Help with leather project? ^-^'

Hey, I'm Donnie. =^-^= I just joined today. :$

Anyways...I'm coating a cheap party top-hat with leather i've accumulated to make an Edward-Scissorhands-esque hat, you know: buckles, straps, leather, all that fun stuff. Happy

So I thought, before I go cutting up jackets and pants, I'd get some advice from the experts. ^-^ Any ideas?

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10 replies since 10th January 2008 • Last reply 10th January 2008

Reply #1:

you could maybe try any vintage stores or charity shops, you could find some cheap old pvc thing there or some old leather item, would be better than cutting up something you may regret later ;-)

Sounds cool too, I love edward Scissorhands ;)

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Reply #2:

Hehe I totally grew up with a crush on him. :3 But anywaaaaays, I already have lots of leather pieces from disheveled coats and such. I just found the old box of it. xD

I just need advice on attaching it to the hat or any random suggestion for how to do parts of the project. ^-^

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Reply #3:

I think if had a glue gun or some kind of glue to stick the leather on.. Before you stick it on, you can stitch them together, doesn't need to be perfect, I mean Johnnys character wasn't, and work out how it all fits on the hat, and then you could glue it on. Sorry if I'm confusing you lol

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Reply #4:

No worries; no confusion. =^-^= Thanks for the tips.

Any more thoughts? Happy

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Reply #5:

If you're sewing it, you neeeeed leather needles. Else you'll die. honestly.

For my straight jacket I found buckles in my local haberdashery, only they were called 'kilt straps'. They're not that strong (one of them broke Sad ) but they'd be fine for a hat.

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Reply #6:

Spray adhesive from an auto supply might work?

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Reply #7:

My brother used to work with leather pieces all the time...what helped him out was buying and using a piercing device called an AWL.

I bought one recently from an art store. It was a little on the thick and sharp side, so I'm deathly afraid of stabbing myself but it makes perfect holes in my leather pieces (then you can use an ordinary needle).

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Reply #8:

oh yeh thats a great idea Rx, they are what you use for lino cutting too I think?

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Reply #9:

Wonderful, many thanks. :] I have an awl that seems to be decent. As for the buckles, I have a very limited collection, so I'll be sure to search for 'kilt straps'.

If I encounter any difficulties, I'll be certain to ask ^-^ Thank you all!

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Reply #10:

deffinitly use the leather needles,
what i do for my belts is i figure out how long i want it to be, cut two pices,spray one on the wrong side with an adhesive (found it randomly in my garage!!!). stick the two pices togeather, let it sit. sew it up both sides put the buckel on. i'm doing something very simaler right now, my hat is white though(and more madd hatter).
if your hat is failrly strong you can just strap the buckels on around it, with out actually atching them to the hat. it does work. what else? adisive spray will probably not be strong enough, if you plan to do a lot of movement. ie dancing, jumping stuff like that. oh!!! why didnt i think of this earlier!!! i just finished making a leather bound book, and i forgot to put the straps on till i was almost finished, so i used supper glue! its amazing! that would be your best bet if you dont plan to take down the belts and use them again!!! i'll be posting my hat and book soon so i'll actually have a diagram of sorts. i'll let you know of anything else! cant wait to see it!

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