Leather work on a budget

[Dustin]

I love Hobby Lobby sometimes. So, I'm knew to the whole ren faire scene, and I'm going to my first faire next month, and I wanted to go in garb. So, I'm borrowing the clothing from a Shakespearean theatre group I'm a member of, but I need the other stuff to go with. So I went scouting around at craft stores, and found an 8 ounce bag of Tandy premium leather remnants for $2.99. My wife noticed that it had what looked like a good size piece in it. It was about 18" X 13". I've got the makings of a pouch cut out - including a leather lace to tie it shut (my wife is sewing - I'm stupid with a needle), I just made a mug strap (for the aluminum? tankards I found at GoodWill at 2 for 88 cents), and I have a longish piece that I'm gonna wrap around my wooden staff for a handle. How cool is that? Once everything is done, I'll post pictures in the finished projects thread.

[Lady Renee Buchanan]

Great way to do it, D Oliver!  Besides saving in the pocketbook, it's so much more meaningful to have something that you made that you really like.  I'll look forward to meet you and your wife and to see your projects.

[Dustin]

I'm the creative mind, usually, but she has all the skills in the sewing department. She's also making the garb for her and the kids (I'm borrowing a lot of mine from a theatre group).

[Lady Christina de Pond]

  I love hobby lobby all the time. Yeah i've thought of making my own vampbraces out of the leather they have there can't wait to see your pics sounds cool

[jcbanner]

Hobby Lobby can be good for some things with leather like lace, thread, punches, ect, but I wouldn't recommend them for buying leather.  yeah, you can buy a piece there for a few bucks, but inch for inch, the leather there costs more for the same area vsus buying a larger piece from a leather store like Tandy.

But for some projects, salvaged leathers work great.  I've seen leather coats at second hand shops or places like Goodwill that are relatively inexpensive.  And garment weight leathers are really nice for things like belt pouches.  Old used belts can be cut up to make tankard straps, skirt hikes, and any other number of leather straps needed.

[Tami MacLeod]

Picked up a 4xl leather duster from good will, for 8.99
The lady at check out goes " is that for you? no i guess not its really huge" then  saids" wow your man must be a big one"
I said " No i am going to cut it up and make lots of things with it"
The look on her face was like...huh?
so i said, well i can make pouches and a vest and gloves and so on
she saids" oh like those people from the ren faires who never wash"
all i could do was laugh and said
yes thats me..
she shut up
i dont care , i got a great deal on leather.. that almost looks like new

[jcbanner]

Lol, thanks for sharing. 

[lady serena]

Here is a site for some reasonable leather and they sell scraps of leather too!

http://www.brettunsvillage.com/leather/