I’m offering some craft courses from home next year. Three different courses over nine different dates.
You can come along and learn to make a phone case, a book cover or a belt. I’ll provide the leather, cake and lunch, you bring your book, phone and trousers!
You can book on now (for you or someone else) by filling in my booking form. Head over to my website and click the Courses link.
This would also make a great Christmas or Birthday gift for someone!
More details on my website: https://morganleather.co.uk/leather-craft-courses/
Hi all, I’ve just launched a new pricing structure where you decide on what to pay me! Sounds mad? Well, maybe, yes, but I’m putting my faith in you, and everyone else I make things for. You’re all really nice people and I’m confident you’ll do what’s right!
I’m also doing this as a trial for just one product to start with. If it works then I’ll slowly roll it out for all my products.
So, I decided to try it with my billhook sheaths first. Here’s how it works…
Basically, I want to be fair to you and me, and offer different amounts that you can pay me. You decide how much! I appreciate that some people have more spare money than others, especially in the world of billhook users! And I find that most of these folk are really lovely people, so I can trust that you and them will choose the price that suits best.
Price 1 – The Lowest Price – If a customer doesn’t have much disposable income then they can choose this price. This covers material costs for me, plus enough for postage and my lunch! I get nothing for the hours spent cutting out, dying, sewing, etc. But that’s ok because I’m confident that someone else will help out by choosing a higher price!
Price 2 – A bit more
Price 3 – The Middle Price – This is the ideal price I’d like to sell my sheaths at. I think it’s fair and puts me and my customer as roughly equal-earners, based on material costs and the time it takes me to hand-make the item.
Price 4 – A bit more
Price 5 – The Highest Price – If I’m paid this amount I would be very grateful, as would those people who can only afford to pay the lowest price. The extra allows me to offer the lower price to, for example, hard-working coppice workers who earn very little for the good they are doing for woodland habitats! Thank you! It also helps me out a little more too. A bit like giving me a tip!
So, there you have it. What do you think? Makes sense? Still think I’m mad? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.
My billhook sheaths come in 4 different flavours. Here’s a link to them (and the new prices) in my Etsy store. I’d really appreciate you passing this on to anyone that may be interested.
I’ll be running a small workshop on the 23rd March this year to show you how to make a leather book cover, like the one above. You’ll learn to measure and cut veg-tanned cowhide, dye and oil the leather, and stitch all the pieces together by hand to make a beautiful cover for your favourite notebook or sketch book.
Red British Leather cover for Moleskine notebook
More info and booking instructions can be found here:
The skills learnt on this course will allow you to go ahead and make many other leather items.
The course will run for a day at my house in Carnforth, from 9:30 until 4:00 (or until everyone’s finished!).
What’s included in the price?
Lunch (soup, cheese and bread), biscuits, tea and coffee, and hopefully a good chatter and laugh!
Leather and hardware are included to make a simple cover made from standard cowhide, up to A5 size.
If you’d like to make a cover for a larger book then we can work out the extra cost on the day, but to give you an idea, an A4 book cover would cost an extra £10 for the extra leather.
There’ll also be a slight extra charge if you’d like to use more expensive leather (such as the oak bark tanned leather) or if you want closure straps and pen holders added to your design (£10 – £30 extra).
Bring your own favourite book to make a cover for (please let me know dimensions) or you can purchase an A5 or A6 book from me (£6 extra).
Italian leather for A6 journalA Selection of Leather Book Covers
I’ve had a variety of pocket knives for over a year now. I was meaning to sell them sooner but didn’t get time to make pouches for them until recently. So here they are, ready to buy from my Etsy shop!
These are all EDC (Every Day Carry) knives, meaning that they are fine to carry with you in public as the blades are less than 3 inches long and non-locking.
George Wostenholm knife, made in Sheffield
This knife is the most expensive knife, seeing as it’s actually made in the UK! Non-locking blade less than 3 inches, so safe to carry in the pouch. The pouch either fits in your pocket or attaches to your belt. Available to buy from my Etsy store.
American Buck Ridgeway knife
Another EDC knife. Very stylish with a beautiful wooden handle. Available to buy from my Etsy store.
Whitby olive wood penknife
A very simple and sleek design with smooth wooden handle and non-locking EDC blade. Available to buy from my Etsy store.
Whitby lambs foot shape carbon steel blade
Another EDC blade. Beautiful feel and a blade that can easily be kept sharp. Available to buy from my Etsy store.
Whitby slip joint knife with drop point blade
This knife has a nice chunky and contoured handle. Very useful for a good grip when out in the wet weather. EDC blade, so good to carry with you at all times. Available to buy from my Etsy store.
Italian leather
I decided to make all of these pouches from two different coloured Italian veg-tanned leathers – Amber and Cognac. The Cognac has a lovely antiqued look about it. The amber will develop a darker patina over time. The leather is 2 to 3 mm thick and very durable, but with a subtle non-stiff feel, making it easy to insert and remove your knife without it being overly tight.
I’d be happy to make a bespoke pouch to fit your knife too, either from similar Italian leather or from a firmer British leather. Drop me an email ([email protected]) and we can discuss your requirements.
Please note: I can’t sell knives to people under 18 years old as this is illegal in the UK.
Earlier this year I treated myself to a new letter stamp set!
I’ve been wanting one of these sets for a while now and finally decided to go for it. The letters are 7mm high and very clear. Cut from solid brass and amazing quality. Here’s a few examples:
So, if you’re looking to personalise a leather item with your name, initials or a quote, then I now have the means to do this neatly! Drop me a line if you’re interested.
It’s been a while since I last updated you. In fact I think it was January! The year continued to be really busy, helped by people locked-down and enjoying some online retail therapy! Orders finally quietened down around July, when shops began to open and people became more adventurous, leaving their houses to go on holiday. So Kath and I took the opportunity to switch my Etsy shop off, switch on the out-of-office auto-reply emails, pack up the van and head to the Scottish hills and lochs!
We found an amazing beach on the north coast of Scotland with hardly anyone about. Beautiful weather and blue seas. Absolute paradise and a well earned rest for both of us.
Enjoying views across to Skye and the Outer Hebrides in my newly refurbished deck chair, covered in leather, of course!
It didn’t take me long before I had to get some leather out though! Here I am stitching a patchwork notebook.
I finished making this patchwork notebook by a river in the Cairngorms. Such a beautiful and inspiring location!An amazing array of pebbles on a beach on the East coast.
Van life – we love it!
Can’t wait for our next trip…! I hope you all managed to get away somewhere nice this year.
And I’ll try my best to keep you more up-to-date with leather work, up-coming exhibitions, etc. Feel free to give me a kick if you’ve not heard anything from me in a while!