Hello! After much deliberation and nail-biting, I decided to finally make an account and post this. Leatherworking and all aspects of it has been something that has fascinated me since before I can remember. I come from a large family full of carpenters, gardeners, seamstresses, and mechanics so it doesn't surprise me too much. I would love nothing more than to learn all that I possibly could, and then some, but I have been having a hard time finding local groups or gatherings that I could attend to start learning the basics. I am nervous about self-starting in my home because I don't want to learn bad habits or incorrect techniques. I want to be in it for the long haul as I plan on pursuing leathercraft as something more than a hobby, so I would like my foundation to be rock solid and not built on youtube when I have no idea what I'm doing.
I am hoping that someone on here knows about a group or the like in Olympia, WA or the surrounding areas (I can go pretty far I think) that I could attend to learn. I would also not be against working for free (what am I saying, knowledge is worth more than money) for someone who has a shop or similar area type, just to be able to watch and learn and maybe soak up some of your expertise. Heck, I'd even bring along some homemade baked goods to show my appreciation. I worked in a hospital for a little over two years so I can tackle any cleaning that needs to be done.
Whether it be a group or a class or a person looking for some free labor (and some delicious baked goods), I would love to hear about what I can do to start learning this craft with the proper guidance.
Thank you so much for reading this, and please feel free to ask any questions or give any pointers!
- Cass
