Learn the basics of hand crafting leather projects with this class. By the end you will have 3 completed projects under your belt (pun intended) as well as a plethora of skills and fundamental knowledge to boost your foray into the leathercrafting world. Firstly, you will be taught the origins of leather working as well as the ways we tan and produce leather and why that's important in choosing the tannage of a given project. Then we will practice cutting leather, dyeing, punching stitch lines, the saddle stitch, burnishing, and finishes. After that you will be ready to start your first project, a humble card holder. Once complete we can begin work on your first ever belt and understand the anatomy of a belt along with the industry standards of crafting a functional and long-lasting piece. For the final project, you will lay out your own notebook or sketchbook cover from scratch that you will tool your name into and stamp a weave pattern onto the cover, creating a piece that is uniquely yours. By the end of the class, you will have a full understanding of how to create your own works with the fundamental knowledge of the trade taught in this course.

Limit: 8 students, ages 18 and up.

Materials fee: approx. $60 includes practice materials, veg tan, hardware and consumables

Students will work in pairs.

Students should bring: a notebook or sketchbook no larger than 9x6.

NOTE: Students do not have to bring any tools or other materials unless they wish to. For those who wish to purchase tools, I recommend getting these tools in this order, that can be acquired online at Tandy Leather Factory or Weaver Leather Supply

• cutting tool of choice (razor knife/box cutter or head/round knife)
• 4mm 6 prong diamond stitching chisel and single punch diamond stitching chisel
• preferred leather dye for projects (preferably fiebings leather or pro dye)
• scratch awl
• cork backed ruler
• poly maul
• stitch groover
• #2 edge beveler
• preferred pattern stamp for notebook cover

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