Kelly Martin’s father taught her how to make boots; and her mother taught her top stitching. That education started when she was just two years old. Reared in the cowboy world of custom boots, saddles, belts and purses, young Martin was steeped in th

All stories have a catalyst that sets them in motion. Sometimes, you have to dig a little to find it. For Elkhart, Indiana chap maker, Jeanne Spears, it’s pretty cut and dried. “Everything in my life tracks back to an $18 pony,” remembers Jeanne. Jea

The number of leatherwork artists and artisans whose stories I have stuck my nose into for Shop-Talk! is startin’ to sneak up on 100. Many of them have produced pieces that come with a moving backstory. But none have generated a bigger lump in my thr

• Introducing Only Natural: a brand-new education platform and international student design competition taking in fashion and home design• Entrants are challenged to “think sustainable” and use only natural materials to design a truly bespoke piece,

Oregon is a state with a rich history in the ways of cattle ranching; for about 200 years, beef cattle have been a staple commodity. Anybody who has ever tried to make a living from animal agriculture knows that ranching and cowboying are industries

One of the blessings of writing for Shop Talk! is that I get the chance to talk with a bunch of wonderful leather-working women from all across the country. It is hard to imagine a more dedicated, hardworking and diverse group of individuals with suc

• Tap-Off (created from pattern)• Belt blank• Shot bag• Water + mister• Clobber’s hammer/flat hammer• Swivel knife• Mallet/maul• Flower center (Barry King)• #2 Horizontal thumbprint (Barry King)• #1 Horizontal thumbprint (Barry King)• Bevelers in lon

Hi Folks! Nancy Martiny here, Head Saddlemaker at Martiny Saddle Co. Don’t let the title fool you – it’s just a one-craftsman shop, in a log house on a remote ranch in Idaho. I have been doing leatherwork since high school and building saddles for 35

• Life Cycle Assessment aids businesses with decision making that supports the planet• Full transparency in data sourcing, methodology and assessment with peer review• Higg Index overestimated U.S. hide’s climate impact as much as 8000 times• Grass f

• Goatskin leather• Liner leather (ex: 5-6 oz cow hide)• Rubber cement• Butcher’s twine or leather cording• Tool with a smooth curved edge (e.g., end of a Sharpie, stylus, glass slicker)• Leather sewing machine (Cobra 5550)• Size 69 bonded nylon thre

Austin, Texas, has always been home to an eclectic group of dreamers that have contributed much to the state’s culture through the arts. Just outside of Austin, in the small town of Buda, lives an artist who is at home in these rolling hills. In 1989

One night in Grand Rapids, Michigan, 2017…. Joe Messina’s phone rang at 2:30 a.m. It was his buddy, Zac Smith. Breathless, unable to sleep, his mind racing, Zac exclaimed, “I’ve got it!” “Got what?” “Hockey gear! We’ll make things from hockey gear.”