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A coed at the junior college would reply, "She is my art and homemaking instructor." A housewife attending evening classes at the college would say, "I am learning textile painting from her."

An occupational therapist from the Fort Lyons veterans' hospital would reply, "She teaches rehabilitation crafts." A red-haired, teen-age boy would say, "That's my mom!"

And a frail, dark-eyed little woman from the local Mennonite tuberculosis sanitarium might reply, "Oh yes, Mrs. Lakin. She's the reason I'm living today, I guess. I was years in the hospital, not caring whether I got well or not. Then she taught me how to do something worth-while. That I, too, had a right to live!"

Mrs. Lakin is an enthusiastic hobbyist. However, since she is also a teacher, her hobby energy is exerted through class instruction, through the building up of her classes in numbers and enthusiasm and also in reaching an increasing number of persons of varying interests through the teaching of leather carving, which she considers the most pride-worthy of her hobby crafts.

She hopes that some day she will own a hobby shop where other craft enthusiasts will be encouraged to display their products. If this dream is realized, she will also teach hobby classes in connection with the shop.

DURING THE last two years, Mrs. Lakin has taught repeated afternoon and evening leather carving classes at the college; various women's groups, such as home demonstration clubs, and several classes of rehabilitation students at the tuberculosis sanitarium. She has also taught individual students in her home. For these classes, she charges a fee of $9 for seven weekly lessons.

Three-fourths of the approximately sixty students who have taken leather carving instruction under Mrs. Lakin have continued the hobby to make many valuable articles for sale and as gifts. Very few persons can curb their enthusiasm after completing the class project.

Mrs. Lakin has also chosen to assist her students in the sale of their leather products as an added service. She has arranged for Jackie Warren, one of her students recently released from the sanitarium, to use a display case in the West Side Cafe in La Junta. This is in conjunction with a tourist court and attracts many prospective customers.

For the sanitarium patients, a window in a downtown department store has been reserved for an attractive and profitable display of handicraft, which includes several expertly carved leather products.

She is also making arrangements to have a display case for another student's work in a local hotel where repeat business may be expected.

"Leather carved products usually sell themselves," Mrs. Lakin explains. One of her students showed a leather belt he had made to a local businessman who immediately ordered five to be used as Christmas gifts.

CARVED LEATHER articles are easily distinguished from the stamped or hand tooled items and are far superior, according to the instructor. Tooled designs will smooth out with wear but the carved impression is permanent for the life of the leather.

A profit on a finished product of from three to four times the cost of materials can usually be realized. And articles, from a novelty key case at a cost of approximately fifteen cents, to an elaborate brief case costing $12 to $14 for the materials, make the craft fit individual requirements.

A billfold costs about $2 to make and retails for $7.50. A purse costs from $5 to $15 and retails from $30 to $40, according to the amount of work the craftsman has put into the article. Key cases cost fifteen cents and sell for $1. They can be made in an evening. Larger key cases are lined and retail for $2 or $2.50.

Some of the many articles which can be made of leather are purses, billfolds, zipper notebook covers, brief cases, moccasins, medallions for wool neckties, checkbook covers, cases for eye glasses, axe or knife sheathes for Boy Scouts, 4H Club halters, dog collars, gun holsters, suspenders, belts, wrist watch bands and buttons.

MRS. LAKIN added leather carving to her varied collection of interests about two years ago when she met Jim Breslin, a retired cowboy, who had learned his craft from Mexican and Indian friends of his range riding days.

He taught her the technique of making her own tools and also the essentials of carving. Then during one month of the summer vacation from her college classes, she continued her study of leather designing and carving from Art Leather of California, taking evening and Saturday classes. Among the articles she made while in California, was a zipper notebook cover for her son. She has since made a purse and brief case for herself and many other gift items.

Among the first groups to request her instruction were members of Home Demonstration Clubs of Ordway and Sugar City, Colorado. The craft had been selected as the annual project of the club. A class of eight representative members met once a week. After finishing the course, each student returned to her community and club to instruct the general membership. One woman started a project in her Girl Scout organization, and all of them enlisted the interest and cooperation of other members of their families.

Mrs. Lakin tells, good naturedly, about how her knowledge of homemaking has been advantageous in handling some of the problems of the adult classes of from ten to thirteen students.

"To have several babies and small children in class is not at all unusual when the mother and father both are students," she says. "The leather classes have fewer absentees than any of my classes. They are so interested they won't stay home in spite of difficulty. One couple brought three children one night when they couldn't find a baby sitter.

"We just made beds for them, gave the baby his bottle and no one seemed to mind."

Then Mrs. Lakin has been confronted with the problem in her three hour classes of too much enthusiasm. The students will not stop carving, and before the period is over, fatigue begins to show in imperfect work.

When her suggestion of a fifteen minute rest fell on deaf ears, she inaugurated a "coffee period" when the second adult class was organized. The result was a few minutes of relaxation and better finished products. The instructor says this class was her first to have one hundred per cent acceptable work.

MRS. LAKIN experiences a special emotional lift from the satisfaction she has received from the achievements of the members of her rehabilitation classes at the tuberculosis sanitarium.

"Here," she explains, "crafts are taught, not necessarily to earn a living but to give the patients 'something extra' to hold on to. The psychological lift is more important than the material gain, although some of the students will earn their living in this less active field after release from the hospital."

Jackie Warren, 18, a victim of polio, was referred to Mrs. Lakin for craft training through the rehabilitation administration. Jackie proved to be an enthusiastic and adaptable student. He made two billfolds while other members of the class each made one. Soon after finishing the course he made four more and found a market for them. He is continuing to use his skill as an income supplement.

Mrs. Lakin says that anyone who likes to work with leather—likes the feel and smell of it—can get a good start on this hobby for an initial outlay of $12 to $16 for equipment, which should include a knife, eight tools and finishing supplies. However, the cost should be much less if you decide to make some of your own tools.

She suggests that the beginner start with a minimum number of tools needed for the particular article he wishes to make. Then he may acquire others as his field of leather working broadens.

TO START you will need a slab of marble, plastic, glass or slate about 10 by 12 inches square. She warns against using the top of your dining room table as a cutting board. Scraps of marble can be purchased at a monument business house at a minimum cost or may sometimes be found at wrecking yards.

To make a mallet or striking stick, acquire a piece of hardwood 13 inches long and 1½ inches square. Using a wood rasp, file around the center of the stick to make it fit the hand comfortably. Now cover four inches of either end with dampened rawhide. Lace tightly in place with a shoe string. The leather will tighten as it dries.

Other essential tools are a lacing punch, two lacing needles, a good leather knife, one or two background tools, a pear-shader, beveler, two veiners and an old razor strop to keep the knife sharp. If no razor strop is available, one may be made from a strip of leather measuring 2 by 8 inches and mounted on a 12-inch board.

Tools should be kept in a container which will prevent them from knocking together and thereby dulling. Either a wooden frame with appropriately sized holes or a cloth sewed into compartments may be used. Mrs. Lakin uses the latter container as it is more compact and easily rolled and carried in purse or small chest.

Equipment to finish the product should include household cement, a jar of rubber glue and a small can of Neat-lac, which can be purchased from most shoe repair shops. If you want a dark finish, purchase a bottle of antique leather dye.

MRS. LAKIN suggests a billfold as a good project for a beginning hobbyist as the leather is thin and the average novice does not hammer hard enough to make a good project from heavier material.

For a billfold, it will be necessary for you to purchase from a leather supply house, a piece of two-ounce calf, 3⁵/8 by 9¼ inches and one piece measuring 1 by 9 inches. Also buy a piece of skiver the same dimensions as the first piece of calf to be used in lining the billfold back. This gives the billfold a nice finish where the bills are placed. The skiver is a cheap, dyed leather made of the grain side of split sheep skin.

You will also need to purchase a billfold liner, which contains the pockets and identification windows. This is one-fourth inch shorter than the carved back, which allows the liner to fit smoothly when the billfold is closed. Also six yards of ³/32-inch lacing, either brown or natural, will be needed. This lacing may be goat or calf. The goat is less expensive and just as good in Mrs. Lakin's opinion.

If the hobbyist feels inclined to make additional billfolds after finishing the first, the instructor suggests that you make a pattern from the first purchased liner before it is laced into the billfold back. This pattern may be used to make future projects, cut from roller lamb. Or, if you are handy at pattern making, use the inside of your present billfold as a guide and make the first liner from a bulk piece of leather.

A person who is going to start to work with leather should not let his enthusiasm run away with him, so that he wants to start on a project immediately," Mrs. Lakin advises. First, get scraps of leather and practice using the different tools. She also suggests that you select one design that particularly appeals to you and practice cutting it over and over again until the lines are thoroughly familiar. Such familiarity with a design will usually make the difference between a professional or amateurish appearing finished product.

MANY PROFESSIONAL craftsmen vary the same design only slightly in all of their products, Mrs. Lakin explains. It is interesting to note also that several persons using the same design will produce a decidedly different product according to the type of tools used and the individual interpretation of depth and accent.

Unless a person plans to make several articles, it is better to buy the first project already cut from a leather supply house. However, if a number of items are to be made it is more economical to buy one-half of a hide. Members of Mrs. Lakin's classes often co-operate to buy a whole hide, therefore, cutting the supply cost for each craftsman.

One half of a cow hide will make from five to seven handbags. It will make about four brief cases or zipper notebooks.

In preparing the leather for your first project turn it with rough or flesh side up. With a sponge and soft water, dampen the piece until the moisture begins to come through on the opposite side. Be sure to moisten the entire surface to avoid water lines around the edges.

Now roll the leather in wrapping paper or bath towel and allow it to stand until its original whitish color begins to reappear, but not until it is completely dry.

The time of drying period will vary according to the weight of the leather. About six hours will be necessary for two-ounce leather which is used for making billfolds.

"Always work with the leather damp," Mrs. Lakin warns. It is a sign that it is too dry when the tool marks do not show up well or the tools, other than the knife, cut the surface of the leather. When it begins to dry, reverse the leather and quickly stroke the entire flesh side with the damp sponge, being careful not to let the moisture soak through.

WHILE THE leather is drying, after rolling it in a towel, a design should be copied on onionskin paper. This is placed over the leather when ready, leaving a three-eighths inch border all the way around for lacing.

Now trace the design, using a pencil or nut pick which has been rounded off on the point. No tracing paper is necessary. As you press over the design an impression is made in the damp leather.

After removing the paper, the carving knife is used to cut the design. The leather should be cut and backgrounded one-third to one-half its thickness. A straight border around the leather, three-eighths inch from the edge, should be cut first.

In almost every instance, a leather design is a flower with leaves, a leaf design, an animal or an animal head. In any case, the dominant figure of the design should be cut first, followed by carving the secondary features of the design. For instance, in a floral design, cut the flower first, then the leaves and last the stems and leaflets. It is easier to start at the border and cut in—always pulling the knife toward you. When cutting a circle it is easier to hold the knife still or draw it slightly toward you while the leather is turned. Hold the knife in an upright position while carving.

Each petal or unit of the flower or other design should be carved separately rather than outlining the outer edge of the design and later completing the petal.

After the pattern is cut you are ready for background work. The tools needed are a bar and a round or a half-round. The mallet is used to tap the tools so as to give the desired background effect.

NOW WE are ready to outline the design, which is done with the beveler. This smooth, blunt tool, held in the left hand, is tapped lightly with the wooden mallet as it is drawn toward you. Beveling is done over all cut edges of the design except where it is backgrounded. Beveling separates one leaf or one petal from another. The dominant figure of the pattern is preserved and made to stand out by leaving its carved edge upright and exerting pressure on the adjacent carved edge to force it down and smooth it. This makes the imperfect leaves or petals appear to be coming from underneath or behind the predominating figure or flower, in the case of a floral design.

When beveling is to be done between the principal figure and a secondary feature, the tool is placed slanting toward the edge of the subordinate feature, thus pressing the edge down and emphasizing the dominant design.

All beveling should be retraced a second or possibly a third time to smooth out all rough edges or tool marks.

Both the beveler and pear-shader may be homemade tools. The beveler may be made from an eight-penny nail. To make, grind off flat, about one inch of one side of the end of the nail. This process removes about one-fourth of the thickness of the nail. Now grind off the point of the nail flat. Then slant the flat end approximately ¹/32 of an inch away from the flattened side, which was previously ground.

THE PEAR-SHADER, like its fruit namesake, is pear shaped and may be made from a four-inch bolt. On an emery wheel, grind the head of the bolt down until the ridge disappears, leaving a smooth flat surface. Then grind the head into a pear shape as illustrated. Now round off the sides of the head approximately ¹/16 of an inch all around so that, when hammered into the leather, no ridge is made. The center should be slightly higher than the edges. In other words, you don't want the full imprint of the tool on the leather, only a dent.

The pear-shader is used with the broad end tipped so that it rests on the leather. This tool cups the center of a leaf or petal into a natural appearing curve. Strike the tool hard near the tip of each petal or leaf and lessen the pressure gradually as it is drawn toward you.

The veining tool is now used on the leaves. This instrument is a half moon design and is used with the inside of the curve toward you. It is used on a slant to simulate the small veins of a leaf which branch out from the center vein.

This tool should be pounded heavily at the base of the leaf—then lighter toward the tip. Slant it so that a deep impression is made near the center vein and a very faint impression or tool mark is made at the outer edge of the leaf.

After accenting the veins in the leaves, a camouflage tool is used in the center of large stems to break the bareness. The sketch shows the striking surface of a camouflage tool.

Other tools with tiny dot designs emphasize the centers of flowers. Still other tools sometimes used for emphasis or to break monotony are called "mule's foot" and "end of the trail."

The leather article may be completed with a number of finishes. The finish is applied before the liner is glued into the article.

Neat-lac gives a light finish. Antique dye gives a reddish-brown to dark finish, according to the number of coats applied. To apply Neat-lac, the leather must be thoroughly dry. Make an inch square pad of bath toweling. Dip it into the Neat-lac and stroke across the billfold back, patting the finish well into the background. Allow this to dry for one-half hour.

If antique dye is to be applied, use the square pad of toweling, moisten it in water, then dip it into the dye and cover the leather completely with the finish. Immediately remove the excess dye and allow the product to dry thoroughly. If a darker shade is desired, repeat the above process until the shade is obtained.

AS SOON as the billfold back is dry after applying the finish, spread rubber glue completely over the rough or flesh side of the back and set it aside while you apply the rubber glue over the rough side of the piece of skiver. Allow this to dry for about two minutes. Then place the two glued sides together.

Next, take the pocket liner and apply glue one-fourth inch from the edge around three edges—the two ends and one side. Repeat the same process around the edges of the billfold back.

Now stand the billfold back up, with the inside toward you. Bend it to not quite a 45-degree angle. Then take the liner and fit it to each end of the back and press tightly along glued edges. Keeping the back partially folded, press the sides together.

Now take the 1-by-9-inch strip of leather, which you have purchased from the supply house with the liner and billfold back, and completely cover the rough side with the rubber glue. Allow to dry a few minutes and fold the edges together to make a strip ½ by 9 inches. Put glue along one edge of this the full length and put glue along the top edge of the billfold. Bend the strip slightly forward and press it onto the top of the billfold. The liner lacks one-half inch of being as wide as the billfold back. This strip fills the half-inch space and forms a neat opening in the pocket where bills are placed.

YOUR FIRST carved leather project is now complete except for the lacing. In preparation for punching the lacing holes you will need a piece of soft wood to place under the billfold, carved side down. With a nut pick or pencil, mark a guide line for your punching tool ¹/8 of an inch from the edge all around the billfold. Then with a razor blade or sharp knife, cut off the corners so they are very slightly rounded, about a ³/8 inch cutting line on each corner.

Using a carpenter's hammer and lacing punch, make holes through the leather along the guide line. The punch has four prongs. After the first series of cuts, place the first prong in the last cut and strike again. Continue this process around the billfold.

Mrs. Lakin recommends the double overlay process of lacing for all leather products. To begin, she suggests using a little household cement to glue one end of the lacing into the split end of the lacing needle. Work with a piece of lacing 3 to 4 feet long and with the carved side of the billfold facing you. The lacing needle is pointed away from the body when inserting under loops or through holes. It is best to start somewhere along the edge of the project rather than on a corner.

Insert the needle in the first hole and pull the lacing through to within two inches of its end. Drop the needle and grasp the lacing near the project. Carrying it from right to left from the back, take it completely around the 2-inch strip and hold in place with the thumb of your left hand.

Now with your right hand, straighten out the lacing and insert the needle into the second hole as in Figure A.

Pull the needle through the hole and to keep your lacing from turning, make a complete circle with the needle toward the front, and put it under both the top and bottom loops which have just been formed. (See Figure B.) Leaving the needle under these loops, pull the lacing tight to the back.

Now pull the lacing through the hole, make a complete turn toward the front and put the needle under the two loops. Tighten the lacing and continue these two steps to the end of the lacing.

It is important to use the same amount of tension to tighten each stitch in order to make the lacing uniform. If too tight, the project will curl.

JOINING A new piece of lacing to the old is called splicing. Remove the needle from the end of the lacing now being used. Then, with a razor blade, thin the end on a slant about ¾ of an inch back. Cut off a new piece of lacing, 3 or 4 feet in length and thin one end as you did the other piece. Be careful to thin the smooth side of one lacing and the rough side of the other. Thus, when the two ends are glued together, the splice is the same thickness as the lace.

With household cement put a few drops on the thinned end of one piece of lacing and lap the other piece over it. Allow this to dry completely—then continue lacing as before. Be sure that enough glue is used to cover both ends well so that they won't fray.

To lace around the corner of a billfold or any article with square corners, put the lacing twice in the last hole on the corner and twice in the next hole, or four stitches in two holes.

Lace around the project until you have laced up to where you started.

Now remove the lacing from the first three or four stitches you made in starting the lacing, stopping with the lacing coming up out of a loop. This is done because these first few stitches stand upright rather than at a slant as the rest of the lacing does.

Continue lacing through the remaining holes. Pull the needle through the last hole and drop the lacing. (See Figure C.)

Put a second needle on the end of the old lacing. Now, from the back, bring this needle toward you under the last two loops made with the other lacing. (Figure D.)

Continue the needle under the lacing and through the loop working left to right as in Figure E and pull all the lacing up tight.

Follow Figure F for completion of the tying process. Before pulling the last two loops up tight, put glue on the inside of both loops. Pull the lacing up tight and cut ends so that one is concealed inside the lace hole and the other is concealed under the lace.

All leather projects are laced in the same manner.

If the billfold has been finished with antique dye, complete the project by giving it a coat of Neat-lac.

FOR A beginner, Mrs. Lakin recommends purchasing patterns from a leather supply company whose designs are partly photographed. This enables the craftsman to see how the completed design on leather will look. These patterns also explain the type of tool to be used for each process. A number of supply houses provide such photographed patterns. A book of designs may be obtained for $1.

Mrs. Lakin feels that the leather craft hobby is most satisfying because any article you make, whether it be for a gift or for sale, will be something of which you will be proud. Also, it will be an essential that will last for years and for which there is an active market.