Leather Desk Set

Desk Pad

Materials:

2' x 2' piece 9-10 oz. #1 or #2 grade cowhide carving shoulder
tan antique leather stain
brown edge coat
gold transfer design sheet
aerosol acrylic leather finish
craft knife
straight edge/ruler
fine-tip marker
#2 edge beveler
circle-edge slicker
skive and/or skiver
"V" gouge
cosmetic sponge
French edger
wool scrap
sponge
water source
1" foam brush
paper or plastic to protect work surface
rubber gloves
contact cement
heavy weights

1. Cover work surface with paper or plastic to protect from stain. Wearing rubber gloves, apply a coat of leather stain with a piece of wool over the surface of a leather trim piece. The trim piece should be large enough to cut the parts needed once the leather is dry (figure A).

2. Cut one 15" x 22" and two 3" x 18" leather panels using a straight edge and a knife.

3. Lightly moisten (figure B) an edge of the 15" x 22" piece. Using a #2 edge beveler, remove the corners from the front and back of the edge (figure C) and smooth the edge with a circle-edge slicker (figure D).

4. Coat edges with brown edge coat using a foam-tipped brush (figure E). Repeat for the remaining three edges of desk pad base.

5. Using the same steps as above, finish the long edges of the 3" x 18" strips.

6. Place the grain side of the strips down on the work surface. Measure 1-1/2 inch in from each end of both strips and mark a guideline with a fine-tip marker.

7. To mold the leather around the top and bottom edge of desk pad base, the leather needs to be thinned or beveled on the underside edges of the strips. Set the blade of the "V" gouge to cut halfway through the leather. With a straight edge and the "V" gouge, create a groove along one of the guidelines (figure F). This will define an edge for the leather fold.

8. Using a French edger, begin to thin the layer of leather along the outside edge of the gouged line and around the edge of strip (figure G). Tip: Lightly moistening the leather will help soften it.

9. Now using a skive and/or a skiver, bevel the leather edge more. Kari likes to use both tools, switching occasionally. This step will take awhile but the results will be worth it. The leather needs to be beveled to about a 3-ounce thickness. Repeat this step for each end of the two leather strips.

10. Once all of the ends of the two strips have been beveled, wet both ends on back side of one strip and fold the beveled edges towards the back side, pressing firmly (figure H). Allow to dry completely. Repeat this step for the remaining strip.

11. Cut out the transfer designs for each leather panel with the craft knife. Carefully position the designs on a panel. Once you place the transfer onto the leather, it is very hard to remove. Use the smooth side of a spooned modeling tool to transfer the design from the protective sheet (figure I). Then carefully peel off the sheet to remove (figure J). Repeat this step on each side of holder.

12. Apply two coats of aerosol leather varnish.

13. Position the molded leather strips onto the leather base of desk pad. Place the assembled desk pad upside down on work surface. Apply an even coat of rubber cement on all leather surfaces to be adhered. Press to secure and place weight on to hold until dry.

Materials:

1' x 1' piece of 9-10 oz. #1 or #2 grade cowhide carving shoulder
tan antique stain
brown edge coat
gold foil and adhesive
precut stencil with initial
aerosol acrylic leather finish
1" flat paint brush
1" foam brush
craft knife
paper or plastic to protect work surface
rubber gloves
wool scraps
#2 edge beveler
circle-edge slicker
fine sandpaper
straight edge/ruler
sponge
water supply
low-tack note sheets
cosmetic sponge

Steps:

1. Cut a piece of leather slightly larger than the 7-1/2" x 8-1/2" size needed for the mouse pad.

2. Cover the work space with sheets of paper or a plastic. Wearing a pair of rubber gloves, apply an even coat of antique stain over the leather surface with a wool scrap. Allow to dry completely.

3. Using a straight edge and a knife, cut the 7-1/2" x 8-1/2" trim piece from the stained leather.

5. Smooth the edge with a circle-edge slicker. Repeat this step for the three remaining edges.

6. Using a foam brush, apply brown edge coat to all four edges.

7. Position the stencil in the center of the mouse pad and secure in place with low-tack note sheets. With a cosmetic sponge, pounce the adhesive for the gold foil in the open areas of stencil design (figure A).

8. After a couple of minutes, apply a second coat of adhesive. Following the manufacturer's instructions, remove the stencil and press the foil onto the tacky adhesive (figure B).

9. Remove foil backing (figure C) and spray two coats of leather varnish over the leather surface.