All items by Happy Hedgerow

I design, make and sell small leather goods; many of these have a rustic feel whether that's through the type of leather I use, or a countryside-themed motif embossed and painted on the leather.

I work from home in the beautiful Scottish Borders, along with my partner, and our very hairy cat. I have always been interested in making things, but I first got into making small leather goods after going on a course. I remember coming away with a really posh leather hand bag that I couldn't believe I had made, all by myself, over the course of one weekend! Over the next year or so I gradually built up a supply of tools, and started experimenting with various leathers and various products. The variety of products in my shop is a reflection of that ongoing experimentation - if someone has an idea for something new, I am always keen to give it a go!

I use traditional saddle stitching techniques - all items are hand-stitched, and even each hole is hand pricked using a very sharp awl. I use a variety of leathers - mainly veg-tanned leather, but also some chrome-tanned upholstery leather and goatskin where a thinner leather, or more flexibility is required.

One of the things I find most rewarding is working on new motifs. Each motif is hand drawn and then traced onto the leather. The outline is carved around, before embossing the details using a series of metal tools (see pic above). Once I am happy with the embossing I paint over the image using leather dye. This brings out the details most effectively, particularly on the lighter coloured leathers. Most of my standard motifs are countryside-themed, as that is where I get most of my inspiration from, but I have been known to do more unusual ones, including a bicycle, and a seahorse! So if the motif you want is not available, simply send me a message, and I will see what I can do for you.

Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy browsing my shop.

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