So, you just stumbled upon the extravagant leatherworking territory and are eagerly jumping around to get your hands on your first leather project. But as you search online, you are bombarded with information you never knew existed. The overwhelming amount of different leather crafting tools, types of leather and leather projects are swirling around your head as you blatantly stare on your screen. But, it does not have to be that way.

As experienced leather artisans in the United Kingdom, we definitely believe anyone can get started with leather. In fact, you can probably start designing your own custom leather project with a few basic skills and knowledge about leather. This guide will help you get into leatherworking and understand the basics you will require along the way. 

GET STARTED ON LEATHERWORKING

Why Do You Want To Get Started?

This question might seem a little out of place at the moment, but this is necessary. You might be excited to start with a cool new hobby right now but pace yourself and ask, why do you want to get started. Is this for a hobby? A career? Or if you are thinking about starting your own custom leather business? Anything the reason, we can guarantee you that it is a reputable skill to hone in today’s fast-fashion world.

If you are certain about joining the leatherwork community, we will guide you with the best gallery of resources available online.

1. Pick A Leather Project

No better way to get started than to dive right in, right? Starting out with simple leather accessories is a good way to understand the feel of it. Working with leather can become very tricky if there are too many compartments or layers, so start out small and finish strong. 

For a first project, we definitely recommend starting with a belt or a coin purse, anything above that can become too complicated for a beginner. These two projects can be complete within a couple of hours and will help you understand the basic skills such as cutting, sewing, folding and punching holes.

2. Master The Basics

Rome was not built in a day. So, start out small and master the basic skills of leatherworking first. This will develop core disciplines and techniques that will help you in every part of your leatherworking journey.

Some of the basics of leatherworking are:

Cutting

Most leatherwork projects will require you to cut at some point. We recommend using a ruler and a scratch awl to trace the outline of the cutting line. Make sure the ruler has a base made out of cork, that way the ruler will not slip around the tracing part.

Glueing

Simple and effective. Sand down gently on the leather parts where the glue will be. This helps the leather to stick more effectively. Put some glue on leather and use an edge of wax paper to straighten it out. The wax paper helps protect the rest of the leather from the glue. To hold the leather pieces together, simply use binder clips as they are budget-friendly as well. If you are worried about making a dent on the leather with binder clips, place a cloth to protect your leather.

Sewing

The most widely used sewing method is the saddle stitching method. This method is used to sew simple accessories to even the most complicated leather projects. Make sure to study up on this sewing method as it is the foundation of leather stitching. A more definitive guide can be found here [link to saddle stitching in createlab].

The basic tools that you will need is a diamond awl and two needles. While this might sound complicated at first, it’s fairly easy and a must-have skill that you need for leather stitching.

Burnishing

Leather burnishing is a process to smooth out the edges of the leather. This skill will help you make your leather product look nice and smooth. The overall look of your leather product will increase drastically with burnishing.

For more information and details, check out these amazing ways to improve leatherworking skills.

3. Equip Yourself with the Right Tools

For beginners wanting to get started immediately, we have our starter’s kit that will equip us with all the necessary tools and patterns to get started with your first project. Besides that, we have listed some of the options you can consider when you are starting out.

4. Pick Your Leather

When it comes to getting started, the foremost thing is getting your leather ready. There are different types of leather readily available in the market. For a more detail guide on leather grades and finishes, check out this article

A DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO LEATHER GRADES AND FINISHES

For starting out, pick out something that is cheap and something you can buy in bulk. This helps you to use your creativity extensively while not being too careful about using too much leather. Besides leather, some of the basic tools you will need are:

Rotary Blade

If you are looking for a tool that is value for money, the rotary blade should be your first option. This tool is easy to use and the blades can be easily switched when damaged or dull.

Needle & Thread

Saddle-Stitching method, the foundation of leather stitching will require you two needles and a thread. Keep in mind that leatherworking needles are not quite dull and using thick waxed thread will work well with beginners.

Leatherworking Awl

A diamond-shaped sewing awl is a must-have when it comes to piercing any thick materials such as leather. A leatherworking awl will help make your work immensely simple and clean.

Our experienced artisans have gathered a bundle of resources, tips and leather patterns on our .Ar:ti|sans Leathercrafting Kits

Get started on leatherworking with just a click of a button, and get access to all the tools you will need to make your first leather project.