Where did it all start?
Grab a cup of coffee and let me tell you a story...
I've always had a passion for handmade items, so five years ago when I saw my first YouTube video of some random bloke making a leather wallet I was convinced that I could do that. He made it look so effortless and quick that I was sure that anyone could do that. The very next day I took a walk down to the local leather warehouse, which, as luck would have it, was only three blocks away from my office and triumphantly declared that I would like to purchase a meter of this amazing chocolate coloured leather to which the sales person snickered and said, "You cannot just buy a meter, you have to buy the whole hide". So with my wallet now in tears, a bag full of bargain bin leather cutoffs and a few tools which a different sales person assured me would be enough to get me started, my handmade leather item making journey was underway.
When I got home I immediately gave it a go and realised very quickly that it was not as easy as that random YouTube bloke had made it look. It was labour intensive, mistakes were very costly, not only in product but in time, and saddle stitching took some finessing. But when it was done, I had a rustic (codeword for messy) patchwork placemat with red stitching that looked like a left over piece of an 80's leather jacket and I couldn't be more proud.
It didn't take long before I came upon the next leather hobby video that would send my wallet off crying again because this time I needed a different type of leather and a new set of tools to help get the job done. A plethora of free patterns downloaded and printed and my leather item making skills levelled up from rustic placemats to rustic book covers.
And so it carried on, moving from one video to the next all while hitting my steps goal by walking to the leather warehouse almost weekly to purchase the supplies I needed.
Fast forward to March of 2023 when I decided to quit my seventeen year cubical rat race job and dive head first into making handmade leather items full time. An easy decision it was not, but I was north of 40 and if I wasn't going to make a go of it now then I never would.
That's the short of it. I'd love to take you the journey with me. This rollercoaster ride of juggling family, finance and fitness all while trying to hold onto the passion of making handmade leather items that will last for generations.
Do get in touch if you have any questions about leather handmade items or if you'd just like to drop a message to say hi, I'd love those too. Drop me a DM on all socials or send through an email to info@darksideleathercraft.co.za and we can have a chat. Till next time.
Yours in leather, CJ.