LEARN PROFESSIONAL LEATHER SEWING SKILLS AND CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES – one to one tuition
WERE?
At our studio (map)
COST
From £136 (Part 1 – 4 hours)
From £264 (Part 1 & 2 – 8 hours)
From £392 (Part 1, 2 & 3 – 12 hours)
From £520 (Part 1, 2, 3 & 4 – 16 hours)
LEVEL:
Beginners, beginners with some experience of sewing, intermediate, advanced
WHAT IS THIS COURSE ABOUT?
This is a one to one course during which you will be taught the basic skills of working with leather.
You will be shown different sewing machines and understand their differences, benefits and limitations. You will also learn how to use specific tools for splitting, cutting, finishing and fastening fittings.
The course has the aim to help you gain confidence in sewing leather, understanding the major difference between various types of leather, working tools and learning essential techniques to deal with tricky features of leather goods construction.
You will work with suede, thin and medium thickness leather in order to gain the specific, vital skills required for your leather sewing project.
You will produce your own samples of work to take home with you.
WHAT WILL BE TAUGHT?
The course is divided into three consecutive parts of four hours each, but you can decide to attend either one, two or the all three of them.
During the course, you will be able to focus on specific things you might be more interested in.
Below is a list of topics usually covered during the course (part 1):
– Understanding leather: overviews on types of leather, tanning, finishings and best use
– Vegan leathers: an overview on different types and features
– Leather preparation, marking and cutting
– How to cut different types of leather into complex shapes using a variety of tools
– How to finish leather edges: painting vs burnishing
– How to correctly use leather punches, mauls and mallets
– How to choose the right sewing machine for a specific type of material or project
– Understanding how to correctly set the tension in a sewing machine
– Understanding thread types and needle sizes
– Learn the basics of machine sewing leather
– How to produce a range of simple seams
CURIOUS TO KNOW WHAT IS TAUGHT DURING PART 2 AND 3 OF THIS COURSE?
PART 2:
– How to produce a range of top stitches, construction seams and seam finishes
– How to use various machine feet, tools and equipment in your sewing
– How to use a variety of glues and tapes
– Learning how to cut, assemble and sew different types of simple straps and handles
– How to sew and finish one or two types of zips on leather
– How to incorporate different types of linings in zipped panels
– Understanding the use of reinforcements, fusings and stabilisers to back leather
PART 3:
– How to assemble and sew simple tri-dimensional bag gusset constructions using a sewing machine
– Lining handbags and accessories with and without top facing using fabric and suede/leather
– Understanding the use of different closure techniques: sam browns, magnets, pop buttons, etc
– Prototyping and manufacturing leather goods: mentions of different working methods, machines and tools
– Choosing between realising your own customised simple leather item or continuing with more sewing and construction related topics*
PART 4:
– Learning how to cut, assemble and sew more complex bag and accessory details such as piping, binding and more elaborate zip constructions
– Understanding the pros, cons and main differences of hand sewing vs machine sewing leather
– Learning basic leather hand sewing techniques
– Understanding back stitching and seam joining techniques in hand sewing leather
– Understanding the tools and materials used in saddle stitching
– Choosing between realising your own customised simple leather item (hand stitched or machine stitched) or continuing with more sewing and construction related topics*
We will always try to cover as much on the syllabus as possible and depending on your ability and experience in sewing, we might be able to teach you additional techniques relating to the above listed topics.
*We provide students with the choice of either creating a small item at the end of part 3 or 4 or continuing with more advanced sewing and construction techniques. The type of item to be created will depend on your previous experience, the level of skills acquired during the previous lessons and on the time we have left at our disposal.
WHEN CAN THIS COURSE BE ARRANGED?
As this is private tuition, you can choose the day(s) and time(s) to come and learn from us that suits you best, within our working hours/days.
Available days:
Monday to Friday
Selected Weekends (please note that the availability for these days is limited and therefore the waiting time to book a slot for these days is generally longer)
Available time slots:
Morning slot
Day slot
Afternoon slot
Afternoon to evening slot
Time slot length:
Slots are available for 2, 3, 4 or 6 hours in a row.
Our availability:
We are generally able to book you in for your sessions 4-8 weeks from when you have contacted us after purchasing the course. Please view our available dates at the checkout.
Of course, we will always try to accommodate your needs and book you in the closest time possible, but we get fully booked quite quickly and therefore please make sure to contact us promptly to reserve your slot(s)!
ARE THERE ANY OTHER COSTS? IS THERE ANYTHING I NEED TO BRING?
Materials are included, except for the ones needed to create your own leather item.
If you are creating a leather item, you can either purchase the materials from us at a discounted price or buy them from other suppliers.
If you prefer to bring you own, just let us know when booking and make sure the leather is not thicker than 1-1.4mm.
Buying them from us, you will receive a 10% discount on all materials.
To give an idea of costs, you could be looking at about an extra £20 to make a clutch/makeup bag.
Our leather skins and offcuts are the cheapest in London but our stock is limited. Our leather is sourced from Italian brands’ end of production surplus and also from small Italian tanneries when they change their stock of leather skins. The stock is being continuously changed and therefore you will be choosing from colours, textures and types of leathers available at the studio. To have an idea of the leathers we can provide, please visit our dedicated page: https://www.thelondonleatherworkshop.com/leathers/
If you are looking for something in particular that we don’t stock, we will provide you with a list of suppliers to buy materials from and advice on what to buy for your specific project once you have purchased your lesson.
If you have any specific requirements, please contact us to make sure we have the materials you are looking for.
WHAT ARE THE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS?
This course is suitable for beginners, people with some basic experience of machine sewing, intermediate and advanced sewers.
You should be able to use measurements and understand verbal and written English instructions.
INCLUDED IN THE COURSE:
On the day you will be provided with useful handouts to take home with you which contain:
– A list of tools and materials used during the lesson(s), including a description of what they are and how they are used
– A list of recommended suppliers for both leather and fittings (physically in London and online)
– A glossary containing essential key words related to the topic of the lesson
– A glossary containing information about leather types and characteristics
BOOK YOUR LESSON(S)!
PART 1
Price from £136.00
After purchasing your tuition you will be sent a link for you to book your preferred day(s) and time slot(s).
View our available dates at the checkout.
PART 1 & 2
Price from £264.00
After purchasing your tuition you will be sent a link for you to book your preferred day(s) and time slot(s).
View our available dates at the checkout.
PART 1, 2 & 3
Price from £392.00
After purchasing your tuition you will be sent a link for you to book your preferred day(s) and time slot(s).
View our available dates at the checkout.
PART 1, 2, 3 & 4
Price from £520.00
After purchasing your tuition you will be sent a link for you to book your preferred day(s) and time slot(s).
View our available dates at the checkout.
FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TUITION
CANCELLATION AND REARRANGEMENT POLICY
If you wish to cancel or modify your private lesson, please do so ASAP via email to: learning@thelondonleatherworkshop.com.
Full refunds are only offered if the cancellation is requested no less than three weeks before the event date.
We give our customers the possibility to rearrange their private lesson(s) when giving at least 48 hours notice.
In case of unforeseen circumstances, and the cancellation being requested the day before the lesson, we won’t be able to give a refund, but we will offer a 50% discount on a future booking.
In the unlikely event that a workshop has to be cancelled by TLLW, we will offer the choice of a full refund, a credit or the opportunity to book an alternative date. We will provide as much notice as possible.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Cutting material is usually done standing at a high table and you might be working with special glues, knives and with heavy duty industrial sewing machines.
If you have a breathing problem, any health condition we should be aware of or if any of the above might be difficult for you, please inform us as soon as possible.
You will receive Health and Safety instructions for using the studio and its equipment and you will be asked to sign a risk and liability form at the end of the induction.
ACCESSIBILITY
Sadly, our studio is on the first floor and we do not have wheelchair facilities. We are very sorry, unfortunately, this is not within our control or choice.
FACILITIES
Wifi is not provided but there is a coffee shop with Wifi nearby.
Teas and coffees will be provided by us.
For 3+ hours long sessions we will have a 15 minutes break, for 6+ hours long sessions we will have a half hour lunch break.
There are two coffee shops and free parking spaces on site.
We run a variety of courses which are related to this topic and that would allow you to expand your knowledge. Please find the complete list of courses HERE.
We also provide the opportunity for people to practise on our sewing machines, tools and studio space.
We reserve a special discount for people who have previously been a student of ours. If you book any of our courses or our drop-in service within 6 months from the completion of a class, you will receive 10% off your next booking.
Our names are Sara and Melissa and we are the founders and owners of The London Leather Workshop.
With 20 years of experience in the field, we offer services in designing, prototyping and manufacturing of leather, vegan leather and fabric bags and accessories to national and international customers, from start-ups to established brands.
We discovered our passion for teaching while training people during our working careers in Italy and the UK and have been training students for the past ten years.
Through The London Leather Workshop, we teach our expertise, knowledge and skills to amateur leather craftspeople, people who have an interest in developing a career in this field, as well as professionals looking to improve their skill-set.
With a personal, friendly and flexible approach, we support students in realising a specific project or learning skills in a variety of subjects through both private and group classes.
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