Traditional Leatherwork Classes

Hands-on group workshops teaching traditional leathercraft fundamentals held in Warragul, Victoria.

Full-day, in-person classes focused on real materials, traditional methods, and skills that last — not kits or shortcuts.

Register Interest

I’m planning to begin running in-person leathercraft group workshops in Warragul, focused on teaching the fundamentals of traditional leatherworking in a practical, hands-on way. These will be small group classes, held on weekends, where students spend a full day learning proper techniques and making a functional piece they can actually use.

The emphasis is on real materials, traditional methods, and skills that transfer beyond a single project — not pre-cut kits or mass-production shortcuts.

Projects will rotate depending on the class, but will include items such as:

Leather rifle slings
Ammo pouches
Belts
Belt pouches
Knife sheaths

The initial focus will be on hunting and bush-use equipment — functional items designed to be used in the field, not just displayed.

In this lesson you will learn

How to plan and design a leather project from start to finish

Understanding leather selection, hardware choice, layout, and construction before a blade ever touches leather.

Traditional leathercraft skills you can use on any future project

Cutting straight, gluing properly, stitching by hand with a traditional saddle stitch, edge creasing, burnishing.

How to finish, protect and maintain leather so it lasts decades

Techniques to improve neatness and consistency, and how to properly finish and care for your work so it stands up to real use.

Class Format

Full day workshop (approximately 9:00am – 4:30pm)
Small groups of 6–8 students
Held on weekends in Warragul, Victoria
All leather and consumable materials supplied
Students bring a small set of basic hand tools (A recommended tool list with both budget and premium options will be provided after registration.)

Full day workshops are expected to be priced between $240–$280 per person, including all leather and materials.

Who These Workshops Are For

These classes are suited to:

Hunters and shooters
Bushcraft and outdoors enthusiasts
Woodworkers, metalworkers, and practical makers
Anyone wanting to learn a real craft properly

No prior leatherworking experience is required.

These workshops focus on traditional hand techniques and real materials, not pre-cut kits or mass-production methods.

About the instructor, Martin Carswell

I’ve been working with leather professionally for many years and have been teaching leathercraft for the past four, including at national conferences in Brisbane, working with groups of up to ten students at a time.

My work ranges from intricate bespoke pieces to tough, practical field gear, with a focus on traditional methods and equipment built for real-world use.

My approach to teaching is grounded in helping people understand not just how to make something, but why it’s made that way — so the skills learned carry forward into future projects.

Group Leathercraft Workshops Launching Soon in Warragul

Dates will be announced shortly.

To be notified when bookings open, and to help shape upcoming classes, register your interest below.

Full day workshops are expected to be priced between $240–$280 per person, including all leather and materials.