Fundamentals of Leatherworking

Come learn the truly timeless art of leatherworking, a craft that is thousands of years old, yet remains so effective that many of our old techniques and tools still resonate through to our current practices today.

This very comprehensive, 5 hour hands-on workshop will will deep-dive and teach you the core skills required in practically all leatherworking projects. By the end of the workshop, you will have created your very own fully customized leather keychain and have the confidence and knowledge to start on your next project.

This class is designed for all skill levels. If you've never touched a piece of leather or hand tool in your life, or you are looking to hone your existing leatherworking skills, this workshop is designed for you.

Instructor Jacob Johnson will provide demonstrations, explain how to use different types of leather, train you on how to use the various tools of the trade, provide one-on-one guidance and answer any questions you may have along the way.

Your class project will be created from top-grain, hand dyed vegetable tanned leather (vegan options are available upon request). You will get to customize each part of your project by choosing your thread, hardware and leather colour, as well as learning how to use a wide range of detailing stamps in order to truly personalize your one of a kind keychain. When properly built and cared for, leather goods can last decades and will develop the beautiful patina that only true leather goods can achieve.

There will be a fair amount of hands on hammering, cutting, sanding and a technique called saddle-stitching (where you use two blunted needles at once). Site3 will provide all tools and materials, but it is recommended to bring some kind of lunch/snack and hydration. There will be a half-hour break at the mid-point of the class.

If you're curious about Site 3 Co-Laboratory please stop by for our weekly Open House every Thursday evening, more info at www.site3.ca

PARTICIPANTS MUST BE 18 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER.

IF YOU REQUIRE ACCOMMODATIONS, CONTACT SU5GTyB8IFNJVEUzICEgQ0E= BEFORE PURCHASING YOUR TICKET. WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO HOST YOU.

REFUNDS WILL ONLY BE GIVEN IF YOU EMAIL SU5GTyB8IFNJVEUzICEgQ0E= WITH MORE THAN 72 HOURS REMAINING UNTIL THE CLASS. ALL OTHER REQUESTS WILL BE DEALT WITH AT THE ORGANISATION'S DISCRETION AND REFUNDS MAY NOT BE GIVEN.

Info: Introduction to and training with the many hand tools used in traditional leatherworking. This segment also goes over the different types of leathers available, how to select the correct leather for different types of projects, and what to look for when buying leather. The focus of this workshop is to give you hands on experience with the tools, materials and techniques that will give you the confidence and knowledge in order to create your own high-quality leather projects.

Info: We will select our hand dyed, top-grain leather pieces that will transform into a keychain built to last decades of heavy use. Together we will learn how to prep our leather, mark layout lines, bond surfaces, punch stitching holes, even stamping and embossing our own unique details and patterns permanently into the leather surface.

Info: After a short break we will learn how to dual-wield harness needles to perform the classic and iconic saddle stitch, the durable and satisfying stitch that no machine can replicate. We will also learn how to create a highly polished "glass like" burnished edge on our leather, install solid brass or copper heavy duty hammer-finished rivets, and learn how to finish and care for proper leather goods.

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