Indholdsfortegnelse for December 2024 i Illume

Horween second run leather bundles are the perfect way to get started this season! An incredible value for both beginners, and experienced leather workers. Leather bundles composed of various colors, styles and thicknesses; some softer, some firmer - some darker, some lighter. Hand selected sides, ranging from 35-45 sqft; though we try to our best stay above 40 sqft. Get your hands on some of the most unique and limited leathers out there with these miscellaneous bundles! 2nd run leathers; some hides will have defects ranging from color variation to brands, holes, loose break, tannery swatch cuts, etc. Search “bundle” on our website to view our large selection of various leather bundles. www.maverickleathercompany.com Give us a call or email with any questions. 541-797-2108 • info@maverickleathercompany.com…

Over the course of his lifetime, Bob Bennett has been many things: Boy Scout, bull rider, construction worker, horseman, cattleman, craftsman and building inspector. As a father of five, with seven grandchildren and one great-grand, he’s also been, and remains, a family man. But Bennett’s not done. Not even close. In the latest chapter of his story, the Utah native has added yet another title, that of entrepreneur. In April 2023, Bennett acquired Duffs Leathercare, which makes five products for the maintenance and enhancement of the goods that people like him create in their workshops. Made with a mix of castor oil, vitamin E, essential oils, lanolin, beef tallow, beeswax and carnauba wax, the Duffs line of products includes Castile soap, glycerin soap, boot wax, conditioning oil and leather dressing.…

Powered by This month’s ‘how to’ is brought to you by Learn with Illume, an online platform that provides world-class instruction for leathercrafters. For the full course go to www.learnwithillume.com or scan the QR code below. And don’t forget to follow Illume Magazine on our free YouTube channel for more demonstrations and interesting videos brought to you by the Burns 1876 team. MATERIALS LIST: • Saddle seat ready for fillers• 16 oz veg tanned leather• Cobra Class 4 (or similar)• Ruler• Posterboard or large cardstock• Pen• Fender pattern of choice• Head knife/leather cutting tool of choice• 277 thread (for top)• 207 thread (for bobbin)• Electric drill + screws Seat fillers help create a smooth transition between the fenders, stirrup leathers, and the skirt of a saddle, ensuring everything fits together…

Gaylon Harden, former owner and operator of Southwest Boot & Shoe Repair in Wichita Falls, Texas, and Texas Best Boot & Shoe Repair in Amarillo, passed away on September 17, after a five-year battle with cancer. He proved that he was a fighter time and time again, through the many treatments he received over the years. Throughout our 20-year marriage, Gaylon and I loved to travel together. We went all over the United States, Mexico, Canada and were even able to make a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Spain, to visit a supplier and then to Germany for a leather show. These trips created memories I will forever cherish. Gaylon truly enjoyed learning about other places and what makes them special and unique. Gaylon was born November 20, 1951, in Farmersville, Texas,…

LET’S SHOW ASHEVILLE, NC LEATHER ARTISTS SOME LOVE Happy December from Asheville, NC y’all! This month, I’m devoting this space to spotlighting some of Asheville, NC’s top leather artisans. I’ve lived in this amazingly creative and spiritual community for more than 20 years and while Hurricane Helene drastically changed our landscape, it did not steal our desire to create, rebuild and share. I admit, connecting with these folks was a challenge due to Internet outages, toppled cell towers and shredded fiber optic cables, but I was able to touch base with three and am excited to share a small part of their backgrounds here. I’ll leave it to you to lear nmore. The Inverse: Owner, Lauren Hess, graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design nearly 10 years ago and…

During the holidays, custom orders and fine leather products are popular gifts for so many people, keeping artisans and craftsmen everywhere busy with intricate details and painstaking work. This often leaves a lot of scrap leather behind: through off cuts, remnants and old projects that could easily be seen as waste. But these artisans and craftsmen, even in their busiest time, are turning this “waste” leather into Christmas wonder and what better way to do that than by making ornaments? Minimalist ornaments, western ornaments, rustic ornaments – you name it! Using scrap leather is an effective method to minimize waste and extend the life of material. This festive way of reclaiming scraps is perfect for adding a handmade, unique and meaningful touch to your Christmas furnishings; it’s creative and aesthetically…

“He was a good teacher. He said, ‘I taught you enough to be dangerous. Be careful out there.’”—Alan Franklin speaking about Jack Reed It might be stretching the blanket to say that Alan Franklin, who makes beautiful cowboy boots in Mineola, Texas, was pre-ordained to join the brotherhood of bootmakers. On the other hand, such a statement might be right on the money. After all, Alan first glimpsed this world’s daylight in the fabled Red River boot mecca of Nocona. That was in 1966. But the bootmaker doesn’t have much memory of his legendary birthplace because the family headed for the East Texas town of Mineola, where Alan’s dad got a railroad job, when Alan was about a year old. Still, you have to figure that the spirit of Nocona’s…

If you have any interest in designing shoes, making shoes, selling shoes or anything to do with shoes, Alan Zerobnick has three words of advice for you. “Go for it,” he says. After you decide to go for it, your next step is to check out shoeschool.com. Shoeschool.com is the go-to website for all things related to shoes, an online shoe-niverse. The site is a tremendous resource for designers, builders or cottage industrialists with a wealth of information about tools, machinery and the holy grail of shoemaking: lasts, the forms in various sizes and styles from which shoes are made. Schoeschool.com even features, The Shoemaker Movie, a full-length documentary in which Alan demonstrates how to make a pair of shoes step by step, plus The Handcrafted Shoe Book, which is…

I am a ‘doer’ by nature – someone who favors action over inaction. As a result, I thrive on working in an environment of calculated risk-taking and swift decision-making. But what if this isn’t someone’s natural predisposition? How can we help colleagues at the start of their leadership journey to develop a bias for action and unlock future excellence? A CALL TO ACTION A bias for action comes more naturally to some than others. However, I believe with careful coaching in a psychologically safe working environment it is a trait that we can all be leaders. As a starting point, creating an environment of trust, shared values, and confidence is essential – colleagues need to know they can act without fear of retaliation or humiliation. Reassure team members you will…