Leatherwork School

Leatherwork School guides you in your journey to master luxury European leatherwork design and construction including studio set-up, pattern making, assembly, hardware installation, and hand stitching. With more than 500 full color photos, 186 pages and 12 chapters, beginner to advanced leatherworkers will find ten projects to support you in your design and construction journey.

Do you dream of making leather handbags and small leathergoods like the top European luxury brands? You may even want to raise the bar by incorporating your own unique designs, elements, and construction techniques. Look no further than this comprehensive full color, hardback book to give you all of the insider techniques you need to master including tool selection, pattern making, project assembly, studio set-up, hardware installation, hand stitching and more. With more than 500 full color photographs, 186 pages and 12 chapters, Leatherwork School includes ten projects for skill levels ranging from beginning to advanced. Included with your purchase are digital download patterns for every project. Chapters include: • Materials • Equipment • Tools • Work Area • Design • Patternmaking • Preparation • Assembly • 10 Projects • Appendix • Glossary • Resources Projects Include: • Belt Kit • Passport Envelope • Zip Wallet • Valet Tray • Gadget Bag • Clutch • T-Bottom Tote • Enchape Bag • Top-Handle Bag • Round-Handle Bag The patterns are available for digital download after you receive the book. Once you have Leatherwork School, you'll learn that high-end leather construction techniques will no longer be a mystery.

About Ellen Valentine Making things is literally in her blood. She made her first handbag when she was in second grade. Then she took a long winding road through many other creative pursuits before she came back to designing and making leather goods and handbags. One day while doing some genealogy research, she found a direct descendent advertising his downtown Boston leather goods shop in the 1854 Boston Almanac. That discovery further reinforced that she was born for this business. Once she settled on working with leather as her life's work, she set about to learn everything she could about this time-honored craft. She has traveled all over the world, working with the finest craftsmen, suppliers and dealers in North America, Britain, Europe and Asia to hone her talents. She trained with first and second generation luxury leathergoods makers who worked at leading brands, learning the processes and techniques used to design and construct timeless classics. Her greatest joy is working with clients and students to help them create fabulous bespoke pieces. Valentine and her studio are based in Orlando, Florida.