Leather Crafts: In-Depth Information on Tools, Materials, and Techniques

A big part of the artisanal/DIY movement is about authenticity and quality, with a return to simplicity, real values, genuine materials, and careful craftsmanship. Leather is one of those authentic materials, and while it has always been used for handbags and gloves, it's also enjoying a resurgence in the field of crafts. Simple objects elegantly made of leather are featured everywhere on maker blogs, photo-sharing sites, tutorials, and craft marketplaces. Leather is in the real world, too, in heavily curated hipster boutiques and well-edited coffee shops that sell sundries.

Idiot's Guides(R) Leather Crafts offers 20 projects (illustrated with copious step-by-step photos), ranging from beginner to advanced, each one building on the skills that have been taught in prior projects. Unlike most existing books on leathercraft, which come with a heavy whiff of the '70s, this one has a sleek, modern aesthetic. The projects are functional, and the minimal, elegant embellishment and natural finishes will keep them timeless.

Valerie Schafer Franklin turned her husband’s ideas into a business, listing their products on Etsy in 2009, when the couple grew the business into a full-time occupation. Together, they are the authors of Idiot’s Guides: Leather Crafts. The couple quit their day jobs in 2011, and Walnut Studiolo hired its first employee in 2013. Walnut Studiolo products are available around the globe. Schafer Franklin and her husband have expanded from solutions for the bicycle lifestyle to interior design products for homes, beer and wine products, travel-size games, and even custom work orders. Everything is made by hand. For the connoisseur of design, for the lover of leather, and for the beautifully curated life, Walnut Studiolo products are guaranteed to please.

Architect Geoffrey Franklin wanted a way to carry his lock on his bike but couldn’t find what he was looking for on the market, so he combined his passion for traditional mediums and his design background to create his own leather U-lock holster. He then followed it up with handlebar wraps. And then a portage strap to carry his bicycle. Soon stunning leather and wood accessories that were functional yet beautiful filled his home. He is the author of Idiot’s Guides: Leather Crafts.