Little Delights in Leather: Charming Projects to Use Every Day

by Melanie Voituriez

Learn to make leather creations that you and your family and friends will love to use. From a cuff bracelet to mittens, a protective tablet case, or a smartphone case with a secret pocket to hold a credit card, all projects radiate an appealing style and boast clever design features. What makes it easier? All the projects are made using your sewing machine. You'll discover that sewing leather can be almost as easy as sewing fabric. Learn about the other tools you'll use, and the techniques. Next, follow the instructions and the clear patterns, and you're on your way to success with a tablet envelope, braided tote bag and change purse, fish-scale-pattern clutch bag, pearlescent shoulder bag, Navajo-style purse and cuff, envelope-style purse and smartphone case, moccasins, cat shoulder bag and fox change purse, mittens, and even a backpack for toddlers. Most of the projects can also be made in faux leather materials. Difficulty levels are marked, so you can choose the projects right for you.

• ISBN10: 0764358383
• ISBN13: 9780764358388
• Publish Date: 28 November 2019
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Schiffer Publishing Ltd
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 96
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog Nonstop Reader.

Little Delights in Leather is an accessible and appealing leathercrafting tutorial project book full of projects assembled using a home sewing machine. Originally published in French in 2014, this English translation is due out 28th Nov 2019 from Schiffer Publishing. This edition (which reads seamlessly in English) is 96 pages and available in hardcover format.

The thorough introduction (~17% of the content) includes tools, materials, beginning techniques, leather definitions and types, selecting materials, braiding, finishing, and more. The 10 tutorial chapters contain appealing, mostly feminine(ish) projects with 8 bags/purses (and accessories), and 2 wearables (baby moccasins and kid-sized mittens).

Each of the projects includes a difficulty rating (none of them are beyond a keen beginner), tools & materials, recommended leathers, measurements, and step-by-step cutting and assembly instructions. The photos and illustrations are clear and easy to follow. I liked it that the templates for each pattern are included in the actual chapter, not at the end of the book, so there's no flipping back and forth and hunting for the correct pieces. That was a big bonus for me. Each of the pattern pieces is also clearly and well labeled, saving frustration and materials.

Many of these projects are color blocked (or can easily be adapted), so readers can use up even the smallest scraps. A lot of the projects could also be adapted to use partly woven fabric, making this a good purchase for more general crafters and sewists. The measurements are given in US standard. Materials are easily sourced from a well stocked crafts shop, or online. There is no index or resource lists, but it doesn't present any difficulties, so I haven't detracted anything for that. This is a nice resource for beginning to intermediate leatherworkers, or more general crafters looking to expand their materials repertoire to leather.

Note: The publishing info states that the book is due out 28th Nov, but it appears to currently be available from online retailers; (so this review is being published early).

Five stars. Just making one of the included projects would save enough over retail to cover the price of the book.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.