Reviews (5)

FIT does another great job.
This book is essentially a guide to a student show but includes all of the patterns and contstruction techniques to make the items featured.Excellent instructions plus guidance on choosing suitable materials and where and how to obtain them.Includes all the patterns on tear out pages so that you can take them to the copier to enlarge them to the exact size of the samples.It even includes e-mail addresses for the people whose work is featured.Truly an excellent additon to the library of the aspiring handbag artist.

Do things with your home sewing machine you never thought you could!
I own several books on making handbags, and this is hands down my favorite.Instead of using the book for its step by step patterns, I've used it as a resource book on how to create things with alternative materials.I've applied the techniques contained in this book to many alternative materials such as naugahide (sp?) and vinyl.What I really appreciated was the breakdown so the projects can be done on home sewing machines instead of by hand or with industrial machines.All of my bags are made from recycled materials and owning this reference has really helped me bring my work up to a whole new level.The project gallery at the end of the book is just as inspirational as the projects themselves.Enjoy!

FABULOUS!!!!!
This is a wonderful book.It is great for novice handbag designers to use as a learning tool...It's also great for expert designers to use for great inspiration.I would recommend it to anyone who loves handbags!
Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. General    4. Handbags    5. Hobbies/Crafts    6. Leathercraft    7. Leatherwork    8. Sewing    9. Handicrafts   

Reviews (7)

Simple and to the point
This book is very simple and to the point. It has great diagrams to show how to do the braiding. Very easy to understand. I am very glad to have found it. Thanks

As Good As It Gets
This is pretty much as good as leather braiding instruction books get for people who want to make authentic, impressive, usable things, right now.
Good Inexpensive Alternative
Bought this at a Tandy store many years ago and had to replace it recently (made the "mistake" of loaning it out). I bought this instead of Encyclopedia of Rawhide and Leather Braiding. by Bruce Grant. While the other book may be good, the price tag made me balk and not being able to actually flip through it first made me wonder about if it was worth the money.
Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Hobbies/Crafts    4. Leathercraft    5. Weaving    6. Handicrafts   

Reviews (17)

A Leader in the field...
Accurate reliable details about the natural processing of game animal hides are well organized and easily understood within this offering.If you want just one source on "tanning" hides--this is the one I would recommend: both book and the DVD.There is a lifetime of experience and work preserved in both book and DVD.Excellent stuff.

Deerskins Into Buckskins: How To Tan with Natural Materials
This is the most in depth and comprehensive book on the subject of brain tanning that I have purchased.The Author does not hide any of his secrets.I have already done a couple of smaller skins and am satisfied that the methods that Matt Richards teaches are what I was looking for.I am now ready to move on to a deer hide, and I have also purchased two fresh buffalo hides, one to rawhide, and the other for a braintan robe.My freezer is filling up fast.Thank you Matt Richards for putting your knowledge into print.

Very good on subject but could do without the social lecture
This has a great deal of good info on turning deerskins into buckskins, which is what one would expect from a book with such a title.I bought this book primarily to find ways to better prepare the skins of small game animals like rabbits, fox etc.And for that purpose the book was NOT intended, so I'm still looking.The one really bad point about the book is that the author was/is a hippie (not that there is anything wrong with that) but I found it really irritating to have to read through a bunch of social comentary which was really irrelavant to the topic of the book in order to get at all the useful info.But, hey!That's just me.You just might dig it.Yeah man!Groovy. ;) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts / Hobbies    2. General    3. Leathercraft    4. Nature    5. Nature/Ecology    6. Reference    7. Handicrafts   

Reviews (2)

Antique Trunks:Identification & Price Guide
It is just what I wanted.Like it very much.

A New Classic!
A treasure trove on this fascinating subject, the informative text, beautiful photos, and handsome lay-out, combine to make this tome invaluable. This well-researched work paints a portrait of a young and eager nation moving on.Whether you're a serious collector or a casual consumer, this exquisite book will chronicle for you the unique industry of American trunk making. The dozens of color photos bring the past to life. Looks great on the coffee table too! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Antiques    2. Antiques & Collectibles    3. Antiques / Collectibles    4. Antiques/Collectibles    5. Catalogs    6. Collectors and collecting    7. General    8. Leather And Fur Industries    9. Reference - Price Guides    10. Trunks (Luggage)    11. Antiques & Collectables    12. Reference works   

Reviews (8)

Native American Beadwork & more!
This is a great book for those looking for authentic beadwork styles. The author covers a broad range of styles. He also discusses different backgrounds and even provides instruction for hide tanning.

Preserving tribal styles and techniques
The author, Joel Monture, is a professor of traditional arts at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe.His thorough textbook documents not only native American beadwork techniques, but the tedious methods of leather preparation that are necessary prior to beading.
It's worth looking at.
I just got this book along with two others the other night. Haven't had the chance yet to read it completely yet. Having scanned it a bit though, I would say the section with color photos is good, particularly if you're a crafter looking for patterns. The text I've read up to this point is good and worth reading. I've had a little bit of a hard time with some of the diagarms though, particularly some of the ones dealing with hides and hide tanning. Not that I'm looking to tan hides right now, but I thought it would still be interesting to understand the process. Several of the stitch diagrams are easier to follow though. There are black and white photos as well in this book. Most came out fine, but I think a there are a few that must have had poor lighting. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Beadwork    2. Costume and adornment    3. Crafts & Hobbies    4. Crafts / Hobbies    5. Handbooks, manuals, etc    6. Hobbies/Crafts    7. Indian beadwork    8. Indians of North America    9. Jewelry    10. Leather Arts And Crafts    11. Native American Art    12. North America    13. Textile Arts - General    14. Crafts & Hobbies / Folkcrafts    15. Embroidery    16. Fashion design    17. The Americas   

Reviews (2)

Leather Tooling & Carving
Upon receiving the book, I was NOT too impressed. Although the book had some good "tid-bits" of information, it did not stand-up to it's title. (TOOLING & CARVING). About 1/5th of the book covered "tooling & carving" VERY LIGHTLY, and the rest were leather-working projects. As a matter of fact, keep in mind that this books copyright date is 1950 - so you can guess at some of the projects. But it is a decent book, and does cover some of the topics "lightly". I wish I could find something else to help me raise it to a rating of THREE STARS...but I can't. But as a helpful hint, you cannot go wrong with any of the "Al Stohlman" leather-working books. (Look for these, invest in these, be pleased with these). So to end, it's an OK book, but you can invest in a better product. Support your local leather-craft distributers, as they should carry the above mentioned books. (Hey...I bet Amazon.com may carries one or two of "Al's" books).

Good addition to your leather working library
This is a good book of project and design ideas for those still mastering the skills of leathercraft, as well as, the accomplished leather worker looking for different ideas.Projects are on a basic to intermediate levelof accomplishment. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts / Hobbies    2. Leather carving    3. Leathercraft    4. Crafts & Hobbies / General    5. Decorative arts & crafts   

Features

• Illustrated

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. General    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Leathercraft    6. Material Science    7. Handicrafts    8. LEATHER    9. LEATHERWORK    10. Technology / Material Science   

Reviews (6)

Not Worth the Money
I was very disappointed with this book.He talks about the generalized steps to do tanning, but he lacks good step by step information for beginners.Its a good first book to read, then find another book with more detail as to how to actually do the procedures.He only has two plans for crafting with leather, and I think he should have added more.I wouldn't advise you purchase this book unless its your first and you want to understand the general procedure of tanning, then find a better book with more details.

Complete Book of Tanning Skns and Furs
This book is extremely useful to anyone entering the field of home tanning. It has a proven method for tanning any skin that is likely to be available to the home tanner, from alligators to antelope.

Covers a Lot of Ground, Decently
Churchill covers the tanning of many different types of animals, using many different methods. This is the good and the bad of this book. No other tanning book I know of contains so much varied information, and for this reason its a good one to have. However, the techniques are not covered in much detail so it is challenging for the beginning tanner to be successful using these instructions alone. Read more

Subjects:  1. Tanning    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Leathercraft    4. Hunting or shooting animals & game    5. Leather & fur technology    6. Leather And Fur Industries    7. Hunting - General    8. Sports & Recreation    9. Sports   

Reviews (9)

Great Place to Start
This book explains everything you could possibly need to know to get started. It can be a little hard to follow in places but with a little patience it really can be a big help, and has all the answers I was looking for.

from a novice braider
great information simple to follow directions. can be a bit overwhelming for a beginner, who tries to absorb to much to quickly. very useful for anyone wanting to learn difficult techniques. not only for rawhide and leather.

An excellent book
My son age 23 teaches leather braiding and he tells me this is the best and most complete book on this subject among several others from different countries he has read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Braid    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Encyclopedias    4. Leather work    5. Leathercraft    6. Leatherwork    7. Reference    8. Boating    9. Handicrafts   

Reviews (1)

Stylish Leather Crafts
I used to do leather craft way back when it was pretty much limited to kitchy country western style motifs.Boy have things changed!!This book drew me in with it's updated stylish designs for home accessories that would complement many decorating styles (there are some killer pillow designs in here!!).The photography is great, there is a nice intro to different leathers, tools, and crafting techniques and the project instructions seem pretty good too.Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. General    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Leathercraft    6. Leatherwork    7. Crafts & Hobbies / General    8. Needlework & fabric crafts    9. STUDY AIDS - SAT/PSAT   

Reviews (1)

Greatidea ........
Can't wait to try some of the project. This book give
Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. Fashion    4. General    5. Handbags    6. Hobbies/Crafts    7. Leathercraft    8. Leatherwork    9. Tote bags    10. Crafts & Hobbies / General    11. Handicrafts    12. LITERATURE - LIT CLASSICS TRD PB   

Reviews (3)

Excellent book, misleading title
Mr. Morgan's book is excellent for those who want to learn a variety of skills in order to hone one's leather plaiting and learn the basics behind how a whip is made.However, it does not lead one with limited experience with whips on what leads directly to making one.
A one-of-a-kind, information packed resource
Now in its second edition, revised with additional information concerning whips made in the Mongol tradition and the evolution of whip design in general, Whips And Whipmaking is a straightforward, easy-to-follow guide and to the art of leather braiding to create whips for performance or sport use. Black-and-white photographs and an extensive discussion of the lore, history, and quirks of whips through the centuries make Whips And Whipmaking a one-of-a-kind, information packed resource.

A great view on history and whipmaking techniques
I met Mr. Morgan after owning this book.He is a person who knows what he is talking about, either in printed or first hand information.The general view on such a beautiful craft makes you be aware of the differentcircumstances which led to different styles and handling.It too,helps you learn much of the basic techniques, such as braiding, paring,cutting, making knots, dee belts and hat straps.You can't make a whipfrom this book (let's say a finely braided kangaroo whip), but, as hestates, much of whipmaking is empyrical;you have to be open-minded andtry everything you have at hand to improve your skill, always trying tokeep up with excellent quality.Be sure to analyze and understand hisformulas for the width of strands and diameter.This is, mostly, what willlead you to good shaped thongs (though balance and appearance, tightness inbraiding will be gained gradually).For those who are fond of mathematics,try to see how trygonometry is related to it (I found it out, and helpsquite a lot!This does not mean that only engineers can make them, but youunderstand and learn faster).I'd like to recommend another book,available through Amazon.com, also.It's "How to make whips" byRon Edwards.Eventhough I own the Australian edition, Cornell MaritimePress has made a great job by editing it for America.Anyway, I think youshould buy Morgan's book first, to understand, and appreciate this craftand this book (Edwards') on the right level.Remember, if you bought thelatter first, be sure to get this one!One-of-a-kind for your leatherlibrary. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts / Hobbies    2. Leathercraft    3. Personal & Practical Guides    4. Reference    5. Whips   

Reviews (7)

Not enough detail to answer my questions.
The book is a very good introduction to working with leather, but it didn't have the details to answer all of my questions, and I am now in search of a better book.The information seems adequate, but once you visit an actual leather supply store (or even consult an online catalog) you'll find you have a thousand questions that this book doesn't confront.A larger glossary would improve this book immensely. A different perspective than US Western
This book is a welcome addition to my leatherworking library.Particularly since the the styles are similar to my own tastes - very plain, but elegant.Very different from the typical US type of leatherworking with lots of tooling, buckstitching, etc.Not that I don't appreciate that style also - I have a huge stack of Ann & Al Stohlman's books that I regularly re-read - but it is nice to see something *different*.The techniques, also, are a bit different in some cases, which I also appreciate. Great Illustrations
The illustration of techniques in this book is magnificent. I really appreciate the close-up shots and clear photography. If I have a complaint about the book it's that the book is too focused on 'container' typeprojects. The methods illustrated can easily be adapted, though. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. General    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Leather Arts And Crafts    6. Leathercraft    7. Crafts & Hobbies / General    8. Handicrafts    9. STUDY NOTES - SparkNotes   

Reviews (1)

Impressive, in-depth, comprehensive, footware reference.
Ideal for the specialist collection focusing on clothing and textiles, this newly revised and expanded second edition of The Complete Footwear Dictionary will find prove itself essential. An A-Z arrangement chartsstyles, shoe descriptions, cuts, and foot terminology and basics. Anin-depth, comprehensive coverage. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Dictionaries    2. Footwear    3. Leather And Fur Industries    4. Manufacturing    5. Reference    6. Technical & Manufacturing Trades    7. Technology    8. Technology & Industrial Arts    9. Clothing & footware manufacture    10. Distributive industries    11. Manufacturing industries    12. Reference works   

Reviews (2)

don't buy it
Besides being light on details, the copy I got had several key pages missing - there but just blank.Shows a lack of attention to detail.If you are just getting started in the tanning/leather/rawhide business it is an OK read about history and techniques but there are better books on the market.Get this one from the library.

Not enough detail for successful tanning
No offense to the author, but this book just doesn't have enough detail tosuccessfully teach you to tan a hide.I tan and teach home tanning for aliving, and I regularly meet folks who have used this book as theirreference and failed to produce anything remotely like leather.There isnothing inaccurate about the information but their just isn't enoughdetail. Tanning is a fairly simple craft, but it is very tactile andprecise. You need to know the details, the ins and outs.Amazon.com sellstwo books that I highly recommend if you wish to learn home-tanning:DEERSKINS INTO BUCKSKINS: How to Tan With Natural Materials, and WetscrapeBraintan Buckskin.Get one or both and you'll get the results you'relooking for. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Crafts & Hobbies    2. Crafts / Hobbies    3. General    4. Hobbies/Crafts    5. Leather work    6. Leathercraft    7. Leatherwork    8. Tanning    9. Leather & fur technology   

Reviews (10)

Great overview on whipmaking process, but NOT an instruction manual!!
I must say I did find this book fascinating and the information contained in it provided an overview of the entire process of whipmaking form skiving a core to to plaiting the overlay.However, If your looking for a step by step, ultra-specific instruction manual, taking you completely thru the process of making a whip from scratch, this book still is not quite it!!! Don't get me wrong, there is alot of great information, and this is certainly THE Published book to get that comes closest to an instruction manual, but I feel, if your an absolute beginner, you're still not quite going to be able to knock out a COMPLETE whip from scratch after reading this book. Unfortunately, that's exactly what I was looking for when I got this book.
Ron makes it easy
Great book, well written and very easy to follow. Ron makes things so easy to follow that even the really hard stuff makes sense right off the bat. If you can't make a good quality whip after reading and following this book, give it up you never will be able to.

How To Make Whips
What a great book. This book is very helpful in the art of whipmaking. It takes the reader through a step by step process and contains good detailed photos to further assist those making whips. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in this leather art! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Braid    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. General    5. Hobbies/Crafts    6. Leather Arts And Crafts    7. Leathercraft    8. Whips    9. Handicrafts   

Reviews (2)

Good if you already know leathercraft
This book is best used by someone who already has some leathercraftprojects under his belt.Building on this assumed knowledge, the bookcovers the things you need to know about constructing western saddles, suchas buying tools/supplies, construction techniques, etc.

The best book on saddle construction I have read.
It is truly sad that Dave Jones book is no longer in print.I've read numerous books on the craft of making western saddles and none comes close to the clarity and detail of Jones' book.It is with his guidance that I am now embarked on the journey of building my first saddle.Without his book, with its clear descriptions, step by step instructions and numerous photographs, I do not believe I would have had the temerity to attempt the task, but he makes it seem a completely doable, if time consuming, task. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Equestrian Sports    2. Hobbies/Crafts    3. Leather Arts And Crafts    4. Leather work    5. Saddlery    6. Technical & Manufacturing Trades    7. Technology & Industrial Arts    8. Western saddles   

Reviews (1)

A rare masterpiece.
This magnificent book is beyond breathtaking and deserves far more than a5-star rating. I saw many of these priceless silver saddles, spurs andother Edward Bohlin masterpieces in parades years ago. They're even moredazzling today. Gorgeous color photographs taken by Susan Einsteincertainly do them justice. I'd have paid the full $60.00 for this onewithout a whimper. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Art & Art Instruction    3. Biography    4. Crafts & Hobbies    5. Exhibition Catalogs    6. General    7. Individual Artist    8. Leather workers    9. Leathercraft    10. Leatherwork    11. Metal Work    12. Saddlery    13. United States    14. Bohlin, Edward H    15. Clothing & footware manufacture    16. Handicrafts    17. Museum, historic sites, gallery & art guides   

Subjects:  1. Art    2. Criticism - Native American    3. Design - Decorative    4. Exhibitions    5. General    6. Indian leatherwork    7. Indian painting    8. Leathercraft    9. North America    10. Parfleches    11. Photography    12. Graphic design    13. History Of Art / Art & Design Styles    14. Painting & paintings   

Subjects:  1. Carving    2. Crafts & Hobbies    3. Crafts / Hobbies    4. Fashion    5. Hobbies/Crafts    6. Leathercraft    7. Crafts & Hobbies-Carving    8. Crafts & Hobbies-Fashion