Canadian Leathercrafter – Summer 2016

An issue of the Society’s newsletter, transcribed from the original. Download as PDF.

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The Canadian Society for Creative Leathercraft

CANADIAN LEATHERCRAFT

Volume LXIV No. 4 0045-5121 v/ Summer 2016

In this Edition...

Page 2 Notes from the Editor, Highlights of the past Executive Mtgs, Membership Info, CSCL Larmour Library Page 3 Workshop, CSCL Quilt

Page 5 Honourary Life Memberships - Madeleine Mitchell and Dorothy McPherson

Page 7 CSCL Library Review by Lauren Malec

Page 8 A 30-Second Elevator Speech; Bits and Pieces; Coming Events

Page 10 Doge Days of Summer 2016, Workshop - info for what the next workshop will be on

President: Jim Wilkes, Apt. 19, 289 Shepherd Ave, Cambridge, On. 1st Vice-Pres.: Lauch Harrison, 68 Tisdale St. S, Hamilton, ON

Editor: Barbara Chynoweth, 3350 Monck Rd., Norland, ON
Website: Kristi Cino, I or Eugene Pik
Privacy Officer: Lauch Harrison, 68 Tisdale St. S, Hamilton, ON
Website: www.canadianleathercraft.or.

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Note from the Editor....

Well we have had a very hot summer but sadly it is coming to an end and fall will be here soon. All the groups will be starting to meet again and we will be having some fall workshops. I would like to know what you would like to see covered in the news letter. Send me your suggestions or if you have some project you would like to have published please send it to me.

I would like to thank the MAL Members for contributions for the Summer edition, the Hamilton Branch will be contributing articles for the Fall edition and Mississauga Branch will be contributing for the Winter edition

The Quarterly Newsletter “Canadian Leathercraft” is your source of information about CSCL and its members. Also check out the CSCL website at www.canadianleathercraft.org and CSCL’s Facebook page.

Highlights from the Past Executive Council Meetings...

We have only had one meeting since the Spring edition and that was in May. Reports were presented on the 2016 Annual and they were happy to report that the event stayed in the BLACK.

The changes to the Constitution were passed at the Annual.

Some ideas for Workshops were mentioned, Molded Flasks possibly in September with Lauch and Sean. Hinged box in October and November possibly come to Norland to do them.

All the branches reported that they were busy with different projects.

CSCL Membership Have you paid your membership? It’s a new Membership Year (April 1 to March 31). Send your membership along with your cheque made out to “The Canadian Society for Creative Leathercraft” to our Membership Chair: Sheena Burger, 1085 Zion Rd, Little Britain, ON

General Member	General Member – Student*	Member-at-Large	Sustaining Member
Individuals interested in leathercraft who belong to one of the CSCL Branches. (Need not be a leathercraft person.) $40.00	A registered full-time student shall pay $5.00	Individual interested in leathercraft who does not belong to one of the CSCL Branches. (Need not be a leathercraft person.) $40.00	Commercial Organizations interested in supporting the Society. $100.00 or material equivalent to $100.00.

The CSCL lending Library of Books and Patterns can be referenced on our web site www.canadianleathercraft.org. Head to Gallery and click on CSCL Library of Books and Patterns. Under the Patter option there is 80 pages of patterns that may give you ideas of things to make. Under the Book section there is 13 pages of titles of Books and DVD’s about Leather crafting, design and colour. Remember these patterns and books are there for you to borrow from the library. Select item(s) you would like to borrow and send your list to Paul Kitchener at iy

Branch Presidents will assist in pickup and delivery of the orders from branch members.

Members-at-large may order directly from Paul and arrange shipping or printing options, fees may apply.

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Workshops

The Workshop Committee is looking for suggestions on what you would like to do a workshop on, email Lauch at RR with your ideas or suggestions.

CSCL Workshop Sewing a Leather Bag On Saturday, June 11", 2016, 10:00 - 4:00 a Workshop was conducted by Karen Weber on sewing a Leather bag.

The location was at Focused on Food, 885 Rangeview Road, Mississauga. We would like to thank Paul Kitchener for the use of the location and the use of his sewing machines. Everyone left with a completed bag. Thank you Karen.

Karen giving Jimmy instructions while Barry cuts leather Kim Winchester puts in a zipper

CSCL Quilt

Standing in front of the CSCL Quilt is like going back in time. My mother began doing leather in the late 1950’s and in the late 1970’s she was instrumental along with some other enthusiastic Leathercraft people in forming the Norland Leathercraft Society Branch. Thus began her many years of traveling to Toronto to attend the monthly Executive meetings. I look at the Quilt squares and I read names of people who were active in the CSCL back then, many of them no longer with us.

The first squares of the Quilt were created by Members in 1990 for the CSCL’s 40" Anniversary and since then we added to it for the 45" Anniversary in 1995, the 50" Anniversary in 2000 and the 55" Anniversary in 2005 and the 60" Anniversary in 2010. There are 89 squares from 71 crafters. When you look at the squares there are all kinds of styles and techniques.

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List of people who did squares – see full quilt on front cover
Peter David Dorothy Lois Don Bea Betsy Hilda Cindy Grove Windeyer McPherson MacPherson MacLeod Austin Rennie Chynoweth Magura Marion Laura May Kay Edith Madeleine Ruth Pat Lester Sim Bush Corbett Cloughley Melchoir- Mitchell Haig Bullock Pinter Hawkins
Marion Nancy Jessie Glenn Fred & Lea David Peter Darren Kehoe Durham Little Nelson Phyllis Love McPherson Grove Burger Brown
Silva Gladys Muriel Dorothy Gertrude Nora Lillian Marion Carol Fox Riddell McKnight Stanton Hiller Huyck Kay Kehoe Bromley Sean Bruce Sharon Nancy Harry Cal Jim Barbara Mary Dalgetty White Beasley Durham Wendland Lucas Edwards Chynoweth McDonald Cliff Kevin Bill Beula Hilda VIola Bill Joanna Barbara Zinck Armstrong Whittingham Reynolds Newitt Harris Whittingham Malec Hopkins Hilda Art Della Phyllis Hilda Jack Gloria Jim Tracey Chynoweth Cousins Howard McHale Chynoweth Sim Cousins Corbett Howard Phyllis CSCL Al Jim CSCL CSCL Roselle Marie Madeleine McHale Member Foss Wilkes Member Member Wallace Wheeler Mitchell Dorothy Al Jack Madeleine Betsy Sandra Loreen Roselle Lauren McPherson Foss Sim Mitchell Rennie Roberts Manuel Wallace McPherson Rene Emma Silva Don Barry Roselle Julia Laima
Hackstetter Windatt Fox MacLeod Taylor Wallace Malec Seller

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Honourary Life Membership Biography for Madeleine Mitchell

Madeleine always liked working with her hands - sewing, crocheting and even calligraphy. When a work friend suggested going to a “Leather Craft
Class” at the local Night School, in the early 1970’s, she jumped at the chance. The teacher was Carol McLean FCSCL. After making her first project, a tooled bookmark, she was hooked!
When Carol introduced carving and the dramatic effects of knife cuts and stamping tools, Madeleine stayed up for hours after the evening class just amazed at the results she could achieve. Carol introduced CSCL to the class and in 1975; Madeleine attended her first “Annual Meeting”.
Some of the people she met through the CSCL monthly meetings became mentors and remain lifelong friends.
By the 1980’s Madeleine was attending and participating in CSCL events and workshops with leathercrafters like Robert Muma, Beula Reynolds, Olivia Smith and her sister, Anne Hook, Jack Meharg, and others, whose articles are classic in the CSCL style, representing Canadian Leather Craft. Through the years she attended countless workshops and often included workshop pieces on display tables.
Through the years Madeleine helped welcome new Branches to CSCL like Norland and Mississauga, and saw the loss of Branches in Belleville, Barrie, London and her home branch of Woodstock in 2010.
She was always willing to participate in the running of CSCL and held offices in Woodstock, as well as with the
Executive Council of CSCL. Offices included Director, Secretary, Vice President and President. She chaired many Workshops, Biennial Exhibitions, and Annual Meetings, and from 2003 until 2016, served as Editor for the Canadian Leathercraft Newsletter.
Among her own leather articles are pieces that won Craftsman and Salon Ribbons as well as Special Awards such as the Ontario Crafts Council Design Award, Best in Show, and even the Woodstock Heritage Award.
Many CSCL members encouraged Madeleine to submit pieces for Associate and Fellow Standing, but she was happy, just producing leather articles that pleased her. She always says, she’s not a competitive person and the beauty of the leather was always enough.
Although, as of February 2016, health issues have limited Madeleine’s further participation in CSCL, it will always have a special place in her heart. She has only best wishes for the future of the Canadian Society for Creative
Leathercraft.

Honourary Life Membership Leather Biography: Dorothy McPherson

Dorothy’s aim has always been to help support and promote any arts organization which she belonged to without asking what the organization could do for her. She offered time and talent to serve on executives, actively participate in group projects and handle writing/publicity when asked to do so, and she has done this in CSCL as well.

While still actively engaged in professional writing she continues to promote leather artists. For CSCL she focused attention on fifty-three CSCL artists’ biographies in writing proposals for their Ontario Volunteer Service Award – which serve as CV credits. As well, she successfully acquired for three CSCL artists the following special awards: Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award, Ontario Crafts Council John
Mather Award For Lifetime Achievement and Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee
Medal. Each special award nomination application required 2-4 years in preparation and time.

After attending CSCL functions with husband David (who had joined in 1980) Dorothy joined CSCL in 1990, driving 3-hour round trips to attend HAMILTON LEATHER GUILD monthly meetings and there she served on the executive and

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conducted a Jewellery Workshop. She moved to London in 1997 and drove 2-hour round trips to attend WOODSTOCK LEATHER GUILD meetings and there served on the executive and conducted a Miniature Box Workshop.

Since the Woodstock Branch’s closing in 2010 Dorothy opened her home to small, informal meetings of London leathercrafters who decided to call themselves the London Leather Guild with no membership fee, no executive, and a social once-annually seasonal meeting with a leather demonstration. So, for several years now, an interest in leathercrafting has been maintained and nurtured and LLG members continue to promote leather at the CSCL Annual, through custom orders, and at London-area events such as Thorndale Fall Fair and Western Fair. LLG members continue to design and create leather pieces, exhibit, compete, retail, and some, CSCL members, attend the CSCL Annual and contribute to CANADIAN LEATHERCRAFT and one has been representing CSCL Members-at-large.

At an Annual in Lindsay Dorothy was asked to head a CSCL committee of five members whose job it was to consider “leather art” as in 2-dimensional and 3-D sculptures. They consulted several times that year via phone and email and, later, at an Executive Council meeting in Toronto, Dorothy did a short visual presentation showing illustrations of 2-D and 3-D art. No further recommendations were made at that time.

She submitted a list of possible new awards for the Executive Council’s consideration and some were adopted for a trial period. One of the awards, the London Jewellery Award, was awarded at the 61st Annual held at Dundurn Castle, Hamilton. (Dorothy and Marion Kehoe, who are both jewellery makers, sponsor that particular award.)

Dorothy served as Editor of CANADIAN LEATHERCRAFT periodical for two years. She also served on the national CSCL Executive Council for several years.

In September 2007, she represented CSCL at the Burlington Art Centre meeting chaired by then Ontario Crafts Council Executive Director Emma Quinn. At that meeting, the possibility was discussed of the Centre hosting a CSCLconducted workshop such as BELTMAKING. A workshop was later organized and offered there to the public.

At that Burlington meeting, when asked what OCC could do for CSCL, Dorothy expressed the wish that OCC host a leather show at the Toronto OCC Gallery. That Fall, after discussing that idea at the CSCL executive meeting, it was suggested that Dorothy broach the idea again to Emma Quinn and thus began a few years of liaisoning that resulted in LEATHER 2010: CONTAINMENT exhibition held in 2010.

After the founding of their family business, DURA MED MOBILITY, London, Dorothy set aside a corner of the front showroom for a display area (named TRC Gallery) of Canadian folk, and fine hand art which continued for several years before the company changed ownership. There, Dorothy, as Curator of TRC Gallery, staged monthy exhibitions of the fine hand art of dozens of skilled Canadian crafters – with two exhibitions focused solely on LEATHER in which the work of several CSCL members was featured thus adding a professional credit to participating artists for their Curriculum Vitae.

She presented workshops at several annual conventions including Norland and Hamilton.

She was Guest Artist at Studio Tours in Niagara, and at Ball’s Falls Conservation Area. She was also invited as Guest Artist to solo exhibit her leather work in galleries@galleria three front-windows, London.

She competed successfully in Canadian National Exhibition leather categories and also in Ontario Crafts Council’s Wellington County Museum Exhibition and in LEATHER 2010: CONTAINMENT, OCC Gallery, Toronto.

Above are some of Dorothy’s contributions to the advancement of Canadian leathercrafting. An international doll maker/writer/publisher/playwright/stitchery maven she taught Fine Arts courses for five years for Niagara South Board of Education, founded two fine arts guilds, and started BEAVER FLATS PUBLISHING all while enjoying favourite pastimes of reading and instrumental music. Dorothy keeps busy in her pursuit of the promotion of the arts – especially leather.

(Dated May 2016)

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CSCL Library Review By Lauren Malec

#210 - How To Lace, E.U. Drake, Copyright 1947, 14 pages, softcover
Originally sold for 75 cents, this complete book of 15 Types of Lacing teaches 13 kinds of hand stitches plus Venetian Lace and Mexican Basket Weave. This author’s 158 illustrations include use of the Spacing Wheel, Divider, Round Hole Punches, Thonging Chisel and Lacing Needle. More black and white step-by-step drawings of the ‘single, double, triple and quadruple cordovan lacing’ depict each technique preceded by a box picturing the respective tools used.

#32 - The Basics of Creative Stamping, Paul Burnett, Copyright Tandy Leather Company 1978, 20 pages, softcover Within this book’s 20 pages, colourful layouts of Keyfobs, Hide-A-Way Watchbands, Buckles, 4-Hook Key Cases, Checkbook Cover, Executive Wallets, Pocket Secretary, Triple-fold Billfolds, Billfold and Wallets are discussed and considered in terms of measurements using layout lines and marks. Phases of gaining stamping tool knowledge aid the reader and imply that experimentation equals excitement so that with some very basic knowledge about tools, design and color your own design accent and impressions will add beauty.

#44 - Bookbinding Basics, Lionel S. Darley, Copyright 1965, 118 pages, softcover
The Contents page of this Coles Publishing, copyright 1980 Edition, directs the reader to the chapter Binding In Leather on page 57 and through to the hand binder’s tools and the sequence of operation: “Handbinding is not an easy craft to learn; there are no short cuts to achievement; it demands from its followers, patience, great neatness in working, as much good taste as can be diligently cultivated and a steadfast determination to succeed” (pg. 9). For the amateur, morocco or genuine goat is suggested. The special trade of fine bookbinding is described throughout and ends with a two-page index.

#188 - Maritime Art 1941-1943, Published by the Maritime Art Association, 170 pages, hardcover
New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and PEI are our Canadian Maritime provinces. An editorial article begins this book: “One hundred and fifty artists, museum directors, art historians, and interested laymen gathered at Queens University from June 26 to June 29, 1941, to attend the first national Conference of Canadian Artists” (pg. 3). This issue contains hundreds of magazine articles on all branches of Canadian artists, advertisements, activities, exhibitions and illustrations from the early 1940’s, “truly indispensable if you are interested in the cultural life of our Dominion.”

#49 - Quilting – Learn to Quilt With Leather, Designs by Patricia Converse, 64 pages, softcover
After three pages of general materials instruction this coloured, glossy-page book provides 12 project patterns to complete: Navajo Lightning tri-tone quilt, Prairie Point pillow (14 inch square), Autumn Colours landscape wallhanging, Black Beauty horse reverse-appliquéd pillow, Log Cabin Trio velvet pigskin suede pillows, Autumn Leaves pillow (5 sq ft saddle tan doe kidskin), Royal Ranch Throw (50”x59”), Reverse Appliqué Starburst pillow, Amish Inspiration wall quilt (38” square), Winter Evergreens appliqué quilt (50”x50”), and Western Nights black leather with silver concho button round ruffled pillow. At the end find an Embroidery Stitch Guide and a Meet The Designer page.

#82 - Wallycraft, Published by “Atlas” Handicrafts, Manchester, 18 pages, softcover
What is Wallycraft? Glue, bend, twist and trim wool-woven wire called Wally Twist into small animal figurines. The basic tools required are pliers, scissors, clothes pegs, wire teasel brush, felt, glass eyes and Wally Twist.

#363 - Practical Home Tanning and Fur Dressing, Maurice H. Decker, 1945, 53 pages, softcover
Complete with an Index, in this 4X6 inch booklet the suggestion is made that “with necessary labour and care, success in tanning hides and skins is not difficult of attainment” (pg. 48). Tan your own catch from light skins to hides of larger value: snake, alligator and shark skins, the hides of cattle, horses, calves, sheep, dogs, deer, mountain lions, etc. The ‘breaking process’ is the work to pull and stretch, rub the hide until the fibers are broken and softened. The very physical work of grasping, scraping and repeating is the process of ‘crutching’ which both softens and slicks leather.

#218 - Folk Art Motifs of Pennsylvania, Frances Lichten, 1954, 71 pages, softcover
Amidst the 195 illustrations (41 in full colour) are this author’s findings, peasant art and the work of craftsmen that were the early settlers, Pennsylvania German, less properly called Pennsylvania Dutch. It is prefaced with evident

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enthusiasm for the traditional and authentic motifs: “tulip, heart, bird, urn, pomegranate, dove, cock, peacock, parrot, eagle, barn symbol, soldier, mermaid, heraldic animal and more.” Acknowledgements, introduction and professional signature binding make for a permanent book.

A 30-SECOND ELEVATOR SPEECH:

“What leathercraft means to me” By Lauren Malec

Leathercraft is about constructing, traditionally, cowboy boots, saddles, baseballs, belts. One talented leathercrafter recently gave me a long, satin-lined, ladies leather coat that she purchased for herself after shipping the cowhides to a custom manufacturer: a gorgeous natural leather coat. Canada’s national leather guild is the place to see these techniques and to meet more artisans skilled in lettering, purses, dragons, jewellery, hinged boxes, journals; the list goes on; leathercraft is a luxury for everyone.

BITS AND PIECES

 Canada is the second largest country on earth – 10 million square kilometres (www.canadafacts.org).
 Applying for Branch affiliation with the CSCL,
Belleville Branch was inaugurated at the
Annual Meeting, April 1965 (CANADIAN
LEATHERCRAFT, Spring 1965, pg. 3).
 It was reported four years after Hamilton
Leathercraft Guild joined CSCL, that 9 workshops were held in the summer of 1960 at various Hamilton leathercrafters homes (CANADIAN LEATHERCRAFT, Autumn 1960, pg.
11).
 “1950 - Seventeen committed craftspeople formed the Society for Creative Leathercraft to encourage original designs and establish high (LtoR) Dorothy McPherson visits with Marion Kehoe standards of craftsmanship. A quarterly at AMICA, London, to thank Marion for nominating her bulletin Canadian Leathercraft, appeared the for the recently awarded CSCL Honourary Life next year, and the next year after that, the Membership.
first of its travelling exhibitions” (A Fine Line:
Studio Crafts in Ontario from 1930 to Present, pg. xii).

COMING EVENTSCOMING EVENTSCOMING EVENTS***

Canada will be celebrating its 150th Anniversary of Confederation in 2017.

Canada’s 150th Birthday, CSCL’s 67th Annual, the global Million Tree Challenge, CANADIAN LEATHERCRAFT Summer 2016, Western Fair’s 150th Birthday: all of these highly anticipated events inspired a commemorative leathercraft souvenir, Sugar Maple Leaflet, (photo below) newly handcrafted and designed to emphasize reading, agriculture, industry, writing, leathercraft and Canada.

The centre of our Canadian flag is a stylish drawing of the sugar maple’s leaf, a 5-lobe leaf from a tree that can grow for over 200 years. Currently there are reforestation programs in London Ontario to promote participation in the planting of native tree species. Acer saccharum is known to produce 1L of syrup/40L of sap, grow to 35m tall, and attracts autumn tourists to its brilliant colours.

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Interior: Make a ‘bookblock’ of signatures with deckle edge (torn) using 90lb watercolor acid free paper. A few pages are purposely folded for variety of depth, glued together at the front edge and to the exterior, resulting in the intended flared page appearance.

Exterior: Start with a 3x8 inch, 4-6 oz. red suede leather scrap. A maple leaf pattern is cut out, positioned on an angle of the leaflet spine for a final open size of 3x4.5 inches plus a 3.5 inch long slit wrap-over loop closure.

Porcupine Quill Embroidery, demonstrated at the 66th Annual CSCL Sugar Maple Leaflet (original leathercraft Convention, hosted by the Norland Branch, is a technique that could be by Lauren Malec) used to embellish this leathercraft souvenir. Beading, a later tradition built upon this embroidery, would be decorative option also, although lighter weight leather is easier to handstitch.

Trace the leaves of trees native to your town or city and the Canadian commemorative celebration continues, a maple leaf forever!

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER 2016

Shorthaired Dachshund:

This wire/clay armature and leather maché dog sculpture was entered at the CSCL 58th Annual – Junior Display Table (Dachs meaning badger, hund meaning dog).

Note Hound:

Cut from sole leather and soft leather paws and collar with a clothes peg for a nose, this is an easy puzzle pattern. (Pattern As
Printed In The Craftsman, Volume XV,
Number 2, Jan-Feb 1971, pg. 32.)
There was a little Dachshund once, So long, it had no notion,
How long it took to notify
His tail of his emotion.
In 2017 Canada will be celebrating her 150th. And so it was, that though his eyes Were filled with woe and sadness, Please send in pictures and a write up on what you His little tail kept wagging on or your Branch created for Canada’s 150 Birthday Because of previous gladness.
for the Summer edition.

(Poem As Printed In Canadian Leathercraft, Volume XVI, No. 3, Spring 1967, pg. 5)

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It’s The Hottest Day Of The Year And The Wi-Fi Isn’t Working By Lauren Malec

It’s the hottest day of the year and the Wi-Fi isn’t working! So I decided to leathercraft.

This Dog Tag Silencer, a custom dog tag holder, is a serious canine summer accessory.

Over the years our metal dog licence tags have been different shapes but basically the same size which will allow renewals to be a cinch to replace from this holder. Hoping this leathercraft is still hanging around for Canada’s 150th birthday! CSCL library book #210, How To Lace

After cutting two of this Canadian flag maple leaf pattern out of a small piece of 2 oz. red chrome tanned leather scrap and one smaller maple leaf for a window there were only two more steps to complete.

Step One:
Double loop stitch is typically reserved for medium leather but all I wanted was the bottom edge laced. With three versions of instructions (see pool picture), including today’s CSCL library book #210, as well as, another Associate leathercrafter’s example of a gusset purse laced fully with precise double loop stitch, a bag of 2.34mm wide brown lace leftovers and a borrowed slot punch the pool party lacing practice began. At the ends I tucked the lace ends inside between the two leaves and used the roller tool.

Step Two:
Punch a hole in the top to secure the dog tag between the two leaves. I added an extra ring for swing.

Finally, dress up your dog; my dog hid behind the shrubbery at the first sign of water!

Maple Leaf Dog Tag Silencer

The next Workshop will be on Leather Bombards, Blackjacks, and Mugs. Different Styles of drinking vessels.
More information on dates, locations and cost to follow.

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CSCL would like to thank the following Contributors who supplied Prizes for the President’s Draw Table at For more picture on the Workshops and the
the Annual 2016th Annual visit:

Tundra Leather, Hamilton, www.tundraleather.ca 2016 CSCL annual convention - Canadian Society for Barry King, www.barykingtools.com Creative Leathercraft https://goo.gl/photos/aq1kVkGUFRQMHvZZ8 Chan Greer, Leathercrafter
Knotty Linda, Leathercrafter CSCL - Sewing machine workshop - part 1
Norland Branch https://goo.gl/photos/woQpQV4oAztGtK8H8 Mississauga Branch
Hamilton Branch CSCL - pewter casting workshop - part 1
Lauch Harrison https://goo.gl/photos/wmyPrzDSG7ZXcCp68
Barbara Chynoweth
Sea Leather Wear, Calgary Lasting Boxes - CSCL workshop
Roz 'The Dragon Lady' Kaohn https://goo.gl/photos/tW2bmMrYeASCKuph6 Madeleine Mitchell
Pro Series Tools - Bob Beard
Tandy Leather, Mississauga

Garage Sale Find: Vintage and Discontinued, $39.95 each