1. An introduction to handmade leather craft
This 4-part series is designed to give the leather craft beginner, a bit of guidance for navigating the world of hand crafted leather making. This broad overview should answer some of your questions and give you a starting point.
The four blogs are: 1. An Introduction to Handmade Leather Craft 2. American vs European Leather Craft 3. Leather Craft Tools for Beginners - coming soon 4. Vegetable vs Chrome Tanned Leather - coming soon.
In Part 1, we explore the range of hand-crafted leather goods you can make. From rough to luxe and a few in between. A project can be simple enough for a beginner or require real know-how to do it justice. What style of leather goods do you gravitate to and how deep do you want to dive into the leather craft world? The answer to those questions will help you choose your first project and dictate the type of leather, technique, and tools you will need to bring that project to life.
The Different Styles of Leather Craft Goods You Can Make
I’ve come up with 3 categories to classify differences in aesthetics as well as the degree of sophistication needed to produce a piece of leather good. Also listed are “various other types of leather work” that are either offshoots of the basic 3 or stand alone categories.
The 3 main categories are: Rugged, Classic, and Refined. Plus the Misc.
Handmade rugged leather goods
As the name implies, Rugged handmade leather goods have a rough, all-terrain appeal. For our purpose, Rugged means unlined thick leather, unfinished edges, and a big straight stitch. You can probably achieve this look with minimal tools and supplies. If you like this rugged style and wanna try your hand at making something super simple, check out this kit from Buckleguy. I havent made it myself but the leather quality looks good and there are endless uses for that little pouch. Let me know if you try it!
*** Make sure you click on the gallery images and hover your curser down at the bottom of the pic to get more info!
Handmade classic leather goods
Most handmade leather goods out there fall in this category, so you’ll find quite a range of styles, designs, and variations in technique. The word classic and traditional are used interchangeably. For our purpose, the common denominator of a Classic handmade leather accessory is a smaller stitch -usually slanted, a finished edge that is burnished or dyed, and no lining. Leather Art Center’s Intro to Traditional Leather Craft is designed to teach you the basic techniques needed to make Classic leather accessories. And on YouTube, you can check out the Hahns Atelier channel for how-to videos and inspiration. Some of the projects are simple enough for beginners and you can download patterns for free!
Handmade refined leather goods
A Refined handmade leather good like the ones pictured above, means the interior is lined with leather and the edges are painted for a seamless look. The small, slanted stitch -often made with a French style pricking iron, also contributes to the sophisticated look. This is Classic leather craft taken to the next level. The tools and techniques used here are what we consider a European approach to leather craft.
This is how I was trained. The skills I learned were very French and specifically very Hermes. If you don’t know Hermes, it’s a French luxury goods manufacturer that sells two of the most sought after handbags in the world: the Birkin and the Kelly. Bags worthy of their own blog. Interestingly, even though most Hermes leather pieces are no longer entirely made by hand, leather crafters still hold the brand as gold standard for refined, handmade, luxury leather goods.
Leather Art Center’s Intro to Traditional Leather Craft provides a good foundation and stepping stone to learning how to make the more refined items shown above.
PS: I just came across this rough draft of an Hermes wallet on YouTube. It’s from MakeSupply and even though the end product is not particularly refined, it looks like a fun first project!
Handmade no-stitch leather goods
Rivets, glue, leather laces, cord, etc. Instead of needles and thread, that’s what is used to put a leather project together. It’s a slightly different aesthetic and aside from Leather Art Center’s intro workshop which teaches traditional techniques, all the leather craft classes we offer use this approach. It makes leather crafting more easily accessible to a wider range of skill levels. You also need less specialized tools so it’s a fun way to experience leather without getting in too deep, financially or otherwise. Free project pattern and tool list coming soon. I promise. Until then, here is a no stitch, no hardware, no excuse handbag you can make from Dark Horse Workshop on YouTube.
Leather tooling
Leather tooling or carving, is a decorative technique that is separate from the skills you need to actually make something with leather. It’s an American Western decorative technique that can be applied to all sorts of leather goods and requires quite a bit of artistry. Having said that, decorating leather is not exclusively American, but we tend to associate the look with the American West. Beautifully displayed here are pieces by super talented Rex G and famous artist Howard Knight. To be further inspired and awed, follow Rex from Moaalii Leather on Instagram. His account gives great insight into what it takes to produce a piece. Wanna give leather tooling a go? Check out this starter kit from Montana Leather.
Handmade leather home goods
Home leather goods are worth a category of their own. Here are a few examples all made by Otis Ingrams. Big pieces of leather put together through various techniques taken from leather craft -of course, but also upholstery, weaving, and wood working. For more home goods inspiration, visit Otis on Instagram. You can also buy his book here for instructions on how to make home leather goods.
Handmade leather box making
Making a box entirely out of leather, without using a wooden frame, requires mitered corners and a special stitch -among other skills!. It’s a unique art form and worth consideration. The boxes pictured here are made by Bay Area leather crafter, Jack Holland. Jack is a Leather Art Center teacher and you can read more about him here. If you’re local and want to learn how to make leather boxes, contact us to talk about setting up one-on-one sessions with him. His studio is located in Marin County, California, just 10 minutes North of the Golden Gate Bridge.
So Which Leather Craft Project do You Want to Make?
Which style do you gravitate to? Rugged and organic or luxe and sophisticated? Some of the links in this blog can be used as a starting point. Or spend some time on Youtube. If you can sort through the noise, Youtube is a treasure trove of leather craft instruction. You’ll eventually find a project that not only appeals to you but also has clear and accessible instructions. Choose something small and simple, doable in other words. A card holder or a pouch are my favorite beginner projects in any category. Would love to hear about what you make!
In Part 2, we take a look at the difference between American and European leather craft style and technique.
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