A few weeks back I went on a leather workshop for a morning with my mum.
Each year she buys a course that we go on together. It's been a great thing to do and I have so many fun memories of doing different things over the years. This one was brilliant.
It was a beginners one, just making a leather belt.
This involved cutting the leather, skiving it, and stitching it together.
Funny as my old belt had broke just the week before - it must have known! But the lady taking the course repaired that one for me as well.
I always love learning about different crafts, and having a bit of a go is a great way to learn. Many transferable skills from what I already do each day in the cutting and shaping of the leather. I was surprised I found the stitching so easy, I really enjoyed that part of it.
I have a feeling it won't be the only bit of leather work I do, and a big part of me would love to take the children (and my wife) on a similar course to this one, I think they'd love it.
Ever made much with leather?
I haven’t but have always wanted to. If you aren’t familiar with him, look up Jimmy Diresta on YouTube. He has tons of leather working videos he has done over the years.
ReplyDeleteYeah the kids love him as he did a programme on Netflix call Making Fun, theyve watched it so many times!
DeleteLooks great Kev!
ReplyDeleteLeather is such a useful material. I am reminded of this every time I see or use a good leather product.
Yeah, I love that it looks better with age as well. Nothing is better to me than a worn in belt.
DeleteWhat a great way to spend time with Mom.
ReplyDeleteStrange as it may sound, I recognize transferable skills when watching any woodworking stuff, that apply to quilting/sewing. The geometry involved in the measuring and cutting.
Yeah, so many skills move between crafts and trades. Just being good with measurements is a big skill. Some people can't judge any sizes!
DeleteWhat an interesting and very useful course to spend time with your mum on, I imagine you'd be very good at this. A friend of my parents hundreds of years ago used to make rustic-looking hanging shelves with odd lengths of 6x1 timber, using leather 'belts' with horsebrasses on to hang them up with. He'd chamfer the edges a bit and then stain them in dark oak or leave them natural. That something you could easily do with your offcuts Kev!
ReplyDeletethat's something you could easily do with your left-overs.
Yeah, I've seen those shelves! With my offcuts I need really small products now as I keep making items for the regular bits I have left over.
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