How to Select Leatherworking Kits
If you are just getting started in leatherworking, consider using a kit to help get you learn how to make great clothes and crafts. Kits come with just about everything you need for professional looking finished products.
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Instructions
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Select the Right Leatherworking Kits
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Check your local craft store to see what kits they carry. While leatherworking may seem somewhat inaccessible, most craft stores will carry a few basic kits, such as wallets, key chains and wristbands. For more advanced kits, including a complete tool set, visit Tandy Leather Factory (see Resources below).
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Select a kit within your skill range. While it may be tempting to try a purse, vest or moccasins right off the bat, save yourself some frustration and money by starting small. Learning the basics first, will stop you from ruining the leather as you practice.
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Go over the list of tools needed to complete a project. Beginner kits often come with basic tools, while more advanced kits require you to purchase tools separately. Usually most kits require the purchase of a needle or awl.
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Try new kits. Once you get basic tooling (carving in leather to create a design) down, pick a more advanced kit that requires you to use new tools or techniques. Look for kits that include dyeing or combine different sewing processes.
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Pick kits that make good gifts. As you move through more kits, the finished products will start to pile up. Select cute handbags and intricate wallets that can be easily given as birthday and Christmas presents.
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Have fun. Perhaps the most important element in selecting the right leatherworking kit is to find one that you will enjoy working on. It also doesn't hurt to choose something you will actually use when it's complete.
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Tips & Warnings
Decide if the kit is age appropriate if you are purchasing it for a child. You will usually want to select a beginner's kit, which comes with tools, leather and instructions. These kits will require a smaller investment and the tools are more kid-friendly.
Tanning kits, cutting kits and clothing kits are available, but tend to be a bit more difficult to find and use.
The tools that come with inexpensive leatherworking kits are not the greatest quality, and are not usually meant to be used beyond a single project.
