Decided between goat and calf leather for my last journal cover

I had to pick between a goat skin and a calf skin for a custom journal someone wanted. Went with the goat because it was a bit thinner and I thought it would fold around the spine easier. The texture came out great but it stretched more than I expected during glue-up. Has anyone else noticed goat leather being more forgiving but harder to keep square?

2 comments

2 Comments

michael6931mo ago

Ha, reminds me of the time I tried to bind a sketchbook with some goat and forgot to account for the stretch. Ended up with a cover that was like a quarter inch too long on one side. Looked like a weird limping book.

rubyreed1mo ago

Ugh that stretching issue is a pain. Goat leather does have that give but it can really throw off your measurements if you're not careful. I've had to trim down a few edges after glue-up because it wandered on me. The texture is worth the hassle though, especially for something like a journal cover where you want that soft feel.