Leather working as a skill has helped the growth and development of societies since the primitive age, creating materials for not only sheltering and ad covering, but in generating wealth and fulfilling the very human need to create from scratch to sustain our need for creativity and dexterity.
So, as we once again recognise why leather working really is the only skill that is needed to stretch and challenge us in the most fulfilling of ways, it seems appropriate to give you some secrets to successful leather crafting, that will help to limit the number of mistakes you make if you enter this as a novice.
Here’s a list of secret techniques you can apply today to get your leather skills from amateur to professional.
1. Start With An Inexpensive Kit
Though the best toolkits for leather crafting are usually the priciest, save the investment for a time that you are better versed and more skilled. Start with an inexpensive toolkit to begin, so that you can; earn how to use the tools without being too precious with them.
2. Set Up A Safe Workspace
There are self-healing cutting mats that would protect your blades when cutting into the leather. When tooling, a granite or stone slab on top of your workbench to pound against, and for cutting, a plastic cutting board is the most effective supporting surface.
3. Start With Imported Leather
Learning the difference between leather types takes a lot of research, and it is very likely that the project you're working will often dictate which leather you use. For beginners, we recommend imported leathers, as they’re inexpensive and good to practice on.
Don’t worry about the design too much: if you do not feel confident in your ability to create nice patterns for your leather pieces, do not stress. There are ready-made patterns like acorns, leaves and flowers that are available to buy online
4. Mark Your Leather With Chalk First
To mark the leather before you cut into it, make sure that you use chalk instead of a pen so that your marks will not show on your finished product. To make the chalk have the same accuracy as a pencil, get a crayon sharpener to create the effect of the pencil’s fine point.
5. Prepare Your Leather By Wetting It
Casing- the process by which leather is wet on both sides of the leather. If the leather is too wet or dry, it can be difficult to get a clean, deep cut. The easiest and most efficient way? To use a spray bottle; it allows you control the moisture content, spraying until the natural colour starts to return to the leather.
6. Getting Comfortable With The Tools
If you are new to leatherworking, the best way to become comfortable with your tools is to practise. It seems like a cliché, but when it comes to familiarising yourself with tools- especially ones that are detail oriented like the Swivel Knife, it is a matter of repeating movement even if it feels awkward to begin with. Muscle memory will help make you feel more comfortable as you go on and progress.
7. Pick A Project That Allows For Better Honed Skills
The project that you pick to begin leatherworking can be as important as all of the above in making you a more capable and confident creator. Our suggestions? A leather wallet.
Not only do the skills needed to create one (from cutting and figuring out dimensions, to basic hand stitching ) help you be better, but the satisfaction that you created something that you will hopefully be able to use for a very long time will further remind you that despite the challenge, leaning into you dexterity is, in fact, deeply fulfilling.
The Path to Become a Master Artisan
Overall, the road to becoming a capable leatherworker is one that is challenging and will push you, but that ensures that at the end of all of your efforts, you would have tapped into a craft that has helped people recognise the satisfaction that comes with creating something from very little for generations past.
Leathercraft Kit You Must Try
For every leathercraft beginner to someone who just loves the work with their hands. From amateur learners to creative professionals, a piece made by hand is a worthy thing to carry.
Gift it or make it your own, .Ar:ti|sans DIY leather craft kits are the right fit for anyone. Choose any one from the 3 leathercraft kits and get started with leatherworking today.
DIY Leather Eyeglasses Craft Kit
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