Leather Crafting Starter Book

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

Leather Crafting Starter Book is a tutorial guide for beginning leathercrafters from Studio TAC Creative. Due out 12th Feb 2019 in partnership with Fox Chapel, it's 176 pages and will be available in paperback format. Originally published in Japanese in 2012, the English translation is seamless. The measurements for the Japanese tools used in the original have been adjusted and sourced for North American and European readers.

This is a really well photographed guide with very appealing projects. The book begins with a pictorial gallery of included projects and an introduction to tools and supplies. The introductory chapter covers about 10% of the page content. The next technique and tutorial chapter comprises about 20% of the content and includes both basic construction (sewing, lacing, closures) and decoration (dyeing, pyrography, applique, punching, carving).

The next 65% of the book is split into three chapters with projects arranged more or less in order of complexity: 1)no sew items, 2)basic stitching, and 3)complex items.

Full size patterns are provided for all of the projects along with a basic index. There doesn't appear to be a resource list, but an online search turns up lots of e-tailers for supplies and tools used in the tutorials.

This is a solidly well written and photographed book full of really appealing and professional looking projects. The dinosaur sculptures are amazing! The pen covers and pen carry case are definitely on my to-do list (I'm a fountain pen nerd, and they would make superlative gifts for any pen lover).

Five stars. I loved this!

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