Leather Workshop in Hoi An

Of course you can find unique leather accessories or bags in Hoi An, or even get something made to your specifications, but why not make your own at a leather workshop in Hoi An? By yourself or in a small group this activity is for everyone, even if you aren’t very “crafty”.

I honestly didn’t even know that you can get (custom) leather goods in Hoi An. In my head it was all tailors. Even once I got there, I didn’t really realize it until the bag I brought from Germany literally fell apart while I was using it and I had to get a new one.

Equipped with my new bag I looked up leather artisans in Hoi An and found the Blue Lotus Leather Workshop, who offer workshops for different skill levels and time scopes.

Making a leather wallet

Since I only had one free afternoon left in Hoi An I choose their “Express Class” which is around two hours long and you can make something small.

I chose one of their example wallets, but they helped me switch up the inside from one big pouch to two card sized ones. After choosing what I wanted to make I got to choose my leather. My first instinct was to go for a turquoise one, but then I went with a much more basic terracotta.

A cup of green tea next to me, I started by tracing the pattern for the wallet on my chosen leather, then cut it out. I had trouble with the corners and my teacher showed me a few times, telling me that that was what she struggled with the most, in the beginning, as well.

Once the cutting is done you have to hammer holes into the leather so you can sew it together afterwards. Sewing leather is a lot harder than sewing fabric and requires finger strength I did not have. I was using muscles in my fingers I didn’t even know existed! 😀

My teacher told me that the sewing was her favorite part, especially when it’s a bigger item and it takes hours. She said it was an almost meditative activity for her.

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After the stitching is done the ends of the waxed thread are melted to stop the thread from unravelling. Then glue gets applied to the sides to seal the edges of the leather. Finally you add a button to it, I went for a press stud / push button.

After the workshop we spend some more time talking and I got to try her favorite snack: Young Mango with chili salt, while finishing my tea. My teacher told me that recently she had had an accident, had to go to the hospital and now can’t do most of the crafting anymore. Thats why she teaches now. Which brought us to the subject of “you make plans for your life – but then life happens”. But that’s a topic for another day.

Details of the Leather Workshop in Hoi An

All materials and tools you need are included in the price of the workshop. People of all skill levels in handiwork are welcome and they help you finish a project of your choice.

There are different types of workshops with different time frames, depending on what you want to make. I choose the two hour one, because I didn’t have time for a longer one. During my workshop (where I was all by myself!) I made a leather wallet for cards and paper money.

Starting times: Depend on your choice of Workshop. The two hour one is flexible!

Address: 69/3 Phan Chu Trinh, Phường Minh An, Hội An, Quảng Nam 51300, Vietnam

Booking: You can choose and book directly on their website: Blue Lots Leather Workshop