One Day Leather Bag Making Workshop

Spend a day learning the craft of leatherwork and leave with a beautiful leather bag handmade by you.

Join Sarah in the Williams Handmade studio in the Herefordshire countryside for a relaxed, creative day learning traditional leatherworking skills and making your very own leather bag from start to finish.

No previous leatherworking experience is needed. The workshop is suitable for complete beginners as well as those who have tried leatherwork before, and with a maximum of just five people, there is plenty of individual guidance throughout the day.

You’ll begin by learning the essential skills, including marking and cutting leather, traditional hand saddle stitching and edge finishing. Then it’s time to make your bag.

Choose from four designs — satchel, backpack, saddle bag or curve bag — before selecting from our range of leathers and creating your own colour combination. You can also personalise details such as your stitching and fittings, so the bag you take home will feel completely your own.

By the end of the day, you won't just have learnt a new craft — you'll leave carrying a leather bag that you made yourself.

What you'll learn

• How to mark and cut leather

• Traditional hand saddle stitching

• How to construct a three-dimensional leather bag

• Cutting and making a leather strap

• Riveting

• Edge finishing and burnishing

• Attaching buckles and fittings

Your day

The workshop runs from 9:30am–5:00pm, with a break for lunch.

Your leather, fittings and materials are included, along with an individual packed lunch from our local tea rooms, plus tea and coffee throughout the day.

Workshops are limited to five people, keeping the atmosphere friendly and relaxed and allowing Sarah plenty of time to help each person with their individual bag.

Workshop price: £190 per person

You can choose an available workshop date when booking, or purchase the workshop as a gift and choose the date later.

If you would prefer to pay a £90 deposit, with the remaining £100 payable on the day, please contact Williams Handmade.

If you'd like to make a different bag design from those offered on the group workshop, our private or two-day workshops may be more suitable.

Please note: Workshop deposits and payments are non-refundable and cannot be transferred to another date within one month of the booked workshop.

Simple Cross Body Leather Bag Workshop

Make your own leather cross body bag in a relaxed, beginner-friendly workshop.

If you've always fancied making a leather bag but don't know where to start, this is a lovely introduction to traditional leatherwork.

Designed to involve a little less stitching than our full-day bag workshop, you'll learn the essential techniques before creating a simple leather cross body bag that you'll be able to use and enjoy long after the workshop is over.

Choose from several styles and sizes, then select your leather colour, buckles and fittings to give your finished bag a look that's personal to you.

No previous experience is needed. With a maximum of five people, the group is kept small so Sarah can provide plenty of individual help throughout the day.

What you'll learn

• How to mark and cut leather

• Traditional hand saddle stitching

• How to construct a leather bag

• Cutting and making a leather strap

• Riveting

• Edge finishing and burnishing

• Attaching buckles and fittings

Your strap can also be made detachable, allowing you to use your finished bag as a clutch.

Your day

The workshop runs from approximately 9:45am–3:30pm and costs £130 per person.

All leather, fittings and materials are included, along with an individual packed lunch from our local tea rooms and tea and coffee.

This workshop uses our simple cross body bag designs and doesn't include additional pockets or completely different bag designs. If you'd like more choice and the opportunity to make a more involved design, our One Day Leather Bag Making Workshop would be perfect.

Please note: Workshop deposits and payments are non-refundable and cannot be transferred to another date within one month of the booked workshop.

Small Leather Goods Making Workshop – Full Day

Spend a creative day learning traditional leatherworking skills and leave with three beautiful pieces handmade by you.

This workshop is perfect if you'd like to experience leathercraft while making a selection of smaller pieces rather than one large project.

Suitable for complete beginners as well as people with some previous experience, you'll learn traditional leatherworking techniques with Sarah before choosing three different products to make during the day.

With a maximum of five people, the workshop is kept small and friendly, giving everyone plenty of individual guidance.

Choose what you'd like to make

You'll make one item from each of the following groups:

Choose one:
Men's wallet, women's purse, notebook cover or belt or dog collar and lead

Choose one:
Glasses/sunglasses case, passport cover, luggage label, small purse, card case or pen holder

Choose one:
Bookmark, keyring or cable tidy

What you'll learn

Depending on the pieces you choose, you'll learn techniques including:

• Cutting and preparing leather

• Traditional hand saddle stitching

• Cutting and making leather straps

• Riveting

• Edge finishing and burnishing

• Attaching buckles and fittings

By the end of the day, you'll have learnt skills you can continue experimenting with at home — as well as having three handmade leather pieces to take away with you.

Your day

The workshop runs from 10:00am–5:00pm and costs £160 per person.

An individual packed lunch from our local tea rooms is included, along with tea and coffee throughout the day.

If you're a particularly quick maker and would like to continue making additional pieces, you're very welcome to do so; you'll simply be charged for the additional leather and fittings used.

Please note: Workshop deposits and payments are non-refundable and cannot be transferred to another date within one month of the booked workshop.

Leather Bucket Bag Making Workshop

Create your own beautiful leather bucket bag while learning both traditional hand stitching and industrial machine stitching.

This relaxed one-day workshop is a little different from our other bag-making days. You'll experience two sides of leathercraft — traditional hand saddle stitching and stitching leather using an industrial sewing machine — while creating a wonderfully practical bucket bag to take home.

Suitable for complete beginners as well as those with some leatherworking experience, you'll start by learning the essential skills before making your own turned-construction bucket bag.

Choose from our available leather colours and personalise your bag with your choice of fittings and a matching or contrasting hand-stitched pocket.

With a maximum of just four people, the workshop stays friendly and relaxed, with plenty of individual help from Sarah throughout the day.

What you'll learn

• How to mark and cut leather

• Traditional hand saddle stitching

• Industrial machine stitching

• Constructing a turned leather bag

• Cutting and making a leather strap

• Riveting

• Edge finishing and burnishing

• Attaching buckles and fittings

Don't worry if you're nervous about using an industrial sewing machine — Sarah will be there to help with any stage of the making.

Your day

The workshop runs from 9:30am–5:00pm and costs £195 per person.

All leather and fittings are included, along with an individual packed lunch from our local tea rooms and tea and coffee throughout the day.

Your finished bucket bag will be approximately 22cm wide × 25cm high × 12cm deep.

Because of the turned construction, the main body works best in particular types of soft leather. You'll choose from the suitable colours available on the day. Firmer leather is used for the straps, while other leathers — including hair-on-hide options — can be used to create a contrasting pocket.

Please note: Workshop deposits and payments are non-refundable and cannot be transferred to another date within one month of the booked workshop.

Leather Clutch Bag or iPad Case Workshop – Half Day

Learn traditional leatherworking skills and create your own beautiful leather clutch bag or iPad case in just half a day.

This relaxed half-day workshop is a wonderful introduction to leathercraft for complete beginners, and equally enjoyable for anyone who has attended one of our shorter workshops and would like to develop their skills.

You'll begin by learning the fundamentals of working with leather, including marking and cutting, traditional hand saddle stitching and finishing the edges beautifully.

Then choose whether you'd like to create a leather clutch bag or iPad case, working from one of our prepared patterns.

You'll select your own leather combination too, giving you the opportunity to create something that feels completely personal to you.

With a maximum of six people, there's plenty of help and guidance from Sarah throughout the morning.

What you'll learn

• Marking and cutting leather

• Traditional hand saddle stitching

• Constructing your chosen piece

• Edge finishing and burnishing

• Working with different leather combinations

Your workshop

The workshop usually runs from 9:30am–1:30pm and costs £90 per person.

All materials are included, along with cake, tea and coffee.

You can pay in full when booking or pay a £45 deposit, with the remaining £45 payable on the day.

Please note that there isn't enough time during this half-day workshop to add a long cross body strap to the clutch bag. If you'd like to make a bag with a cross body strap, take a look at one of our simple cross body bag workshop instead.

If there isn't currently a date that suits you, please get in touch and we'll see what we can arrange.

Please note: Workshop deposits and payments are non-refundable and cannot be transferred to another date within one month of the booked workshop.

Leather Belt or Dog Collar & Lead Workshop – Half Day

Discover traditional leatherworking techniques and make something beautifully practical to take home.

Spend a relaxed morning in the Williams Handmade workshop learning how to transform a piece of leather into either your own handmade leather belt or a leather dog collar and lead.

Suitable for complete beginners as well as those who have tried leathercraft before, this half-day workshop introduces you to a range of traditional skills, with Sarah guiding you through each stage.

You'll choose from our selection of leathers and buckles, allowing you to create a finished piece that's personal to you — or your four-legged friend!

What you'll learn

• Cutting leather straps

• Edge bevelling and creasing

• Traditional hand saddle stitching

• Riveting

• Edge finishing and burnishing

• Fitting buckles and hardware

Each person will make either one leather belt or one dog collar and lead set.

Your workshop

The workshop runs from approximately 10:00am–1:30pm and costs £85 per person.

All materials are included, along with cake, tea and coffee.

You can pay in full when booking or pay a £40 deposit, with the remaining £45 payable on the day.

The dog collar and lead designs available are those shown in the workshop photographs. Unfortunately, there isn't enough time within the half-day session to make more complicated padded, rolled or greyhound-style collars.

Please note: Workshop deposits and payments are non-refundable and cannot be transferred to another date within one month of the booked workshop.

Two Day Leather Bag Making Workshop

Immerse yourself in leathercraft for two creative days and make a truly individual leather bag from start to finish.

Our two-day workshop gives you the time to really get to know the craft of leatherwork, develop traditional skills and create a more involved bag that's personal to you.

It's suitable for complete beginners, but also makes a fantastic follow-on workshop if you've joined Sarah before and would like to take your skills further.

You'll start the first morning by making a small leather card case or coin purse. This introduces the fundamental techniques you'll use throughout the weekend, including marking and cutting leather, choosing appropriate materials, traditional hand saddle stitching and finishing raw edges.

Then comes the exciting part — choosing your bag.

There's a wide selection of prepared patterns and finished examples to inspire you. You can choose an existing design or modify elements to make your finished unlined leather bag truly individual.

With two full days available, there's more time to learn, develop your skills and enjoy the process of turning your chosen leather into something you'll be proud to carry home.

What you'll learn

You'll develop a range of traditional leatherworking skills, including:

• Marking and cutting leather

• Choosing suitable leather for different parts of a project

• Traditional hand saddle stitching

• Edge finishing

• Understanding leather bag construction

• Working from patterns

• Constructing your own leather bag

Your two days

The workshop runs from 9:30am–4.30pm on both days, with a break for lunch and tea and cake breaks throughout the day.

A packed lunch from our local tea rooms, tea and coffee, and the leather required for your first card case or coin purse are included.

Leather and fittings for your main bag are charged separately, as the amount required depends on the design and size you choose. You should allow approximately £50–£80 for these materials.

Workshop price: £280 per person

You can pay in full when booking or pay a £100 deposit to secure your place, with the remaining £180 payable on the workshop day.

Please note: Workshop deposits and payments are non-refundable and cannot be transferred to another date within one month of the booked workshop.

Private Two Person Leather Workshop – Full Day

A whole day of leathercraft, designed especially for two.

Spend a relaxed and creative day together in the Williams Handmade workshop, learning traditional leatherworking skills and each making something completely personal to you.

Unlike our group workshops, the studio is exclusively yours for the day. With Sarah's individual guidance, you can each choose what you'd most like to make — and you don't have to choose the same thing.

One of you might decide to make a leather satchel while the other creates a belt and notebook cover. The beauty of a private workshop is that the day can be shaped around you.

Whether you're celebrating a birthday or anniversary, looking for an unusual experience gift or simply fancy spending a day learning something new together, you'll leave with much more than something you've made — you'll have experienced the craftsmanship that went into making it.

Your day

The workshop runs from 9:30am–4:30pm and costs £380 for two people (£190 each).

A light lunch and refreshments throughout the day are included.

Leather and fittings are charged separately because the amount required depends entirely on the pieces you choose to make. This is usually around £30–£60, depending on your projects.

Booking

Before booking, please contact Williams Handmade to discuss what you'd both like to make. Sarah can make sure your ideas are achievable within the day and arrange a suitable date.

Private full-day workshops are currently available on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays.

The workshop costs £380 for two people. Alternatively, you can pay a £100 deposit to secure your date and pay the balance on the day.

Private Two Person Leather Workshop – Half Day

Spend a creative morning together learning the craft of leatherwork and making something completely personal to you.

Our private half-day leather workshop is a special experience designed exclusively for two people. With the workshop to yourselves and Sarah on hand to guide you throughout, you can each choose something you'd love to make and enjoy learning traditional leatherworking skills together.

Set in the Williams Handmade workshop surrounded by the Herefordshire countryside, it's a lovely way to celebrate a birthday, anniversary or special occasion — and makes a wonderfully thoughtful experience gift.

You could make a clutch bag, iPad case, belt, passport cover or luggage label, choose from one of our existing designs, or discuss creating something a little more bespoke.

Because this is a private workshop, Sarah can tailor the session around what the two of you would most like to make.

Your workshop

The workshop runs from 9:30am–1:30pm and costs £280 for two people (£140 each).

Cake, tea, coffee and refreshments are included throughout the morning.

Leather and fittings are charged separately depending on what you choose to make, usually around £15–£50 per person. As a guide, a belt or card case is around £15 in materials, a small clutch bag around £25 and a large laptop cover around £50.

If you're a particularly speedy maker and finish early, you're welcome to continue making additional pieces.

Booking

Before booking, please contact Williams Handmade to discuss what you would both like to make. Sarah can make sure your ideas are achievable within the half day and arrange a suitable date with you.

Private workshops are currently available on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

The workshop costs £280 for two people. Alternatively, you can pay a £100 deposit to secure your date and pay the remaining balance on the day.

If you know your loved one would love a Williams Handmade product or Workshop experience as a gift but you are not sure which one, here you can buy a gift voucher so they can choose themselves.

Please note when purchasing you will have the option to email yourself or the recipient with the email voucher. If you would also like a physical gift voucher posted please get in touch and let us know otherwise it will just be the email with the voucher code.

Please note vouchers are valid for 1 year from date of purchase