Find your customer that wants the exact leathergoods that you make and build the leather business of your dreams.
Whether you’re currently selling your work or you have plans to start selling your work, the fear and frustration behind product pricing is real.
A lot of leatherworkers don’t know where to start when pricing their products so they guess or they ask people in a Facebook group what they would pay for a certain product.
These are BIG mistakes for a few reasons.
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 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 MoreWhile quality tools certainly will help you get there, in the beginning all you need for success is a basic set of tools, knowledge, patience and a lot of practice. Hopefully, I can help you with the first two and you can handle the last two.
If you're just getting started or are trying to figure out how to get started and within a budget, keep reading.
Read More
![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)
