Oh, and on the stitching, I use a 5/64th” drill bit to make the holes and then stitch it up. If you get one of those leather tools with the wheel that ticks off the marks, you can just follow those marks with the drill bit. I do it in a drill press. Wet it some and when you are done it will all close up nicely.
You need a welt in there to keep the blade from cutting the stitches so you will be going through three layers of thick leather.