is light weight and will not injure the machine.
The Vest requires about one pound of assorted remnants. Two methods of making a vest are suggested. A lining may be cut from any suitable material using an old vest for a pattern. The pieces of leather are stitched on the:lining in crazy quilt style. Where a lining is not desired the pieces may be stitched to a paper pattern which is later torn away from the leather. The edges are finished with a binding of leather.
LEATHER PROJECTS—VELLUM OR RAWHIDE
Lamp Shades
The Lamp Shade A in the illustration is made of calfskin vellum or parchment, decorated with Higgins Inks and edge laced with leather thongs.
The goat skin tepee is pinned together with wooden pegs after the fashion of the Indian tepee and decorated with typical Indian designs. The larger shade of clarified rawhide is laced with wide buckskin thongs. The decorations on these shades are done with oil paints.
Illumination Characteristics of Rawhide and Parchment
Parchment is translucent but not transparent, and is especially suited for use where general illumination by a diffused light is desired. Parchment is an excellent reflector of light and will yield a local illumination, directly below the shade, of high intensity and pleasing quality. It may be decorated by thin washes of oil paint, colored inks and leather dye.
The clarified rawhide is transparent and more highly translucent than the parchment. The surface may be tinted with washes of dye or oil paints. Higgins Inks are excellent for putting designs on the uncolored surface. It should be applied on the under surface, and the colors are then softened as the light is transmitted through the tinted rawhide. White Ink may be used on areas for back ground or to diffuse the light in sections, leaving the rest translucent.
LINK WORK
Link work is a satisfactory handicraft for juvenile beginners in recreational groups. The projects shown in Cut 1—Belts, Head Harness, Wrist straps for watch and coin purse—are popular and inexpensive.
Fig. 1
Assembly details are shown in the Sketches A to V, Fig. 2. The method of attaching the belt end strap, Sketch R, is detailed on page 82.
Fig. 2
METHODS OF DECORATING LEATHER
Tooling Calf and Steerhide
Preparation of the Leather. Moisten the leather only sufficiently to make it pliable. Use a damp sponge or cloth and rub well over the flesh side first, then go lightly over the surface, until the color darkens uniformly. Do not have the leather wet enough for any moisture to ooze out when the tool is applied.
Edge Creasing.