Village Squire, 1977-02, Page 18It takes AHan Thompson three hours or more for each purse.
\'that's just part of the job. Once the loom is threaded, she
says, it's fun to see what comes out.
Allan became interested in leather after having discovered
he had an artis`ic bent. He studied art in school and would
t love to have been an artist but decided it was not realistic to
expect to make a living from art these days. He decided that
some kind of crafts where he could combine art and working
with his hands was more his line.
He would like to work with wood, he says, but the
:nachinery necessary is very expensive. But leather doesn't
'equire such a heavy outlay for materials and equipment and
le enjoys the feel of leather when he's working with it. A lot
A different things can be done with leather he says, although
he is still working with basic things only.
He has seen people who mold leather and bake it so that it
comes out hard for things like dishes. "There's a lot more to it
than what we've touched so far," he says.
Wtiat he wants to do is combine creativity with
functionalism, Allan says, and most of the things he sells are
both decorative and functional. And the variety is wide. The
Hain item of course is purses and handbags for ladies and
felts for men but there seems to be little that can't be made of
eather from a look around the shop. There are wall plaques
vith pictures carved in leather. There's a beautiful director's
:hair where the webbing is carved leather. There's even a
;wag lamp with a carved leather shade. There are leather
plant hangers, leather coasters, leather belt buckets, wallets,
ey cases and decorative pieces for horses' harness.
Each piece is unique, in fact, Allan says, it is virtually
r ihysically impossible to make two matching items even when
rou are trying to. Unlike many factory processed leather
goods, which have the pattern stamped on by machine, each
?iece, every mark is done by hand, meaning each has
individual touches to it. He tries, Allan says, to make each
item different with no two patterns alike unless he gets a
special order for matching purses or other goods.
Starting from raw leather the work on an item such as a
Jurse begins with the working out of a pattern. This is the
tardest part of the job. The pattern for a purse is most
mportant Since pieces must fit together properly for a proper
,roduct.
The pattern is then traced on to the flat leather -and the
Don't throw out your old tub!
Bathtubs reglazed
on location!
Yes, National Glazing can give new life to your
old tub or ceramics!
1 n troductory Special
On bathtubs until February 28.
Regular 5150
$99.00
totg
Is your tub *chipped?
•cracked?
•badly stained?
*feeling like sandpaper
*wanting a colour change?
THEN NATIONAL GLAZING
CAN HELP
•3 year guarantee
•personal service
*no removal necessary
CaII now -No Obligation!
Listowel 291-2411
NATIONAL
GLAZING
Residential or commerical inquiries invited
You know what one
of the great things
about getting into shape is?
It doesn't cost you
anything and it pays
all kinds of dividends.
417
panncipacrmn,,
The Canadian movement for personal fitness
Fitness. In your heart you know it's right.
VILLAGE SQUIRE/FEBRUARY 1977, 17