Ask Dr. LJ: Three questions.

[saxikath]

1. Where in the Boston area can one get a cheap piece of leather? My favorite cheap fabric store sometimes has leather for cheap, but the last time I was there all they had was pink.
2. What's a good paint to use on leather?
3. What was the other question I was going to ask you all that I just forgot?

Comments

[mamagotcha.livejournal.com]

1. No clue.

2. I've used leather dye (from Tandy's) and acrylic paint: http://www.ehow.com/how_15424_paint-leather.html

3. "What has it gots in its pocketses?"

[mamagotcha.livejournal.com]

A quick Google shows that you have a Tandy leather store in your area (not sure how close it is to you, but it would definitely have lots of leather to choose from!):

Tandy Leather #160 BOSTON
Toll Free: 866-771-0003
Manager: Tony Hernandez
83 Parkhurst Rd, Unit 9 Chelmsford, MA 01824
boston@tandyleather.com
978-275-0596 fax: 978-275-0929

[meranthi.livejournal.com]

Chelmsford is unfortunately an hour drive north or so.

[chenoameg.livejournal.com]

1. The pile of stuff in my sewing room that I'm never going to use for anything?

2. I was at a leatherbelt making workshop on Sunday; they were using dyes specifically designed for leather. I bet Pearl carries them.

3. Where can you borrow a leather punching tool?

[drdemure.livejournal.com]

Go to the Tandy store and check out the remainder section for cheap leather. They also have a pretty good website. As for paint, leather breathes, so you need a paint that can expand and contract as the leather breathes. Acrylic craft paints ordinarily can do that. And they're relatively cheap and easy to find.

Barring that, I'd be willing to artfully bleed on your leather, for a price. ;)

[rikchik.livejournal.com]

1. As a general rule, whenever possible I buy cheap used clothing from Goodwill & The Garment District rather than go out of my way to a fabric store. I know from making my Prince of Persia costume that The Garment District has an entire leather jacket section.

[mabfan.livejournal.com]

I wish I knew the answer to 3, but I left my mind-reading helmet at home.

[fizzixrat.livejournal.com]

1. I suppose you could steal it from the corpse of a motorcycle enthusiast, lying on a slab in the city morgue.

2. Glidden semi-gloss, naturally.

3. "I march one kilometer due north, twelve kilometers due east, then one kilometer due south. I am now back where I started. Where am I?"


Then again, I don't claim to be an expert on leather.