I do a lot of traveling around to flea markets and craft fairs in the Dodge county area. I have come a long ways since I first started. At first I would have perhaps a dozen or so items I would try to sell. Now my catalog has grown as I try my hand at new projects. My table, tent, and tools have all expanded as I bring new and different items along with me to sell.

I have been doing leather crafting for the past 15 years now. It started when I went to a Renaissance Fair and found a leather store there. I picked up a few tools and leather and began to try my hand at making leather bracers. I didn’t know much then but through trial and error and reading a ton of books I have learned a lot. It has been 6 years now since I began to seriously do leather crafting and make goods for other people. My workspace has grown over the years and my knowledge keeps expanding.

Leather is expensive so it’s hard to keep extra on hand. Depending on the size of square feet or the thickness of the leather, it can be $80 to $300 a roll. I buy my leather from either Weaver or Tandy but where it comes from can range. Leather not only is produced in the USA, but from Brazil, India, Argentina, Italy, and China too. Because leather is a natural product, it also comes with scars, brands and field marks. Some consider these marks a sign of beauty and nature. If you want a unique piece of leather goods, just tell me to keep the beauty marks.

The tools of my trade. This is just a small example of the tools that I use and have collected over the years. This rack has my common, frequently used tools that I complete most projects with. However, I have many more tools in cases and boxes that that fill my workplace. If I had to guess, my hand tools I have collected over the years probably cost $3000. That’s a large investment but luckily it has been spread throughout the years. I continue to collect more as I find niche reasons to add more detail and complexity to my tooling.

I do have a leather sewing machine but as you can see, it is a manual hand cranked machine. It’s difficult to use since that only leaves one hand to hold the leather in place while trying to complete a stitch with the other hand. Usually I craft my items with hand stitching. The items take a bit longer to create but some people prefer the craftsmanship. Someday, I would like to have a professional leather sewing machine but they cost between $3000 to $5000. I do have a donation place here in case a rich benefactor happens to find my page someday and donates to my sewing machine. At least a guy can hope for that to happen. Until then, I’ll keep sewing by hand and saving up for one.

As my business grows, that means reinvesting into it to help it grow. Even purchases of cameras, backdrops, lighting, and other equipment helps to showcase my work for all to see. I hope to let you all see my progress and to spark an idea in what you need. Big or small; no item is too complicated to make so long as it’s leather. Email me about an idea and I’ll get to work on it for you.

If you want to purchase an item, I work through Facebook. My link is located in the “About Us” page. I accept cash, checks, and major credit cards through my PayPal account. Shipping is ONLY to the continental United States of America. Cost for shipping is in addition to the cost of the item sold and figured out after the product is made for large items.

Once you have a leather good you would like to have made, e-mail me for the details of cost and time it will take to make.