I’m 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:
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Leather rifle slings
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Ammo pouches
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Belts
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Belt pouches
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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.
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.