Good quality leather is a material that just gets better as it ages.  I remember the wonderful old armchairs at my grandparents’ home and the beautiful glossy patina time and use had given to the leather.  I love to collect vintage leather bags for this very reason.

The picture below is of a shooting bag, at least 40 years old.  It’s not mine, sadly, but was in my custody for a few days while I made repairs to the stitching.  The cotton thread had rotted in a few places around the straps but the leather still looked as good as new.

I enjoy working with coloured leathers, especially the reds but my favourite shades are always the tans and conker browns.  

The large bag at the back is the very first “Tiddleybag” I made and is still going strong. 

This scrumptious grainy leather is to die for!  It’s a treat to work with and always feels lovely to handle and use.  I bought a whole hide of this as I love it so much.  I used it to make the Very Useful Belt Pouch below.  This was inspired by a commission for a gentleman who wanted a simple pouch to carry his mobile phone [in its hard case] on his belt.

This is available in my Etsy shop, Tiddleyworks.  I’m adding new items on a regular basis so watch this space!