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Leathercraft for Beginners: How to Start the Hobby
A plain-language starting point for leatherworking: choosing veg-tan or chrome-tan leather, the basic tools and skills, first projects, costs, and safety.
Leathercraft
Work leather by hand, one stitch at a time.
Guides to leather types, tools, stitching, carving, molding, finishing and repair for leatherworkers.
95 in-depth guides 10 topics Nov 2026 latest guide
Featured guides
Guides to start with
Each one links on to more specific articles in its topic.
Types of Leather Explained: Grades, Tannages and Finishes
Learn leather grades, vegetable and chrome tannages, finishes and sauvage. A clear guide to full grain, top grain, split and bonded leather.
How Leather Is Made: From Raw Hide to Finished Leather
Follow raw hide through curing, liming, tanning, drying, staking and finishing to see how leather is made, stage by stage, and why each step matters.
The History of Leathercraft
The history of leathercraft, from ancient hide tools and Egyptian sandals through medieval guilds and chrome tanning to 20th-century hobby craft, with dates.
How to Hand Sew Leather: Saddle Stitch Basics
Learn how to hand sew leather with the saddle stitch: the tools, thread, hole spacing, tension and finishing steps that give durable, repairable seams.
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Foundations
Leather itself and how to start working it.
Techniques
Stitching, carving, molding and finishing.
Projects and Repair
Things to make and keeping leather in shape.