Making Christmas: Leather Gifts

This event has now ended. 

Meet expert saddler and leatherworker, Lucy Cushley of The Irish Saddler, in this full day workshop at the Ulster Folk Museum. Make your own small, bespoke leather good - perfect as a hand-made gift for someone special this Christmas.

Lucy will guide you through the process using traditional saddlery techniques and provide all materials for you to make a one-of-a-kind, personalised travel gift set including two of the following; luggage tag, passport cover, key ring and earphone case/cable tidy. Throughout the day you’ll be introduced to different hand tools, each with a different purpose in the creation process and use leather from one of the last few tanneries in England, Sedgwicks. Discover the traditional 'saddlers stitch' to sew your items together using two needles and an awl. 

Learn about the fascinating history of leatherwork in Ireland in the context of the Ulster Folk Museum and discuss saddlers and leatherworkers' place amongst the community of craftsmen and how their presence would be seen day to day. We'll create our leather goods with a 'high finish'' and chat about the best care for your special leather creations! 

Please note, this workshop is for ages 16+ 

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