Reviews

Nigel expertly explained the basic techniques for making templates, cutting and stitching as well as advising what types of leather to use and why as well as tool recommendations. This course has greatly helped me get past that analysis paralysis stage and has given me the confidence to undertake my first project. He has an excellent teaching style and incredible historical knowledge about leather and tools.

Like many attendees, I’m not strictly a ground zero beginner, but there where, and all were welcomed. Please do not be in any fear no matter where you are in your journey. If you are interested in leather work, attend, look around and ask questions. I wish I had sooner. Be assured,you will have fun and learn things. Many thanks

I have been making leather bits and pieces for a couple of years on and off and couldn’t seem to make anything that I was really happy with. I was on YouTube and found Nigel by chance, I was really impressed how he explained thing precisely and the reasoning behind his processes.

My wife brought me a one to one beginners course for a Christmas present.

I took most of the pieces I had made and my tools that I had accumulated.

Most of my tools were not suitable for what I was trying to make and my stitching needed sorting.

We went through the tools I needed and then started on the stitching improvement.

By the time I had left, my stitching improved by 80% and my understanding of template making and how to use a knife was very enlightening.

Nigel is very patient and excellent at explaining how and why to do things, and I had a great day.

I would say don’t try to learn by yourself, get to do a one to one course with Nigel and save yourself a lot of wasted time!

Thank you Nigel you are an inspiration.

After making knife sheaths for a few years, self-taught from books and watching YouTube videos, my family booked me on a one-to-one day course with Nigel. We spent the morning correcting faults in my sewing and cutting techniques and the afternoon designing and making a sheath template for a knife that I took along. We talked a lot about making knives and leatherwork, with Nigel patiently answering all of my questions and sharing his experience and advice. My knife sheath making has taken a massive step forward, I learnt more in one day than I have over the last three years from books and the internet.

Thanks Nigel, you’re a star.

Hi again!

Writing to you from Norway. I joined your online courses (all three, actually) around 2022 I believe, and just loved it. Learned soooo much, and specifically about all those things I knew too little to even ask about. Because even that takes a fair amount of – fiddling, cursing (sorry, but there you are), head scratching…and kida crappy projects. Finally I found Armitage online, and what fun! Unfollowed the courses after some time, due to changed circumstances (Went kinda head over heels down a flight of stairs – cannot recommend it), and now I feel ready to rejoin.

I cannot answer for anybody else, but I just love Armitage’s attention to detail, and I NEED that because I am one for winging it…which is not financially wise with the prices of leather today. This is about BOTH a party to improve every step of ones leather work, pattern thinking, a bit of therapy (yep, back to the bit where you are saved from the project imploding because Nigel TOLD ME to make a pattern….on line kinda..). This is truly a fountain of knowledge and style.

And soon my dream is to visit a one-on-one course over there in England.

Greetings from Norway!!

Hey guys, this series has shown me where I was making newbie mistakes that I was going nuts trying to figure out. I have learned that consistency is of paramount importance. While it is repetitive, so is hand stitching. I also learned the difference between the pricking irons and their proper use. This is extremely good information for beginners and also for a review if you’ve been working leather for a while. I am sure this will bring my projects to a new level. Thanks for taking the time to make this video.

A very informative and professional day. Exceeded my expectations and that was high. Targeted well the areas I needed to work on. Will be booking again.

I went on a 1 to 1 course and can honestly say I had an incredible time I had no experience in leather at all and Nigel would check to make sure timing was right on the speed we were going. Before we started we had a great conversation about how to proceed with what I wanted to achieve. He has excellent teaching methods around questioning things and is very encouraging and grounding in his teaching methods! He is also pretty funny which always helps! And finally to top it all off his knowledge is incredible of not only working with leather but also around anything that could go with leather. Honestly just go if you’re questioning it, you will not regret it!

I had my first ‘intro’ session with Nigel, and I was overjoyed to finally find a master craftsman who is also a great teacher. I will be coming back for further lessons to learn from a master craftsman.

Thank you Nigel and see you soon… BR Ian Dunn

Six wonderful days of Box Stitching courses with Nigel. His level of knowledge and ability to teach is incredible. The materials such as leather, thread and cardboard are very good and plentiful. I brought my own tools, but what I lacked was kindly provided. There were good days with advanced leather work, good coffee, wonderful cakes and a good laugh in between.

I’ve just spent another week at the workshop, and whilst I have done some box stitching, this week was most worthwhile and a valid use of time. I like to think I knew many of the skills needed, however the precision needed for making boxes is unparalleled and doing more in a controlled environment, starting from scratch allowed me to hone my skills further. Any course of Nigel’s is worthwhile. He’s a great teacher and mentor, so if you get the chance to come up, your time will not be wasted.

Just back from the course. Excellent and very clear tuition. Atmosphere welcoming and very supportive. No problems about getting a technique demonstrated multiple times and useful analysis of where my execution of a technique was failing. I definitely plan to return

I have just had the absolute pleasure of spending the last 6 days on Nigel’s advanced box making course. Now it’s no secret that I have spent a few day in the Armitage Leather workshop, but never a whole week in one hit.

What a fantastic week it has been, I learn new things every time and in this case, new techniques every single day of the course. It’s elevated my box stitching yet again. The workshop is such a creative space, that you can’t help being the best you can be. Nigel is such a natural teacher that all my fellow students successfully completed a technically complex build to a good standard.

It’s hard work, but well worth it every time.

I won’t try to hide the fact that I spend a good deal of time in the workshop with Nigel, however the last six days I have been a student along with six others and have loved every minute of it. Being taught the skills and techniques to make a box from leather was a joy. Finishing the course with a box I am proud of, even if I do know how many ways I can improve it with practice, is an absolute bonus.

I never tire of Nigel’s way of teaching. Clear, concise and not just how but why. Every single one of us on the course achieved. A great bunch of people to spend time learning with and more things added to my “to make” list.

Thank you Nigel, for making it possible for me to be a student on this course. I can highly recommend it now from personal experience.

This was the first course I have taken with Nigel and my observations are as follows.

Facilities: A good sized workshop with generous workstations for student and huge range of tools to use and experiment with which helped me decide what additional tools I need.

Materials : An excellent supply of card and leather of excellent quality. Plenty of it and we were encouraged to recut anything we were not happy with.

Teaching : The content of this course is challenging but Nigel managed to keep a group of seven students at different places in their leatherworking skills working and moving their projects on whilst giving time to those who needed more guidance. That is it easy to do. He was patient, explained what we needed to know, when we needed it. It was a good balance of progress and stopping to learn additional techniques. I feel confident I will be able to apply what I have learnt to future projects.

Atmosphere: great group of students, cake, music and a final fab barbeque.

Overall: 15 out of 10