About Me
Here's a little Meet the Maker, as it were.
Always wanting to hide behind the scenes getting things done, I thought after 11 years I'd pop my face on here and introduce myself.....
My Story
A little about me…
My journey into leatherwork began unexpectedly.
I was made redundant while on maternity leave and, looking for something that might spark joy (and sanity), I booked myself onto a three-day leather working course. I figured I’d see if I liked it. By day three, I knew I’d found my thing.
I’ve always loved making things. With family rooted in woodworking and metalworking, and a Mum and Nan who were forever sewing, embroidering, and knitting, it feels inevitable that tools and textiles would eventually collide somewhere down the family tree.
From that third day onwards, I taught myself, slowly building my business around childcare — sometimes quite literally, with children on my back while finishing theatre jobs in time for curtain up.
Over the years I’ve developed my skills (and my tool collection… considerably), and now there’s nothing I enjoy more than a challenge walking through the workshop door. That might be restoring Granny’s cherished suitcase, creating deliberately tacky belts for pimps (purely theatrical - promise!), repairing a well-loved bag, or crafting a custom wallet from a sketch drawn on the back of a roadmap.
My work now spans two wings: a theatrical costume wing, and a restoration wing, covering everything from sympathetic repairs and full overhauls to brand new replica pieces.
Alongside commissioned work, I also run workshops where you can learn the beautiful craft of leatherwork for yourself - from traditional tools and techniques to the little tricks of the trade that only come with time, patience, and plenty of mistakes.
I believe the journey of learning never ends, and I’m excited to see where the next challenge takes me.
- When I’m not in the workshop, I run a lively ukulele group (not plinky plonky stuff!)
- I hold two Guinness World Records (any guesses what for?).
- While I love making bags and earrings, hand-stitching is my true passion.
- I have two wonderful children who are complete opposites and a mischievous ginger labradoodle. My wonderful husband looks after all of us and loves making pizzas!
- I love skiing, volleyball, rugby union and frosty winter walks—there’s something magical about crisp, cold mornings.
- I’ve even marched with Bearskins in Windsor Castle and I have a knack for tying and untying knots because I'm a Queen's Scout.
I hope you enjoy exploring my work as much as I enjoy creating it. If you have any questions or just fancy a chat about leather, feel free to reach out!
Warmest wishes,
Naomi