When I started production for our second online course last year, I had no idea how detailed it would become. Our first collaboration with Hajime Niwa yielded a remarkable online course, Refining Your Technique. I admired his work, which was so well-made, and his techniques for achieving that level of craftsmanship were equally thoughtful.
I assumed our second online course collaboration would result in a more advanced but slightly easier course. Since the technique foundation was already laid, I expected each new skill to build on the previous ones, making the overall progression longer but also more manageable.
I was so wrong.
With the assumption that a student would have his core techniques solidified, Mr. Niwa demonstrated how to construct this new project with even more detail. I started to realize this as we were taping and accumulating twice as much footage as the previous course. I finally got it when I finished the edit; this project was much more detailed and impressive. One of my in-person students said, “Oh, it seems smaller than the photos,” when she first saw the sample. It wasn’t until she started examining the perfectly rounded edges, the precisely symmetrical zipper placement, and the light yet sturdiness of the project that she realized how well-made this project really was.
The entire Zippered Wallet online course is now available; all SIXTY-FOUR sections in the 21-part course. You can see every step of installing a zipper to a wallet and picking and adding reinforcements in this intricate project.
I set goals for my leatherworking practice at the start of each new year. It’s a time to take a fresh look at what I accomplished and what I’d like to do in the coming months. New Year’s resolutions can be hard to keep up with, but it’s worked for me for leatherworking. Many students and readers have taken up the challenge with me over the years. For some, it’s making just a little more time to do what you love. For others, it’s finishing that project that’s been sitting on their shelf for a year.
I know many leathercrafters like myself make nicer things for others and keep the rejects for themselves. I wrote about how my everyday wallet has some egregious mistakes I made while I was still relatively new to leatherworking. In 2025, I think I’ll use what I learned about reinforcements and zippers in accessories to finally make something nice for myself.
If you’d like to improve your techniques, we now offer two great online courses, Refining Your Technique and The Zippered Wallet. You can take them at your own pace; access is free forever. I’d also love to hear what leather projects you plan to make this year.
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