Have you ever ordered something online, waited patiently (or not-so-much!) for the mail too arrive, and tear into your brand-new package?
You peel back the layers, open the protective wraps and finally see the beautiful, yummy-smelling leather good that you’ve been saving up for and dying to enjoy! Suddenly all of your senses take action….
Once you’ve thoroughly enjoyed experiencing your new product with all of your senses, have you ever paused to wonder what went in to making your bag or cover? Have you ever wondered just exactly what it takes to create something so exquisite?
Let me show you…..
Your leather good is cut straight from the hide. I buy only the finest leathers and am super picky when it comes to feel and quality. I prefer to buy American when possible or source my materials thoughtfully.
When I’m creating your piece, I pull the hide from my shelf and roll it open. ( this is my favorite step in the process!!) I find the perfect place to cut and create something special, just for you ♥️
I cut all of the pieces needed for what I’m making at once. At this point, I head over to my skyving machine and will thin any edges that need thinning to ensure a beautiful and strong seam. This is a critical step when making any kind of product with thick, high-quality leather to avoid bulky and sloppy looking edges.
I sew all of my pieces by hand on a vintage industrial sewing machine. It has it’s quirks and likes to give me trouble, but this machine can get through anything… even 4+ layers of the thickest full-grain leather! This machine puts up with anything I throw at it.
Now is where the real fun begins. I love working with hand tools. Rounded edges aren’t cut by a machine, they are punched by hand. I trim sharp edges with a beveler and sand away rough spots with a piece of sandpaper. I use fire to singe the ends of threads and elastic so they don’t unravel. To finish, I use a cocobolo wood edge slicker on my dremel to give a shiny and smooth finish. This is where the pieces really start to come to life!
This is where a bag turns into a bag. Or a travelers notebook BECOMES a travelers notebook. The finishing is where I see a pouch turned inside out and suddenly become what I set out for it to become!
Whatever you pay me to create for you, I create with heart and intention. I want you to love this item for years to come! I take my job very seriously and consider it a blessing to wake up to do this every day. So when you give me your money, you can be assured that I don’t take that lightly. I will use all of the skills I’ve learned over the years as a leather worker, and continue to challenge myself to get even better at what I do. I appreciate each opportunity gifted to me by customers like you to create special pieces that I just know you’ll enjoy as much as I enjoyed making them ♥️
Check out these videos I’ve put together to show a little bit of my process
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