Project description
I'm looking for an experienced leatherworker to craft a traditional strap-and-buckle book carrier — the kind used decades ago by schoolchildren to bundle a stack of textbooks together and sling them over one shoulder. The piece should consist of a wide central carrying strap thick enough to support the weight of six to eight hardcover books without stretching or sagging over time, paired with a separate adjustable shoulder strap long enough to be worn comfortably across the body or over one shoulder.
Hardware matters here: I need a solid buckle (roller or center-bar style) that can be tightened firmly around a varying stack height, since the number of books carried will change from week to week. Please use full-grain vegetable-tanned leather in a natural or medium brown tone that will develop a nice patina with use. All load-bearing points — where the shoulder strap connects to the main wrap, and around the buckle keeper — must be hand-stitched with waxed thread using a saddle stitch, not machine-sewn, since those are the spots that take the most strain when the carrier is fully loaded.
I'd also like some thought given to comfort: a touch of padding or a wider, softer section where the shoulder strap rests, so it doesn't dig in on a long walk. Finished edges should be burnished smooth and sealed, no raw or fraying edges anywhere. I can provide exact book dimensions and typical stack height once we start. Looking for a craftsperson who has made bags, belts, or similar load-bearing leather goods before and can show prior stitching work. Timeline is flexible but I'd like it finished within a couple of weeks.
Hardware matters here: I need a solid buckle (roller or center-bar style) that can be tightened firmly around a varying stack height, since the number of books carried will change from week to week. Please use full-grain vegetable-tanned leather in a natural or medium brown tone that will develop a nice patina with use. All load-bearing points — where the shoulder strap connects to the main wrap, and around the buckle keeper — must be hand-stitched with waxed thread using a saddle stitch, not machine-sewn, since those are the spots that take the most strain when the carrier is fully loaded.
I'd also like some thought given to comfort: a touch of padding or a wider, softer section where the shoulder strap rests, so it doesn't dig in on a long walk. Finished edges should be burnished smooth and sealed, no raw or fraying edges anywhere. I can provide exact book dimensions and typical stack height once we start. Looking for a craftsperson who has made bags, belts, or similar load-bearing leather goods before and can show prior stitching work. Timeline is flexible but I'd like it finished within a couple of weeks.
Other / Miscellaneous Cash, Bank transfer
