Totnes, Devon
Once a month, John Hagger opens his Tanner Bates studio for a variety of leather-making courses. The one-time financial advisor is inspired by pre-industrial methods and uses oak bark to tan his leather. Start with the two-day workshop, in which you'll learn traditional techniques and come away with a hand-stitched belt or pouch.
£260; learnleatherwork.com
Nr Saddleworth, Lancashire
David McDowell is a leather craftsman who employs traditional techniques. On his one-day course, learn to make wallets, mobile phone holders, belts, card- and journal- holders, and leave knowing how to mark, cut, skive, saddle stitch, and finish edges. The course is held in Woodend Mill on the river Tame, one of the last three remaining cotton mills in the country.
£120; diamondawl.co.uk
Central London
For people who already have basic leather skills, the London School of Fashion runs a five-day course where you will learn pattern-cutting and working with the correct tools, before moving on to more complicated skills such as topstitching, needed to create bags with a professional finish.
£595; www.arts.ac.uk
Matlock, Derbyshire
One of the key distributors of leather in the UK, The Identity Store has supplied leather for the sets of Game of Thrones, Gladiator and Harry Potter. Their team of experts also run workshops on everything from an introduction to leather crafting, to embossing and carving leather journal covers.
From £29.50; theidentitystore.co.uk
Little Comberton, Worcestershire
Get back to basics and learn how to turn a raw hide into soft buckskin leather with the Native Awareness school. Over three days, process a piece of hide, and leave with leather ready to be cut and shaped. Not for the faint-hearted – skills involve 'fleshing', 'braining' and 'smoking'.
£210; nativeawareness.co.uk
