Why listen to leatherworking podcasts? For some of us, we’re in this craft without a local area leathercrafting community, saddle shop, or mentor. Sometimes, just hearing how others are working leather and running their business can help us make it through a current project or inspire us to create more.
But leatherworking podcasts aren’t just for leatherworkers! If you’ve ever been curious about western-style makers, small business decisions, and how creative things are made, leatherwork podcasts and crafter shows are worth your time on a long drive or on a rainy day.
Here are a few of my favorite leatherwork podcasts and inspirational shows that I use keep me informed and creative:
Lost Trade Podcast
(Website, Apple Podcast, Spotify)
This is a Don Gonzales project (owner and operator of Don Gonzales Saddlery in Moulton, TX). He interviews various makers connected to the western lifestyle. Very well-edited and paced for background shop work, with a lot of neat discussions on keeping the western traditions alive, changes in the way we do business, and how to stay inspired in your craft.
Don Gonzales Monday Briefing (YouTube)
Don Gonzales again! Our favorite saddle maker uses the Monday briefing (published on whatever day it gets done, now, y’all hold your horses) to talk through his week and typically shows off projects around his workshop.
The rest of Don’s Youtube channel is full of invaluable tutorials and info. Do yourself a favor and hit that subscribe button.
Leathercraft Masterclass
(YouTube, Spotify, Facebook, and Instagram)
Philip Jury provides phenomenal leathercraft training courses, and he’s provided quite a few Q and A sessions, tutorials, and leathercrafting discussions for free on his social media channels. His approach is very technical and involves more fine European-style leatherwork.
I find his Q and A sessions very easy to listen to in the background while I work. Philip provides a different perspective than the western leathercraft world I’m more familiar with, which I find valuable.
Springfield Leathercraft Live
(YouTube, Facebook, Instagram)
SLC has a full team dedicated to their live shows and sales, and they are very knowledgeable and VERY entertaining. They do a lot of live projects involving all aspects of leatherwork, from bag making to braiding to creative dye work. Super fun to watch while sewing or burnishing, for sure. Beware, if you watch a live sale, your pocketbook will likely regret it.
Maker’s Leather Supply (YouTube)
Maker’s YouTube channel has both fun people and great content, including really handy tool tips, project videos, and updates from leather shows (if, like me, you’re curious to know what you’re missing out on).
Not gonna lie, one of my favorite reasons to listen to Maker’s content is that Aaron sounds like Rolf the Dog from The Muppets (sorry Aaron, it’s true).
Weaver Leathercraft (YouTube)
Chuck Dorsett’s Live video archives are about an hour of high energy Chuck chatter (if you’ve watched any of his Leather Element videos, you know what I mean). Plenty of tips, tricks, and shop talk.
Making It Podcast
(YouTube, Apple Podcast, Spotify)
Jimmy Diresta, Bob Clagett, and David Picciuto do a sort of roundtable discussion on maker projects, memories, shop setups, old cars (especially hearses, which seem to be Jimmy’s thing) and more. A great background podcast for any project.
No Dumb Questions Podcast
(Spotify, Apple Podcast, Android)
Disclaimer: this is not a leathercrafting podcast AT ALL, but when I’m not in the mood for craft podcasts, I pick an episode from the No Dumb Questions backlog.
Matt and Destin talk about pretty much anything, really. Be prepared for stupid stuff, serious stuff, history discussions, awkward commercial segments, thought provoking material, and some gut-busting laughs (I personally can’t get through the beginning of the marshmallow episode without cracking up).
Got a favorite maker show to add to this list? Let us know in the comments!