Im trying out a new learning technique from the book, "The First 20 Hours...how to learn anything" by Josh Kaufman. (Check out his TED talk on youtube) I just finished my first 20 hours with this Awl and French style stitching clam. I definitely see a huge improvement in my Awl and needle manipulation as well as saddle stitch asthetics. I practiced everyday for various time frames and hit 20 hours on day 17. The book goes on to say it takes 10000 hours to reach mastery. For many high proficiency is the goal and 20 hours of concentrated practice is all that stands in our way. The key is setting up fast feedback loops and practicing one technique at a time to avoid the dreaded analysis poralysis. Next up for me is hand skiving. What do you want to learn or improve?
With regard to Skiving knives, I recently came across a guy that uses blades from wooden hand planes for Skiving knives. I haven't tried it out yet but I think its a great idea.
Doug
I definitely want to improve my skiving as well. I come across more scenarios at the moment where I need to skive a lot. Just the other day I was working on a project and the skiving was kicking my butt. I walked away for a bit and recollected myself. When I came back to it, I tried a different way and it worked better.
I definitely focus more more on the sharpness of my tools lately too.
The next thing I want to have a better grasp on is the hand stitching with the awl also.
Im kind of like Toby too where I run the entire process in my head trying to foresee any problems before I actually commit. I still mess up but that’s where I learn more about what I’m doing.
My scrap pile keeps getting bigger but I’m definitely learning more every day
I also practice a lot, but on projects.
Let me explain. For example, I decided that the next thing I want to master will be Awl stitching. I will not practice it on scrap. I allready have a project for this (A BAKCPACK, ITS GOING TO TAKE ME FOREVER). I have always been like that, I learn and focus best when under pressure. A mistake on a scrap leather would force me to focus, on a backpack, ouch!
I also prefer this because it put me in the right frame of work. What I mean is that stitching on a straight scrap of leather is someting, stitching on a rounded gusset for example, with multiple layers, tight manuveurs and all, is quite different.
That's fantastic Dave!
I hadn't heard of that book before, but I agree 100% about having dedicated time spent on perfecting just one aspect of your craft, in this case hand stitching.
I'm hoping that people who are new to the forum will see this post and take note! I am going to pin this post so it is more visible to others.
Thanks for sharing Dave,
Phil
All those threads and stitching onto scrap pieces of leather, yeah I did those too!
My methodology is a little different from yours. I usually review my work mentally and mule over it as when my mind is free to do so. Though sometimes it can get really weird, spacing out and all, which my friends and relatives have seen it before. I guess they might be thinking that I must be thinking about nothing at all, which in fact I am thinking of what the next step might be in improving my craft.
Essentially, take for example edge painting, I would usually do it one time across a piece of scrap leather that has been glued. I believe that using edge paints on a single layer of leather does not emulate actual project pieces anyway, so usually I would do 2 or multiple layers. So finishing the process of edge painting (around 3-4 coats), I would stop awhile.
During this period, I would paint a mental imagery and go through the entire process of what I did step by step in my head. Then, I would go about to identify 3 key components of what I did which are, 1. what I did wrong, 2. how I can change the process with what I have 3. how much time I spent on this step
After going through this in my head, I would do the exact same process again on a fresh side of leather, but this time around I just change a single step. I would repeat this until I am quite satisfied of the end result.
I will only proceed on to points 2 and 3 once I am more or less confident that what I did wrong is ironed out completely.
During my free time I would paint this scenario in my mind and 'practise' it.
After some time I would put this at the back of my mind and not think about it because I realise that it is better to let the mind rest (cause it can consume you mentally, making you exhausted). I would then continue on with other projects using the same technique (same when I practised on scraps).
The process would repeat again, when I stumble onto new techniques or miraculously, when an idea pops up in my mind, which spurs me to practise again.