MIX Maker, Joe, Creates His Own Leather Goods

Written by Saron Mussie

MIX Maker Consultant Joe Dell’Omo started to have an interest in leatherwork and purchased a leather-making kit last summer. He recently began to work with leather and created some nifty items such as watchbands and card wallets. Joe walked me through creating a card wallet from scratch.  For the material, Joe uses vegetable tan leather which is expected to change colors over time due to constant use.

According to Joe, the first step to making his card wallet is to have a pattern. Creating a pattern can be made using the laser cutter at the MIX@Innovation, however, Joe used paper for his pattern and traces the shape out.

He then glues and sews the edges of two pieces of leather to create a pocket. In order to sew the wallet, Joe uses a pricking iron and hammers it into the leather to create evenly spaced holes then uses auburn string to stitch it up.

For his last step, Joe partook in a process called ‘wet molding’. With wet molding, Joe soaks his wallet in a tub of water with cards inside the wallet for it to take the shapes of the cards.

Aside from his fascination with leather goods, another reason why Joe creates his own wallet is that making his own leather wallet is cheaper than buying one.

When not working on his leather goods, Joe is a senior majoring in Mechanical Engineering and is a member of the MIX Maker Consultant who specializes in 3D printing, CAD, and Soldering.