LEATHER WORKING
I first started working with leather in 2014. I have been a creator of sorts my entire life but leather was something I admired and yet never could find “my style” when it came to bags and accessories. My mom has an industrial sewing machine and so she encouraged me to buy a “side” of leather while on a trip together and make a bag of my own. My prior sewing knowledge helped me to draft my own patterns and although cutting into leather gives me much more anxiety than fabric, I was able to make bags that were simple, functional, and durable - exactly my style. Fast forward to now and I buy whole hides and sides of leather from Wickett and Craig (based out of PA). I carefully place my patterns out on each unique hide planning to make the absolute best use of it. I primarily use my mom’s industrial machine to sew the products together. I use high quality thread that is rated for canvas tents and climbing gear. I also only use solid brass hardware. I really pay attention to the details because I want my products to last. If you have access to Instagram, you can look me up @thewildandfreecompany for more pictures and some visual insight into my process.