MAKE: Leather Satchel

Walk in, pick your leather, and leave four hours later with a handcrafted satchel you made yourself — no experience needed. This hands-on workshop guides you through every step of building a genuine leather bag from scratch, from choosing your hide and hardware to pulling the final stitch.

What you'll do

1. Choose your design and leather, select from curated hide colors and bag templates to make it uniquely yours.
2. Prepare your piece, while learning to use professional tools.
3. Stitch it all together. Using the saddle stitch, the gold standard of hand leatherwork, to assemble your bag by hand.
4. Finish and take it home — burnish the edges, add hardware, and walk out with a finished bag worth keeping for decades.

No experience? No problem. This class is designed for all skill levels. Whether you've never touched leather before or just want to try something new with your hands. Everything you need is provided, including your choice of genuine leather, hardware, waxed thread, needles, and all tools. Just show up ready to make something. In four hours, you'll leave with a fully finished handmade leather satchel you built yourself from start to finish.

Whether you're treating yourself to a new skill or making something meaningful to give as a gift, this class is a satisfying few hours with something real to show for it. Spots are limited to keep the instruction personal — book early.

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Please visit to view all LMS policies. Prior to your first class, be sure to familiarize yourself with the User Agreement/Code of Conduct and Liability Waiver. The Liability Waiver must be signed in person at the front desk before participating in any activities at Lacey MakerSpace.

LMS provides all necessary safety gear, including safety glasses and other PPE.

Closed-toed shoes are required at all times at the Lacey MakerSpace.

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Questions? Email us at: [email protected]

Instructor Bio: Ian Smith is a multidisciplinary artist with over a decade of experience in traditional leatherwork specializing in historical recreation and contemporary fantasy design. Their work bridges the ancient and the anachronistic as they foster creative inspiration in others.

With a strong foundation in woodworking, welding, textiles, rubber and plastics, and patterning, they bring an interdisciplinary approach to teaching. They have guided learners of all ages and backgrounds including children, veterans, ESL students, and neurodivergent individuals through immersive hands-on workshops designed to foster empowerment, self-expression, and creative problem-solving.Their teaching philosophy is rooted in accessibility, joy, and respect for material lineage. Whether recreating turnshoes and purses, designing armor, or introducing learners to basic hand-stitching, they weave each session with care, historical context, and space for personal narrative.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Lacey MakerSpace