An issue of the Society’s newsletter, transcribed from the original.
(11 pages, 4.0 MB)
the full-resolution scan, 5.4 MB, for close research
Page 1
The Canadian Society for Creative Leathercraft CANADIAN LEATHERCRAFT
Volume LXVIIII No. 6
0045-5121
January, February, March, April - 2023
The CSCL 73rd Annual Convention
June 2nd and 3rd, 2023
Come and join us
In this Edition…
Page 2 Notes from the Editor, Highlights of the past Executive Mtgs, Membership Info, CSCL Larmour Library
Page 3 – Feeling Creative, Buy and Sell.
Page 4 – 5 and 6 Petal Flower Pin by Carol McLean
Page 5 – Ranger Belt
Page 6 – Fashion Wrist Band by Peter Grove
Page 7 - 8 – Saddle Stitching - How too
Page 9 To ‘Tans’ or ‘Not To Tans’ from Members-At-Large
Page 10 73rd Annual Convention
Page 11 CSCL Virtual Leatherwork Annual Competition 2023 ©2023 Canadian Society for Creative Leathercraft All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission of the copyright holder is prohibited.
To contact any of our Executive please refer to the CONTACT section of our Website.
Website: www.canadianleathercraft.org
Facebook [Facebook page removed]
President: Lauch Harrison
1st Vice-Pres.: Jim Wilkes
Past President: Jim Wilkes
Treasurer: Della Chynoweth
Secretary: Lauren Malec
Membership: Kim Winchester
Editor: Barbara Chynoweth
ECO ( Electronic Communications Officer): Eugene Pik
Privacy Officer: Lauch Harrison
Workshops: Lauch Harrison, Jim Wilkes
Page 2 — Notes from the Editor, Highlights of the past Executive Mtgs, Membership Info, CSCL Larmour Library
Note from the Editor….
The 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.
I am always looking for articles for the Newsletter, do you have a project that you have done that you think everyone would be interested in seeing, we are looking for articles?
After stepping into the shoes of Madeleine Mitchell who was the Editor from September 2003 to
September 2016 I have decide to pass the job on to a new Editor, this will be my last edition. I have enjoyed editing the Newsletter and searching for information and articles. I wish only the best for the new Editor and that they have much success.
Highlights from the Past Executive Council Meetings….
The CSCL Executive continues to meet on Zoom.
At the January meeting the Executive decided to hold an in person Annual Meeting and that Hamilton would be the host.
At the February meeting the Virtual Annual Photo Competition was announced.
At the March meeting the Virtual Annual Photo Competition rules and regulations were determined.
Planning for the 73rd Convention were worked on.
CSCL Membership
Have you paid your membership? It’s a new Membership Year (April 1 to March 31).
- If you are joining trough a branch pay your CSCL membership to the Branch Treasurer along with your branch membership fee.
- If you are joining as a Member-at-Large or Sustaining Member send your membership payment to the CSCL Treasurer: Della Chynoweth, [address removed], Norland, Ontario [postal code removed] or you can e-transfer to [email address removed] Please be sure to include your contact information.
| 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. |
CSCL Larmour Lending Library
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 Pattern 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 [email address removed]
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.
Page 3 — Feeling Creative, Buy and Sell
Feeling Creative?
One of our Corporate Members - Stanley Major from Sea Leather Wear supplied Fish Skins to the CSCL. The skins were sent to the Branch Presidents to be distributed to branch members. The MAL were contacted by Lauren to see if any of them wanted a Fish Skin to use in making an item. Seek out your President and ask for some skins if you weren't aware of them.
At the November Meeting of the CSCL Executive, a motion was passed to introduce a onetime Award at the 2023 CSCL Convention for the best item made using Fish Skins in its construction. The Award will be a $50.00 cash award.
If you have any tools that you are interested in selling please send the information in and we will advertise it in the Newsletter OR if you are looking for a specific tool and have been unable to find it maybe someone has an extra that they would be willing to sell. Let us know.
Page 4 — Petal Flower Pin by Carol McLean
5 AND 6 PETAL FLOWER PINS
With Free Form Leaves and opt. Curled Accents CAROL McLEAN F.C.S.C.L.
These pins make lovely gifts and are also a very saleable item. I am giving you the pattern for both 5 and 6 petaled flowers with petal shape variations, Feel free to vary the outer shape of the petals so that your pins are all not identical. DRAFTING: If you WANT TO DRAFT your own patterns in the future, just divide the 360 degrees of a circle by the number of petals that you want. EQ. 360 divided by 5 is 72 degrees and 360 divided by 6 is 60 degrees. Draw a circle the size of the flower that you want, draw a line across the exact middle of the circle and then, using your protractor, mark off the number of degrees until you have all of the petals sections defined. You can then decide upon the shape at the end of the petals. Make all of the petal ends the same on a single flower.
5 Petals 6 Petals 5 Petals
Make your template out of cardboard or see-through plastic material. (You can use the flexible cutting boards that are available at the $ Stores.) Just lay it over the pattern, trace and cut out. I find that a fine indelible marking pen is best for the tracing operation. This makes a very durable pattern that will ‘endure many tracings. Punch small holes at the dots in the middle of the pattern. Trace around the template on to the damp leather and mark the dots with your tracing tool. Then simply cut around the leather on the traced lines and then cut into the dots for the individual petals. I used wallet weight for mine. For the Free-Form Leaves; leave a bit of leather between your traced flowers when you are marking them. This is then used for the leaves later.
Dampen the leather. Shape the flowers as desired by pinching the petal tips and contouring each petal.
- Let dry. Make a centre for the flower, eg. Fringe or button etc. When dry, select a piece of the "leftover
- in between" leather. Hold it behind your flower shape and see if you can cut 1 2 or 3 “leaf tips” from it. Also see if there is some leather available to cut some curled accents. Using the flower as your guide, free hand cut the leaves and then the strips for the Curled Accents. (This all remains as one piece.) Dampen the “leaf” leather and shape according to the flower shape's needs. Twirl and then curl the accents on to the top of the flower shape. Let all dry together.
Dye as desired. Smooth any edges as needed. Apply desired finish. Let dry. Assemble the flowerfleaf pieces with a good quality glue. Then adhere the pin back.
[“Flowerfleaf” is printed exactly so — the Society's own typo for “flower/leaf” — and is kept as printed.]
Page 5 — Ranger Belt
A VERY POPULAR STYLE BELT IS THE "RANGER" TYPE. THIS STYLE HAS THE BILLET AND BUCKLE END SEWED OR LACED TO THE BELT STRAP.
FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS BELOW!
HOW TO MEASURE "RANGER" BELTS
1¼" SLOT FOR BUCKLE END — POSITION OF CENTER HOLE OF BILLET — WAIST MEASURE, then 4½" to the center hole.
INSTALL SNAPS.... THEN ATTACH BILLET AND BUCKLE ENDS AS DESCRIBED BELOW.
SNAP STUD, SNAP EYELETS, SNAP BUTTON, SNAP SOCKETS, BELT LOOP — DETAIL OF ASSEMBLY. VIEW SHOWING HOW BELT BUCKLES TOGETHER. Dimensions on the buckle-strap pattern: 3/8", 1¼", 1¾", 7/8" to the BUCKLE TONGUE SLOT.
3/4" BUCKLE END AND BILLET PATTERNS
ATTACH SNAPS AS SHOWN BELOW: BUTTONS & SOCKETS TO BELT LEATHER... STUDS & EYELETS TO BUCKLE STRAP. NOTE: HOW TO MAKE LEATHER LOOPS ON PAGE 10.
BUCKLE, LEATHER BELT LOOP, BILLET LOOP...OR KEEPER (METAL OR LEATHER), SKIVE BUCKLE END AS SHOWN ON PAGE 9, BUCKLE STRAP, BELT LEATHER, EDGE VIEW, CRAFTOOL No. 990 3/32" LACING CHISEL, GUIDE LINE 3/32", BORDER LINE 3/16", LACE -OR- SEW, AWL HOLES, HARNESS NEEDLES, WAXED LINEN THREAD.
Dimensions on the belt-leather pattern: 5/8", 1 3/8", 7/8", 1¼". 3/4" (OR WIDTH OF BUCKLE STRAP) SLOT. CUT OUT SLOT IN BELT LEATHER WITH A BAG PUNCH.
Right-hand strip, the buckle-end and billet pattern: DETERMINES WIDTH OF BILLET — 1", 3/4", 5/8".
① BUCKLE END ASSEMBLY
[This page is a dense pattern diagram for a "Ranger"-style belt, with dozens of small hand-lettered dimension callouts around the drawings, most too small and crowded to read as running text. Transcribed here: the running instructions and diagram labels in full, with the dimension figures grouped by the drawing they annotate rather than in their exact scattered positions on the page.]
Page 6 — Fashion Wrist Band by Peter Grove
This is a pattern from a workshop that Peter Grove held
Fashion Wrist Band
On the larger piece cut the leather were the + marks are. When the two pieces of leather are glued together the cut section will be raised up and you will be able to see the exotic leather through the cut lines.
Next punch holes around the edge of the two parts of the Wrist Band and lace.
Attach a snap at each end to be able to close the Wrist
Band.
These can be done in different colours to match your wardrobe.
Page 7 — Saddle Stitching - How too
SADDLE STITCHING
TOOLS USED: GOUGE COMPASS, OVERSTITCH, CHUCK TYPE AWL – USE DIAMOND SHAPED POINT, WAXED THREAD or FLAX THREAD, HARNESS NEEDLES, BEE'S WAX, STITCHING PONY, KNIFE.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. ADJUST COMPASS TO DESIRED DEPTH, ⅛" TO ¼". CUT CHANNEL ALONG EDGE TO BE STITCHED.
2. MARK SPACING POSITION WITH OVERSTITCH. MARK WITHIN GROOVE.
3. PIERCE THROUGH LEATHER WITH AWL. BE SURE TO USE A DIAMOND POINT. STUDY THE NEXT STEP CAREFULLY.
4. WATCH THE ANGLE CLOSELY. IF PUT IN WRONG WILL TEAR OUT QUICKLY. PLACE POINT DIAGONALLY IN GROOVE.
5. SELECT PROPER NEEDLE AND THREAD. TO POINT THREAD SCRAPE END WITH BLADE, AS SHOWN.
6. TO LOCK THREAD, UNRAVEL CLOSE TO EYE. PASS END THROUGH. UNRAVEL ¾" FURTHER DOWN & PASS END THROUGH.
7. WAX END TO FUSE THREAD TOGETHER.
8. TWO NEEDLES ARE REQUIRED. ONE AT EACH END. THREAD AS SHOWN IN STEPS 6 AND 7.
9. START BY PLACING NEEDLE THRU FIRST HOLE. EVEN UP THE THREAD ON EACH SIDE.
[This page is a hand-lettered diagram — a tools key and nine captioned instructional drawings for saddle stitching leather, including a "wrong angle" vs "proper angle" detail for step 4 — with lettering too small and crowded to read as running text. Transcribed in full here; the step numbers are the page's own circled numerals.]
Page 8
CONTINUED
10. PUSH ONE NEEDLE THROUGH SECOND HOLE.
11. PUSH OTHER NEEDLE THROUGH SAME (SECOND) HOLE.
12. GRASP THREAD ON EACH SIDE & PULL TIGHTLY.
13. PUSH NEEDLE FROM BACK SIDE THRU THIRD HOLE. THEN PUSH OTHER NEEDLE THRU SAME HOLE.
14. TIGHTEN STITCH AS BEFORE. CONTINUE STITCHING AS INSTRUCTED TO THE END OF PROJECT.
15. TO END, BACK STITCH THRU TWO HOLES. CUT THREADS OFF FLUSH WITH LEATHER.
16. RUN OVERSTITCH WHEEL OVER STITCHES.
Materials Needed
Burnishing block (canvas), bee's wax, edger, dye or edge kote.
Finishing Edge
Step 1. REMOVE CORNERS OF EDGE WITH EDGER, USE ON BOTH SIDES.
Step 2. APPLY EDGE KOTE OR DYE ALONG EDGE.
Step 3. RUB BEE'S WAX ALONG EDGE.
Step 4. BURNISH EDGE WITH BURNISHING BLOCK. RUB BACK AND FORTH.
[This page continues the saddle-stitching diagram from the previous page (steps 10 through 16, each a captioned drawing of the needles and holes) and adds a second diagram, "Finishing Edge" in four steps, with a Materials Needed key of the burnishing block, bee's wax, edger, and dye or edge kote. The hand lettering is small and crowded enough that little of it can be read as running text. Transcribed in full here. The faint mirrored "SADDLE STITCHING" heading and tool key visible behind the drawings are bleed-through from the facing page and are not this page's own content.]
Page 9 — To ‘Tans’ or ‘Not To Tans’ from Members-At-Large
To ‘Tans’ or ‘Not To Tans’ By CSCL Members-At-Large
Let’s look at ‘tans’!
Leathercrafters are quite familiar with tanning: to change animal skin into leather using special chemicals such as tannin. Sueded and glazed fish leather will be recognized at the guild’s upcoming 73rd Anniversary; visit the CSCL Facebook in June to see all award winners.
The TANGRAM SET, shown left, is a square that has been divided into seven simple shapes, which are called tans.
Playing tangrams on a flat surface is an imaginative game. The idea is to manipulate the pieces to create a shape. All pieces must touch, lying flat with no overlapping.
The next time you plan to design your own leathercraft carving, you might want to try making a new shape depicting an interesting object. This is also a game for two or more players. One set of tans is needed per player.
Sea Life, pictured right, are original silhouette samples sourced from hundreds of possible solutions, as illustrated in a ©2002 puzzle book!
Tight lines!
Page 10 — 73rd Annual Convention
The Hamilton Leather Guild Invites you to the 73rd Annual Convention Weekend For The Canadian Society for Creative Leathercraft
June 2 & 3, 2023
The Convention will be held at the Visitors Inn Hotel Hamilton 649 Main Street West, (Hwy 8 & 403), Hamilton, Ontario L8S 1A2
For more information contact Lauch Harrison at [email address removed]
[Contact details are withheld here, as throughout this edition for newsletters from 2016 on.]
Page 11 — CSCL Virtual Leatherwork Annual Competition 2023
CSCL Virtual Leatherwork Annual Competition 2023 Cash Prizes.and Awards
For Best in Show ($50) Best Moulding, Best Tooling or Colouring (Robert Muma Award $50), Best Hard Sculpture ($20), Woodstock Heritage ($50). Best Novice, Student, General Member, Associate Member, Fellow Awards and other Categories as deemed necessary.
Members can only enter one Competition " Criteria for the Virtual Leatherwork Entries
If you enter this Competition, you cannot enter your pieces for prizes at the AGM Competition. Competition Opens on April 18, 2023
Entries close May 18, 2023 at midnight.
Entries are free.
Open to all members in good standing.
Maximum of articles/item per Member is 5
Minimum of 4 photos per item. Photos must show all sides/angles
Photos must be in focus
300Kb Minimum size
Explanation/Description of each piece less than 50 words would be appreciated. Especially if difficult and hidden aspects can’t be shown.
Send your entries to this Address [email address removed]