 |
|
|
|
In 1973, Ernest found out that Eileen wanted more. She had fallen in love with a very expensive leather purse. The price of that purse would buy shoes for the children. It would buy seed corn and fertilizer. The Browns are very practical and she knew there were more important things in their budget than fancy leather purses. “I got the idea that I could design and make my own purse. For $9.95. I bought a simple kit that taught the basics of stamping and carving leather. (That same kit costs $69.95 nowadays.) I loved making the purse and everyone admired it.” Eileen wanted to do more with leather. She didn’t want to be restricted by a kit. When she investigated, she found a place where she could buy quality leather ready to be cut and sewn into purses, wallets and belts. She worked on the kitchen table in the evenings and Ernest noticed that if he wanted to talk to Eileen, he’d have to give up his easy chair and watch her work. “It wasn’t long before Ernie decided to give the hobby a try, He tried making a belt and he took to it right away, too. We decided to turn an old woodshed into a workshop where we could work together “Once we got into it, we attended workshops and met many super people who helped us. Bly Eddinger probably taught us more than anyone else. Before he died, he tried to cram a lifetime of his knowledge into us. After his death, his wife called and offered us his equipment - sewing machines, press, dies and tools. She priced it far below its value because she said her husband wanted us to have it.” Ernest does the stamping and tooling on the belts. She strips out the width, machine rolls the edges and puts on the base dye. He does the finish work. “All told, we pass those belts back and forth nine times,” she says. In 1976, the year of the United States Bicentennial, the Browns entered their first craft show that was set up in the Williamsport YWCA. They sold $78 worth of their crafted leatherwork and began to see that they might supplement his teacher’s salary. Initially they restricted their travel to events within a two-hour drive of their home so they could be home at night with their sons, Eric and Evan. At that time, they received many requests for special orders especially ornately adorned arrow quivers, pistol holsters, knife sheathes, rifle slings and saddlebags. Ernest would create hand-carved scenes and decorations on the leather products they sold, but this was so time consuming that they couldn’t charge enough to cover their time. “We always used top grade leather and the carving would take at least three hours. Once Ernie learned to do the stamping, he could get the same effect in 20-minutes. Unless you’re pretty knowledgeable about leather, you wouldn’t know the difference.” You will recognize the superior quality of the leather they use. They stock about 10 or 12 belt patterns in four widths – ¾ inch, 1-inch, 1 and ¼ inch and 1 and ½ inch. Their size range includes sizes 44-52 inch belts that are hard to find in clothing stores. “We add new styles at least every other year. Most of our belts are black or brown and occasionally, if we have time, we make them in a honey color. In terms of quality, finding the stamp on the back of a store-bought belt that says “genuine leather” doesn’t mean what you might think. Imported belts stamped ‘genuine leather’ on the back may have only a sliver of leather backing on a plastic belt. Eileen explains that one piece of leather is split into five very thin layers. The Browns use the first layer, the top grain. The next layer is used to make suede. The core or middle layer is what manufacturers use to make dog “Chewies.” “You know how fast a dog makes those bones disappear.”
When you see one of Eileen’s leather purses at Old Fashioned Christmas in the Woods, you’ll know why she wanted to own one. She uses soft sturdy leather that she crafts into classic styles that are perfectly stitched and then finished with a protective sheen that will not crack or stain. Smaller purses start at $40 and she prices her larger bags with many pockets at $100. “I see what they call designer handbags of far less quality in stores for $200 and up. With a minimum of care, you will have this handbag for a lifetime.” Ernie’s incredible stamped belts run the gamut from relatively plain to those designs that bear the stamp of the old west. These designs are enhanced with hand painted color. They are priced between $15 and $25. They will also have a supply of key fobs, bracelets, hair barrettes and other tooled leather items that sell from $1 to $10. © Copyright ShakerWoods.com |
|
For more information on the Shaker Woods Family of Festivals, please Site created by McGaffic Advertising. |
