Getting Started in Leatherworking, Part 7

There are many blogs and forum posts out there answering the very common question, "How do I get started in leatherworking?" While I certainly don't have all the answers, and there are people who are more experienced, I figured maybe it will help someone to hear the things I wish I'd known when I got started.

Step 7: Going beyond the kits -- Finding Patterns

After you've tried your hand at making a few items, you are probably going to want to branch out into exploring your creativity. But if you're unsure of how to make an item that you've been imagining, you'll probably want to start with finding some patterns.

There are leather patterns out there, it's just a matter of finding them. Three really good sources are books, YouTube, and Etsy.

But first: You CAN find acrylic pattern templates on Amazon, various leathercraft stores (Tandy, Weaver, Springfield, etc.), and even clicker dies. This is a good way to start if you're wanting some basics, and they work really well for creating your own tooling blanks.

If you're looking for something that you can customize even more, that's when you need to expand your search.

There are many books on the basics of leatherworking, but look for books about how to craft items. I've found the 3-book series, The Art of Making Leather Cases by Al and Ann Stohlman, is a very thorough introduction to making nearly any kind of case you can think of. From small sheathes to large pieces of luggage, the books are a good start to learning several techniques like wet-molding leather or how to make and attach various types of handles.

The one downside to that series is that many of the patterns aren't very modern and need adapting to modern uses. For example, there's a pattern for a cassette recorder case...remember those? Does anyone make cassette tapes and recorders anymore? You can probably adapt the case to hold other items, but that means you have to figure out how to adjust the measurements.

However, it is really a good series for learning the techniques you will need for other items, and I can't stress that part enough: Even if you never use the patterns in those books, the rest of the information is incredibly valuable.

And of course, there are books that are specifically about items that you might want to make (wallets, bags, gun holsters, knife sheathes, etc.) so keep an eye out for them. Many even have patterns that you can pull out and use.

But sometimes you want to watch how someone makes an item. Check out YouTube. A few of my favorites are Prince Armory, DieselpunkRo, Craftsmangus, Hahns Atelier, Studio Hael, and bitchen. There are several others out there, those are just some of my favorites to watch, and some even have free patterns.

Many of these YouTubers will also sell their patterns on Etsy or other places, where you purchase a digital download of the pattern, print it out yourself, and then follow along with the video to make the item. You can find other patterns on Etsy as well that may not include videos, but have instructions. This is a good way to not only learn how to make items, but it also supports your fellow leatherworkers.

A note about the patterns you find or even buy: some creators may put disclaimers that you can make the items from the patterns for personal use, but to not re-sell the patterns or the items you make from them. Please respect their work, as they are trying to make a living off of their craft too!