Hello from Massachusetts

Hello all!

My name is James, I‘be been mixed up in craft in one way or another for years. I spent about a decade mixed up with fine woodworking, including running a full time shop for 7 years. I also spent about 3 years with carbon fiber composites, helping to build prototype aircraft. That ended with COVID, and it’s honestly for the best. In the meantime, I started tinkering with 3D printing...

I got interested in leatherwork in a roundabout way. My feet are very, very wide, (10.5EEEE) so I started wearing moccasin slippers during lockdown. They were made too narrow, and even the made to order $200 versions from this company are only made up to EE width. The Slippers I got are good enough, and they were made with cheap enough material that they quickly stretched to fit, but my immediate thought when I put them on was ‘This is stupid. I can do better.’

Next thing I knew, I’d spent a day watching a series on YouTube, where an Aussie build a pair of shoes. Obviously a bit more involved than a simple moccasin, but it grabbed my attention. One month later, here I am.

Looking forward to learning.