Today I have had the pleasure of spending a few hours on the portfolio prototype attaching one of the gussets after the lock and the lining have been attached and the edges skived. Lots of decisions to make along the way. There is no one way of doing things and various factors affect the decisions made at each stage. It is like a journey along an unknown path with surprises to be found along the way. One can plan the route but is subject to the unpredictable nature of travel.
Once the second gusset has also been adorned with saddle stitching the hasp will be installed and the edges tidied up and finished. Some decisions remain to be made about the interface between the edges of the leather and the lining on the front flap and about the colour of the edges. My preference being undyed edges that give a glimpse into what lies beneath the black surface and the luxurious goat suede lining.
One more decision to be made in the end. What to do with the prototype portfolio? Use it or sell it? For now I will continue to enjoy this project and look forward to starting on the next journey of designing, making by hand and enjoying this amazing material called leather.