A bag that tells it's own story - Sarah recently went to see the wonderful storyteller, Phil Okwedy storyteller with his show "The gods are all here". His storytelling piece weaves myth, song, folktales and legends of the African diaspora with an astonishing personal story that uncovers Phil’s experiences of growing up as a child of dual heritage in 1960 & 70’s Wales. Charting the time of life when children are said to view their parents as gods, but never having actually lived with them, Phil considers if his parents were, in fact, the gods he had imagined them to be…Explor ..read more

We were really pleased to welcome the team responsible for the leather football used in the famous Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide Tuesday Football game. Part of the tradition of these events is the making and painting of the special leather football. Terry is passing on his knowledge to the next generation and they visited the store last November to speak with Peter and Jackie. There were lots of comparisons between the sort of vegetable tanned leather used for Shrovetide Football and modern Premier Division balls.  Shrovetide veg didn't change significantly until the 1970's. Balls that ..read more

  METALLIC PAINTS FROM IDENTITY LEATHERCRAFT..  In this article we take look at the different ways to achieve metallic finishes on your leather projects. Whether you want to bling up a pair of boots or shoes, add a shimmer to your work, or create painted effects; knowing what the products can do for you will help you decide which will give you the best outcome. Identity Water based stains – these are in a liquid form and can be used in much the same way as the ordinary stains, perhaps with the exception of the Shimmering Pearl. There are two ways these can be used: 1) to g ..read more

A frequently asked question about dyeing involves the differences between a solvent such as Fiebing's Leather Dye, Pro Dyes, or a water-based dye such as Eco-Flo.  There is no essential difference in terms of colouring your leather, however there are a few things to help you decide which is best for you. "Will water-based stains wash off?" No! The medium the colour pigment is held in can be solvent or water – both evaporate leaving the colour pigments chemically bonded to the fibres. Solvents evaporate faster leaving less room to move the dye or stain around the surface. (For these ..read more

We are pleased to offer a unique collection of UK made heritage leathers. These leathers all come of UK farm stock, and have been tanned in England using traditional processes including pit liming and tanning. They have been tanned by simple methods eliminating extra processes such as dye evening agents, making them ideal for re-enactment, bushcraft, TV and Film costume and more.
 traceable to UK farms grass fed traditional veg tan processes minimal use of chemicals They are large pieces and due to the nature of this offering the sizes can vary, measurements given will give ..read more

Dyeing leather can seem a daunting task, with the added fear of ruining your leather piece and the cost involved. Getting past this opens up a new world of colour and the ability to change leathers to fit your needs making for greater economy of use. Whatever type of dye or stain you are using here are some universal top 10 tips that will improve your results: Store your products correctly – make sure your dyes and stains and your leather are stored at correct temperatures and out of sunlight. Wash your hands well before handling your leather to ensure any oils or hand creams do not come into ..read more

In this blog we take a little run through our new contact adhesive and combine it with a few general points to consider when gluing your leathers together. We are pleased to launch a new contact adhesive for leather that we have worked on with a UK based company. NEW! Permabond Permabond is a water based contact glue with a thick consistency. It can be used as it is or diluted., so it is better for the environment and better for you. As with all contact cements it is about getting a neat even spread over both layers and this goes on a treat. Once it is slightly tacky press together firmly. It ..read more

We are all guilty of it as crafters... if I was to ask you do you have any works in progress and how many? Hmm! Some admittedly will be in 'process'. That is to say they might be waiting for dye to dry, glue to cure or for a buckle to arrive. Lets face facts though, it is likely we have projects that could be more accurately termed as shelved, put aside, abandoned. We lose the momentum to finish them, or our mojo for creation disappears. Even as I write this I feel the weight of a pair of fringed earrings that just need the hooks putting on - a five minute job, and they are a commission ..read more

A visit to the Grotte Chavet 2 in southern France led to this leather tooling pattern project,  inspired by some of the best preserved cave paintings in the world.The paintings and archaeological finds date back over 30,000 years and were preserved by a rockfall. Today you can see them up close by visiting an astounding large and accurate replica cave 'Chavet 2'. The first template is inspired by the running lions and horses paintings. These are show either side of a rock buttress giving the impression the lions are chasing after the other animals. They are shaded around the back area an ..read more

Rivets are a quick and fast way to permanently fix or repair leather together. They can also be used to act a strengthener at the end of a row of stitching - especially at areas where extra support can be needed such as at the top of a pocket or knife sheath opening. They can also add attractive detail and come in different styles and finishes. What you will need to set rivets: A smooth stone or marble block or hard anvil of some sort A solid non-wobbly surface to work on A good mallet - wooden, poly head or rawhide (not metal) The right setter - rivets are different and it is esse ..read more