Guitar Strap, Crawford

This was a fun commission.  The client wanted a guitar strap for a graduation gift and just had a few elements (cross, quote, name, and the fish) they wanted on it.  So I was able to "freestyle" the design connecting all those things as well as add a few elements myself.

Its been awhile since I made a guitar strap and I made a few changes from the old pattern.  Notably I replaced the pigskin lining with another strip of veg which I stained to match the latigo.  When all the laminating and beveling was done it's hard to tell that it's two pieces of leather back-to-back and not one double-sided strip.  And since the grain's going in different directions I imagine it'll help mitigate any elasticity.  Not that there should be much of that permitted by the stitching. 

In hindsight I might have given more thought to tinting the vines so there'd be more contrast but even if I had it would've been a pretty light tint.