The document provides a step-by-step guide on creating layouts for meander and hourglass border stamps in leatherwork. It describes the process of drawing lines, using wing dividers for spacing, stamping corners, and ensuring proper alignment from both ends to the center. Lastly, it offers techniques for finishing touches like beveling the stamped designs.

1. Meander and Hourglass Border Stamps
by Wayne Christensen
www.leatherbywc.com
This is how I do my layouts for meander and hourglass border stamps.
First I draw a line on scrap
leather and stamp a 3 stamp
pattern; I keep doing this ‘til I
like the spacing.
Figure (1)
Figure 1: Practice three-stamp
patterns until you like the spacing.
After I lay in my outer border
line, I use wing dividers to get
the spacing of my inside
border line.
Figure (2)
Figure 2: Set wing dividers for
correct border width.

2. Next I stamp the 4
corners on the
inside line.
Figure (3)
Figure 3: Stamp corners on the inside line first.
With the dividers, I
get the spacing of
the 2 stamps on my
practice piece.
Figure (4)
Figure 4: Set wing dividers to proper stamp
width.

3. I transfer that to my
line, working from
both ends to the
middle.
Figure (5)
Figure 5: Mark the leather to indicate stamp
When you come to center placement.
the center, you may
have to adjust the
spacing a little.
Figure (6)
Figure 6: Stamp spacing does not always line
up; make adjustments as you place marks near
the center.
A
Start stamping at
one end by placing
B
your stamp just
above your mark,
and slide it down to
the line.
Figure (7)
Figure 7: (A) Line stamp up with mark.
(B) Slide tool down to begin stamping the row.

4. Work both ends to
the middle.
Figure (8)
Figure 8: Work towards the middle from both
ends.
After the inside rows
are done, start on
the outside by
placing the stamp
evenly between the
stamps on the other
side.
Figure (9) B
Figure 9: Complete the meander by carefully
stamping the outer row evenly between the
impressions on the inner row.
You can bevel the outside of the meander to raise it, or lightly bevel the
inside to crown the meander.