Leather Clutch Workshop

Early this week I've had the pleasure of meeting a fellow Malaysian,the lovely Saran. With her cheerful and bubbly personality, my day couldn't have been any brighter! Saran was a lawyer and is now a humanitarian working for the UN and on top of that she is also the Co-Founder of DIYKL promoting DIY fashion accessories among other things to hip and creative Malaysians.

Saran participated in the leather Clutch making workshop which took almost the entire day. Here are some of the shots taken throughout the day.

Saran learning to make the paper pattern.
Couldn't emphasize more on the importance
of getting it right 

Practise cutting using leather swatches

Transferring paper pattern to cut leather

Attaching hardware 

Now that the hardware is done,
its time to begin stitching

Saran learning to saddle stitch for the first time.

Saran proudly holding her handcrafted leather clutch.
Good job girl!

Saddle Stitch vs Machine Stitch (lock stitch)

The above illustration is by the pioneer in leathercraft,  Al Stohlman. It explains very simply the difference between hand stitch (Saddle stitch) and lock stitch (machine stitch). I have been asked many times by the participants from my workshops on this and I'd like to share and explain very briefly why leather artisans prefer to use this method instead of using sewing machine even though the later would save plenty of time.

In a lock stitch, when a thread breaks, the seam will come apart and will continue to do so until the entire seam is repaired by sewing the whole stretch again. The Saddle Stitch is a method using 2 needles at each end and every stitch is done by hand. If one side of the thread breaks, the piece is still held on together by the other thread. It can then be repaired with a single needle and thread.

To leather artisans, time isn't so much the main issue. It's the quality of both the leather as well as the quality of the workmanship that matters. Machine stitching no doubt cuts back on time but as explained in the illustration, when it comes to durability, saddle stitch (hand stitch) is definitely more superior. 

Join my workshops and you will learn this wonderful way of hand stitching your leather creations unlike any other.

Saddle Stitch

The Saddle Stitch dates back thousand of years ago probably when saddles were first made by leather artisans. The stitching method is also widely used by artisan book binders till this day. While the origin is still unclear whether it was the English or the French who first created this method, it is still widely practiced by many leather artisans. 

Hermes leather craftsmen are most renowned for their hand crafted leather goods and here is a short video by Hermes using the Saddle Stitch method as well as the traditional way of pricking the stitching holes. 

Its a privilege and humbling experience being able to meet many interesting participants from all walks of life during the leather workshops.  Everyone I've met come from very different backgrounds and it's always a joy listening to their stories and travel experience. I look forward to every meeting. This time around Matt who hails from Australia, came to participate in the Beginners Small Leather Goods workshop. 

Matt and his wife are an adventurous couple and  have travelled far and wide and lived in many different parts of the world. Some may call this a Nomadic life but you've got only one life and its too short to be stucked in just one place!

Great to have you Matt! 

Matt have just completed the paper pattern and is
now cutting all the required parts needed
for his passport holder.

Assembling the parts together for hand stitching.

Cleaning up the edges for burnishing

Matt working hard to give the edges a shiny finish!

The fruit of his labour. Well done Matt!

3 days Billfold Workshop

Abigail got in touch through Gumstoolhill my other blog, when I was still having the leather workshops back in Malaysia few years ago. Going for greater challenge, she decided to participate in the 3 day Billfold workshop instead of the simpler workshops for beginners. She is a young entrepreneur in jewellery, designing and creating her own range of semi precious stone accessories. 

It was indeed a pleasure meeting her. 

Abigail is skiving the pockets before assembling. A process
she finds very challenging having to ensure that every piece
is equally thinned.

Next is assembling the pockets together for stitching

Saddle stitching her leather billfold with the help
of a saddlers clamp.

Beginners Leather Bag Making Workshop - How to create your own bag

Beginners Leather Bag Making Workshop

I have some enquiries for the Beginners Leather Bag Making workshop. Here is another example I would like to give by simply using very much the same pattern with the one taught in the workshop, to create another simple and elegant messenger complete with a shoulder strap. 

Careful guidance will be given through every step and process during lessons. Therefore, upon completion of this workshop, you will be able to create your own leather bags at home.

I've added another thin strip of leather 
to create a more interesting panel.

Since there will be a shoulder strap, the D ring 
holders are stitched in place on the gussets

Two needles saddle stitching the main panel to 
the gussets 

Assembling almost complete.

Time to burn some calories! Burnishing the edges 
is hard work and time consuming.

The before and after effects of burnishing.

Installing the shoulder strap. 

..and we now have an elegant messenger bag 
with a shoulder strap. Handle is optional.

Small Leather Goods Participants

Recently I've had the pleasure of having some interesting participants from Malaysia, Holland as well as Spain who took part in the Small Leather Goods workshop which have kick started in Bangkok having previously held in Malaysia. 

They came with no prior knowledge nor experience in leather work but left with a new enjoyable and addictive skill which they can't wait to start on new projects of their own. 

Shayna is busy hand stitching her leather passport holder using the saddle stitch method for the first time.

Adding some finishing touches to her leather passport holder.

The lovely couple from Holland, Rene and Molly. Molly made a statement that she will never again ask for any discounts in future whenever shopping for handcrafted leather bags citing the amount of effort and work put into each leather goods. Molly made us laugh!

The couple doing well hand stitching for the first time with the help of the saddlers clamp

Maite is seen here assembling her leather passport holder. She has just finished cutting the leather pieces using the paper pattern she learned to make.

Maite was initially very concerned about not being able to remember the stitch sequence but found hand stitching is a breeze after all!

Small Leather Goods Workshop

Learn to create your own unique leather goods.
Join my workshops and you'll go home with a brand new skill in handcrafted leather goods. Hand made and stitched.

1) Small Leather Goods - Level 1

    Item : Coin purse/passport case/name card case

    Time : 4 - 5 hours (Approx.)

    

    Includes : Drafting paper pattern, cutting leather

    pieces, assembling, burnishing edges, installing

    hardware and hand stitching.

   

    

2) Small Leather Goods - Level 2

    Item : Spectacle case/simple clutch

    Time : 5 - 6 hours (Approx.)

    Includes: Drafting paper pattern, cutting leather

    pieces, assembling, burnishing edges, installing
    hardware and hand stitching

This workshop is suitable for participants who prefer to make smaller items to get a feel of the craft and completing in just a few hours. 

Please contact me for further details. 

Dao's Leather Messenger..complete.

 

At last! Here is your Leather Messenger Bag ดาว ดาว.
Hope your hubby will like it as much as I have enjoyed making it :-D

 

 

 

 

 

Dao Ban's Leather Messenger (finale)

As Dao's date of arrival drew closer by the day, I moved on to preparing the shoulder strap. The shoulder strap consist of two different lengths with one side longer than the other. The shorter strap is attached with a buckle while the other has holes for length adjustments depending on the wearer's preference. 
Endless stitching and lots of burnishing work!

The drop lining. I've use thick strong canvas for the internal lining which is durable and holds the shape of the bag well. 
It also has a zip pocket trimmed with the same leather which was hand stitched onto the canvas. 

The top is also trimmed with leather which will then be stitched onto the bag.

Almost there..

Dao Ban's Leather Messenger (cont.2)

For some reason or another, making the handle this time seems trickier than before. A few adjustments later, I was finally able to move on to another area.

Now that the handle is in place, next is attaching the flap to the back panel. 

Dao Ban's Leather Messenger (cont.)

 

 

The front slip pocket is burnished and ready. Here, it is placed in position before stitching onto the main panel.

 

 

Stitching the slip pocket in place with the help of the saddler's clam. An original saddlers clam made of beech wood was carried back with me from the UK and later had reproductions made due to demands from my workshop participants.
I rely on it for all my works whether small or large items and find it very helpful when stitching.

In the process of burnishing the edges after assembling the gusset onto the front panel of the bag. The difference in appearance before and after the process of burnishing can clearly be seen here.
A lot of elbow grease needed and the process is painstakingly slow but the result is worth the effort.

 

Dao Ban's Leather Messenger

My dear friend Dao Ban from Korea is getting married and has asked me to make for her fiancé a leather messenger bag. Initially she had chosen the tan brown which I have used a few times but a visit to the leather supplier had found the new batch of tan brown too bright and rather flat so I opted for this dark brown instead which has turned out better than expected.
I sent Dao pictures of the bag in progress and she's eagerly anticipating for it's completion.

Here are some of the pictures of the bag in progress.

 

Position markings on important points using the paper pattern and preparing the straps for the flap and D rings holders for the handle.

The straps are double layered for durability, hand stitched together and edge, burnished.

 

 

 

 

Placing the D ring holders for the shoulder strap in position on the side gusset.

 

  

 

 

Sewing is done using the saddle stitch method also known as double-needled. Time consuming but the durability is unquestionably far superior than machine stitched.

 



 

 

Every stitch by hand using strong waxed thread. No machine. Just leatherwork tools.

 

 

Small Leather Goods Workshop - Bicycle Pouch

Simple and practical. Easily made in just a few hours. No machine needed. Just basic leather craft tools. Find out how you can make one yourself..

Bangkok Leather Workshop: Workshops

Bangkok Leather Workshop: Workshops: The following are the Small Leather Goods and Beginners Leather Bag Making workshops designed especially for beginners level for participan...

Beginners Leather Bag Workshop

I've received enquiries for the leather bag workshop which seems to be rather popular. If you prefer to jump straight into bag making, then take this challenge to your first handcrafted leather bag. 

This basic briefcase bag is the perfect bag to begin with. Participants will be taught how to draft the paper pattern complete with actual dimensions which will then be used to cut the pieces of leather. This will be followed by various process which include assembling, burnishing edges, hand sewing and attaching hard wares.

The idea of this workshop is understanding the step by step process to create a handcrafted leather bag from draft to completion. At the end of the workshop, the participant will be able to go home and create another bag base on his/her own design with this new skill.
Time: 20hrs (approx.)

Small Leather Goods Workshop 2015

 

 

 

Thank you for your interests in the workshops and not forgetting to mention your patience in waiting for them to materialise. It took longer time to settle down than earlier expected.

I'm pleased to inform that Small Leather Goods workshop will be available in June 2015. Please contact me if you are interested to participate. Thank you!