Find your customer that wants the exact leathergoods that you make and build the leather business of your dreams.
It can be really overwhelming for the beginner leather worker to know where they should purchase leather from for a number of reasons. Budget is usually the biggest concern.
I reached out to a few of my favorite leather suppliers and asked them all the same question...
What do you think is the most important thing that a beginner leatherworker should keep in mind when purchasing leather?
Check out their responses in no specific order in the post.
Read MoreHave you ever wanted to create a custom sized zipper for a leatherworking project that you've been working on?
Maybe you were making your own leather zipper pouch or dopp kit or a leather purse or handbag with a zipper closure.
Creating your own custom sized zipper can save you a lot of time that would otherwise be spent hunting for the right sized zipper.
Using a custom zipper can also save you money because purchasing a roll of zipper tape instead of individual zippers is cheaper if you’re going to be using zippers in a lot of your leatherwork.
Using zippers in your leatherwork doesn’t have to be intimidating.
Read MoreThis is one of the most frequently asked questions and luckily the answer is pretty easy.
You need to know what type of leatherwork that you're interested in and then we can talk about tools and materials that you'll need.
So if you're not sure what tools you need, what the different types are of leatherwork are or how best to choose your leather as a beginner, then keep reading.
Read MoreIs the leather terminology getting you down like, WHAT??
I know the feeling. There is a lot to know!
Between distinguishing what the different grades of leather are, the finish types of grain leather and the main tanning processes, if you’re anything like me, your head is spinning.
But hang in there.
Read MoreLeather as you probably already know is the result of taking animal rawhide or skins and then tanning them to create a flexible and durable material that can be used for clothing, accessories, shoes and a lot more.
So how does this tanning process work?
Read MoreThis might be the worst blog post title ever. And you might be thinking, "ugh, boooring" but if you want to be informed and confident when picking out and purchasing leather hides then these are a few terms that you're going to want to be familiar with.
Read MoreHave you ever been shopping for leather and come across the myriad of terms used to describe the type of tannage, or leather grade, finish, etc that is involved in processing it? This was one of the most confusing things (and still can be confusing!) when I first started to work with leather.
Leather manufacture from it's earliest processes involving urine, feces and brains (still used today in smaller operations!) to the now majorly chemical and scientific processes is, well, complex.
Read MoreSaddle-stitching can be tricky business if you’re not quite sure which tools you should be using, how exactly to saddle-stitch in the first place or what the common beginner leatherworking pitfalls are!
But it doesn’t have to be a tricky process. Below i've listed 4 of the most common beginner mistakes (believe me, been there done that, don't want to go back!) to avoid when saddle-stitching.
Read MoreI get this question a lot…
How do I know how much thread I need for my project or my area of stitching?
There are 3 main factors that will affect your determination of how much thread you will need for your project.
Read MoreWhen I first started learning traditional leatherwork I knew absolutely nothing but was eager to learn! I was taught by a French master leatherworker who only used the best French tools. Go figure!
She taught me the basics of traditional leatherwork which included how to use a tool called a pricking iron. But as I started experimenting with the other tools options months and years later I came across a tool called a stitching chisel and also a lot of viewpoints on which of these two tools is the best choice.
Read MoreHave you ever felt like your clients, customers, friends or strangers at a trade show (who pickup your products and put them back down unceremoniously), have no idea the time, effort and care that goes into producing a traditional leathergood?
Below i’ve listed 6 reasons, starting with the more indisputable reasons why we choose to hand saddle-stitch over machine stitch and then round it out with more personal reasons as to why I hand saddle-stitch all of my leathergoods. These are purely personal reasons, but who knows, maybe we share some of the same reasoning.
Read MoreIt takes so much time and effort to complete a good looking wallet, belt, handbag or any other leather good that is sewn completely by hand, so it makes sense to spend some time on some preparation work. I have broken out the preparation work into the 4 simple steps I take each time before sitting down to saddle-stitch. Doing so will absolutely take your leatherwork to the next level.
Read MoreWhether you choose to use a stitching clam or a stitching pony, rest assured both tools are going to get you to the finish line. Their purpose is pretty simple: to hold your work in place so that you can use both hands when saddle-stitching. There are however a few differences between the tools that might sway you in one direction or the other if you're thinking about purchasing one of these guys.
Read MoreI've been seeing this question a lot recently on Youtube and other forums, so I wanted to share a video that I made that explains exactly how I thread and knot my thread onto my needles prior to stitching.
Read More
![Aniline and Other Finishes [What You Need to Know]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58895ea0e4fcb519d7d62a81/1506968847500-RP7N9CCWVU10STUUZGBE/ANILINE+AND+OTHER+FINISHES-Blogpost+Icon.png)
![Why I (and maybe you too) continue to Saddle-stitch [6 reasons]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58895ea0e4fcb519d7d62a81/1504209007991-GIMC9NCEN784G83PTPEJ/WHY+I+%28AND+MAYBE+YOU+TOO%29+CONTINUE+TO+SADDLE-STITCH+%286+REASONS%29+%281%29.png)
![Why Knot Your Thread [VIDEO Inside]](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58895ea0e4fcb519d7d62a81/1499784909141-RGT35990SRQHW0EZYLXP/IMG_0173.PNG)