Leather Crafting Starter Book is a tutorial guide for beginning leathercrafters from Studio TAC Creative. Due out 12th Feb 2019 in partnership with Fox Chapel, it's 176 pages and will be available in paperback format. Originally published in Japanese in 2012, the English translation is seamless. The measurements for the Japanese tools used in the original have been adjusted and sourced for North American and European readers.

This is a really well photographed guide with very appealing projects. The book begins with a pictorial gallery of included projects and an introduction to tools and supplies. The introductory chapter covers about 10% of the page content. The next technique and tutorial chapter comprises about 20% of the content and includes both basic construction (sewing, lacing, closures) and decoration (dyeing, pyrography, applique, punching, carving).

The next 65% of the book is split into three chapters with projects arranged more or less in order of complexity: 1)no sew items, 2)basic stitching, and 3)complex items.

Full size patterns are provided for all of the projects along with a basic index. There doesn't appear to be a resource list, but an online search turns up lots of e-tailers for supplies and tools used in the tutorials.

This is a solidly well written and photographed book full of really appealing and professional looking projects. The dinosaur sculptures are amazing! The pen covers and pen carry case are definitely on my to-do list (I'm a fountain pen nerd, and they would make superlative gifts for any pen lover).

Five stars. I loved this!

Interesting projects, odd organization. I see 20 projects and 12 patterns - some may just not be in the PDF. There's a project used to illustrate basic sewing techniques that doesn't have a pattern...why add a separate project rather than illustrating with one of the projects with full information - the key cover, or the other card case (though I don't think that one has a pattern either...)? Detailed info on sewing techniques, followed by three projects that don't use it, followed by several projects simpler than the illustration that use sewing, then some that are a little more complex. Lots of sanding and re-sanding and shaping edges that then get reshaped. A few translation(?) errors - in the slipper, a late project, the text says the lace comes out on the grain side, while the picture and common sense say it comes out on the flesh side. It's a somewhat annoying book, but like most other Japanese crafting books I've used the projects are great and the instructions are clear and detailed and (I think, I didn't actually go through and make a project) accurate enough to guide a beginner.

I’ve always wanted to make something every time I go in a leather craft store with my husband. The kits never wow me and I can’t seem to find something to make. This book has inspired me to make some of these craft projects. The key covers are really great. I like the three colored slippers and more. Instructions for sewing, stamping and carving all in here and more. Great book I recommend this book to all newbies in leather crafting and I’ll bet there is something for the more advanced. Thanks NetGalley for the free download. Big thanks to the author and publisher as well great job on this book!

As someone who has never worked with leather but would like to I was intrigued when I saw this title available for review on NetGalley.

Leather Crafting Starter Book has an overview of recommended tools, all pictured in clear photos which I found very helpful. It also explains to complete beginners the differences in tanning methods and leathers. The 16 projects included range from wallets, to small dinosaurs and even a bag, and include patterns. Most projects use hand tools, but a sewing machine is also used for a few of them.

My only criticisms are a lack of photos of the adorable leather dinosaurs on the cover, and that I’m not sure I’d make many of the projects. I would, however, definitely use the techniques demonstrated to make my own leather goods. All in all, this seems like a nice book to have as part of a novice leather crafter’s library. I certainly intend on buying a copy.

This is an excellent introduction to handcrafting with leather. I had no experience working with leather apart from having made a couple of items using very thin leather on a sewing machine (I naively just treated it like weird fabric). This book starts with an introduction to the basic tools needed to get started, and then it proceeds to give detailed, abundantly illustrated explanation of how to execute some basic leather working techniques. There are are not many projects, but they are diverse (from simple bracelets and wallets to little sculpted dinosaurs). They are also polished and designed to appeal to a wide range of people, and they allow many different techniques to be explained. This is meant to enable the reader to use the methods shown as a starting point to design customized pieces. The technical information is presented so well that the idea of jumping in doesn't seem daunting. The overall effect of this book was to make me want to get the tools and try a couple of simple projects right away.

I have not done leather work in years and this provided a simple approach that I could follow and get back into the spirit of the crafting game. The explanations were simple, clear and easy to follow.

I had some reclaimed old leather that I would like to make some useful objects from, and then I got this book by the way of Netgalley.
This is one of the best educational books I have ever seen. It starts with the target of every procedure, and then has a very good description of every step including great photos. Literally, this book is by the book!
I was also surprised by all the different ideas for decorations possible with leather, in addition to all the practical stuff.
If you have any interest in doing things with leather, get this book!