Maker's bio

I set up Leather Needle Thread in 2016 teaching handbag making workshops in Bristol, UK. Having guided over 300 people to make their own DIY leather bags (and the odd espadrille and leather sneaker!) from scratch I learnt what they found challenging, what they enjoyed and how they developed a sense of pride in their abilities. I have been a leatherworker for over 10 years and studied bag design and construction at the London College of Fashion before going on to work in the industry as a leatherworker and sample maker. The bag making kits were dreamed up because I wanted to give people a way to easily make covetable leather bags from beautiful materials, minimal tools and pared-back techniques in their own home.