Attending Your First Meeting

Please RSVP to info@bostonleatherguild.com if this will be your first meeting. Space is limited at in-person meetings. Current members do not need to RSVP.

If you’re joining us in person for the first time, we ask that you sign our Community Guidelines (PDF). You can read them beforehand; we’ll also have copies at the meeting.

• Your questions, whether they concern a first project, a technique, or a tool.
• A finished piece or work in progress, if you’d like to share it. Early attempts and mistakes are welcome too.
• A notebook, if you like to take notes.

You don’t need to buy tools or supplies before attending. If you bring blades or other sharp tools, keep them sheathed or put away until they’re needed.

Meetings usually run about 90 minutes, with a flexible format that leaves room for questions and conversation.

Welcome and Introductions

We greet new faces and get to know who’s in the room.

Show and Tell

Members share finished work, prototypes, experiments, and things that didn’t go to plan. No project is too small or too unfinished.

Questions and Shared Learning

There’s room to ask about tools, materials, and technique. Some months include a demonstration, a focused discussion, or a guest artist.

Guild News and Conversation

We share upcoming events and ideas, then leave time for follow-up questions and making connections.

Workshops have their own format and requirements. The meeting schedule has the program for each month.

Start with a small project and learn the tools as you need them. Our BLG Starter Kit brings together tools and supplies for small leather goods, from a valet tray to a simple bifold wallet. Buying Your First Piece of Leather helps you choose suitable material.

Here are a few places to begin learning:

• Video

  Armitage Leather

  Nigel Armitage explains saddle stitching and careful hand-tool technique in depth.

• Video

  Corter Leather

  Approachable hand-sewn projects help you see how individual techniques fit together.

• Video

  J.H. Leather

  Practical tool guides and project demonstrations connect traditional skills to everyday leatherwork.

• Book

  Leathercraft: Traditional Handcrafted Leatherwork Skills and Projects

  Nigel Armitage’s introduction builds from a card holder and belt toward more involved projects.

• Podcast

  Lost Trade

  Don Gonzales explores leatherwork and saddlery with a Western focus. His conversations with working craftspeople are a valuable source of information for anyone learning the basics.

Explore the full collections of video channels, books and magazines, and podcasts when you’re ready for more.