Read the Reviews about the Channel...
or write one of your own!

Very helpful indeed, particularly the indepth saddle stitch vids. Watched these on youtube. They were reason for my subscription. I do wonder if you could give some thoughts on the different types of leather. Also you make a critical comment regarding using leather other than a certain sort you use while learning. I forget the details, but i had to laugh as i am a kiwi and am learning on low quality sheep leather which i am loving! I dye and finish myself and have figured out burnishing with my finger and cotton the soft edges that can’t be bevelled.

Oh, also, please stick to the METRIC SYSTEM, lol. Blasted yanks and their clumsy inches!

Thanks though this is an invaluable aid on the journey, and has greatly increased my confidence about continuing to learn.

There is a difference between “showing you how” and “educating you”. I watched a lot of videos showing you how to make items and most show you stitching and I thought I learned how to stitch watching them. One of the videos I watched said “if you want to learn how to stitch you need to learn from Nigel Armitage.” So I signed up for the beginners channel. Not only did I learn how to stitch but I learned why different methods are used and the result when done right and when done wrong.

But stitching is just the beginning. Nigel teaches why you choose which tools, tools to toss in the trash, and tools you won’t need until much further into your education. From template making to leather cutting, edging and dressing, everything you need to learn to do very beautiful items.

Don’t let the title “beginner’s” put you off, it should probably be called “Foundation” because what you learn in that section will be used for the rest of your journey.

While like everyone I look forward eagerly to the next video, I have started to watch them all again from the beginning, they are so good/informative and there is always some little point that is a memory jog or something that you have forgotten or cannot remember which project is was part of.

One little point! you seem to have stopped putting the “Back to Top” button on the latest projects.

I seem to remember some time ago there was discussion on the problem of download speed, although it has improved I find this is still an issue (Probably my connection) is there any way of making it possible to download into a buffer before playing so that this could be eliminated?

When I started Leatherwork I learned some basics from my Dad who taught himself in later years from watching you tube videos. His Alzheimer’s now prevents him from being able to do it. So I recently inherited his tools and leather. I tried many different you tube videos and just got frustrated and couldn’t find what I needed. I then searched online for leather work courses near me in Ireland and the nearest was Dublin. Then I can across Nigel’s channel and just loved his calm detailed teaching method and I knew I had found my course.

The website is easy to navigate and I love that I can go back and watch techniques multiple times.

He also is very quick to communicate and solve any questions or issues I had.

It’s the closest thing to being there in real life. Also new content being added all the time! Very good value. I hope to do am I person course in the future!

I’ve been lucky enough to have been training with Nigel for a couple of years now and I regularly use the resources he’s added to the channel. If I need help on how to do something, I’m confident that I can find what I need and not only that, that the quality will be excellent. Yes, sure, you can learn from YouTube or the like, but nowhere else will you find the detail needed to produce quality leatherwork the way Nigel teaches. I do find sometimes I have to go backwards a step to be able to move forward again, and even watch some elements multiple times, but it’s definitely time well spent as the end quality will be worth every minute.

I have been following and learning from Nigel for the last five years. I can honestly say that the experience has been excellent for me in terms of gaining a solid depth of skills and understanding around the Kraft.

I have found that the approach Nigel takes in focusing on core skills and techniques and the explanation behind them has helped develop a thorough understanding of how and importantly why certain processes and approaches are taken. I happily look upon these years as similar to undertaking an apprenticeship and feel that both my technical skills, design approach and subsequent quality of production have reflected the excellence of the tutorship.

The range and in depth quality of the videos in my experience far exceed even the best of what else is out there through the focus on detail, explanation and quality. I come back again and again to check specifics or to enhance my understanding of how other artisans approach and make their goods.

The videos can be long and often will take a couple of watches to really absorb the detail but are well worth the investment. The structure of the site is logical and in full disclosure, as I am one of the moderators, a great forum for discussion, sharing of ideas and a safe space to present your goods for review.

In conclusion, I have a looked at a number of other providers but have determined that for my particular requirements the value I get from both Nigel’s one to one teaching and his videos fully meets my requirements. You may have guessed by now that I’m very happy with the Armitage Leather approach and thoroughly recommend you give it a go

very good videos and not complicated very well explained.

I honestly don’t know where I would be if I didn’t have Nigel’s help with his online videos. If you are interested in learning leather craft, stop the YouTube searching and sign up! Nigel’s videos are clear and full of so much little bits of knowledge. We could be making a phone pouch but then learn about flap arcs or making a bag but also learn about cutting or how much leather to use. There is so much in each video not just do this step. The best part I love about the videos is that Nigel’s style is traditional leather making at its core. No quick tricks, machines or fancy gimmicks. Just real tried and true techniques and I love making my items that way. One of the biggest takeaway for me is all of the template making skills you will learn. Templating is such an important part of leather projects it is a vital skill to getting it right. I have had a subscription for about 2 years now and plan to keep it going because it has become now a library of information I can go back to when I need to refresh myself on a technique. Leather craft is really hard to find information on when starting out, Secrets from the Workshop has them all!

The only thing I would like to see more of in the future if at all possible in Nigel’s schedule would be the opportunity to have more feedback from him as a teacher for us online students. Maybe a place we can submit work to for critique and talk about our build, or live video events we ask questions with direct feedback. I would pay more for that!

Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us Nigel!

If you just want to follow a build its a great resource. If you want to take the teachings and adapt the lessons learned to make all sorts items then its brilliant. It teaches you why you do things to solve problems and inform you how to adapt the skills to tackle all sorts of projects and ultimately you are only restricted by you creativity and imagination.

Probably the very best leatherworking resource available on line.

If you like to learn the why of things, this is the place to be. Nigel is a tireless teacher, he conveys his way of working in a precise and calm way while also knowing how to give you different points of view with great meticulousness.

For me it was a great discovery that opened my mind and thanks to which it is also easier for me to understand the true value of a leathercraft product. For example, the handstiching section covers so many details and ways of working that you will never again show others your work done before joining the channel 🙂

The forum offered by the platform has also allowed me to get to know other students who are always ready for discussion.

There is also a section to propose to Nigel a deepdive for specific content and I think that this is priceless.