Hi, I’m Eric.
If you’ve been following along with our Leather Masterclass Series, you’ve learned about the technical side of things, the strength of a saddle stitch and the truth about different types of hides. But today, I wanted to pull back the curtain a little bit more.
Usually, I’m the one talking about "honest materials" and "refined carry," but behind every handmade leather wallet or belt pouch I send out, there is a very personal story. It’s a story about a hobby that turned into a lifeline, and how a simple desire to honor my heritage became a business fueled by love and a whole lot of patience.
It All Started with a Kilt
As you may have guessed from the name of my shop, I have a deep appreciation for kilted aesthetics. Years ago, I decided I wanted to wear a kilt more often. But there was a problem: I couldn't find a sporran (the traditional pouch worn with a kilt) that quite matched what I had in my head.
I wanted something that felt rugged, something that looked like it had been pulled out of a Highland history book but could still hold my modern gear.
So, I decided to make one myself.
I didn't have a background in professional leatherworking. I just had a bit of curiosity and a willingness to learn. I bought some leather, a couple of basic tools, and started punching holes. Little did I know, that first sporran was the beginning of everything. I discovered that I loved the feeling of the leather in my hands. I loved the way a flat piece of hide could be transformed into something functional and beautiful just by using my own two hands.
For a long time, it stayed just like that, a hobby. I’d spend my evenings at the workbench, relaxing after a long day with a cold soda by my side, just enjoying the rhythm of the needles passing through the leather. It was my "me time," a way to unwind and create something tangible.
When Life Changes Course
Life has a way of throwing you curveballs when you least expect it. For my family, that curveball came in the form of a cancer diagnosis for my wife.
It’s the kind of news that stops your world in its tracks. Suddenly, our priorities shifted. We were focused on treatments, doctor visits, and, as many of you might know from your own experiences, a mountain of medical bills that started piling up faster than we could keep track of.
I’m a firm believer in doing what needs to be done to take care of the people you love. As those bills grew, I looked at my workbench. What had been a relaxing hobby suddenly felt like it could be something more. I realized that the handmade leather goods I was making for myself and my friends were things other people might actually want to own, too.
That’s when The Kilted Leatherworker LLC was born. It wasn't started out of a corporate grand plan or a desire to be "the next big thing" in fashion. It was started out of necessity, fueled by a desire to provide for my family during the hardest fight of our lives. Every leather belt pouch and journal cover I sold was a step toward paying off another medical expense.
The Secret Ingredient: Patience
When I first started selling my work, I had a choice. I could find ways to go faster, use machines, skip certain steps, or use cheaper materials to increase my margins. But I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
If I was going to ask someone to spend their hard-earned money on something I made, it had to be the best I could possibly do. I decided that my brand would be built on one specific tool that isn't a knife or a needle: Patience.
In a world of fast fashion where everything is "buy it now, throw it away later," I wanted to do the opposite. I chose to hand-stitch every single item. As I mentioned in the first part of this series, saddle stitching by hand is significantly stronger than a machine stitch. But it takes time. A lot of it.
There is something about sitting at a bench, ensuring that every stitch is perfect, that requires you to slow down. You can't rush a good edge burnish, and you certainly can't rush the way leather breaks in over time. I found that this patience wasn't just good for the products; it was good for me, too. It gave me a sense of peace during a very chaotic time in my personal life.
Crafting Pieces That Last a Lifetime
Today, my wife is doing better, and the business has grown beyond what I ever imagined back when I was just trying to make a sporran for my own kilt. But the core of what I do hasn't changed.
I still use the same "honest materials" I started with, like the buffalo leather used in The Highland Nomad (my signature leather sporran and belt pouch). I want my customers to feel the weight of the quality when they pick up one of my pieces.
Whether it's The Wayfarer’s Tote (formerly the Rustic Tote) or The Chronicler’s Cover, I make sure every piece is unconditionally loved before it leaves my shop. I want you to know that when you buy a bag from me, it’s not just a "product." It’s hours of my life, a piece of my story, and a commitment to durability that you just don't find in big-box stores.
I often get asked, "Eric, why don't you just get a machine?"
My answer is always the same: Because you can't stitch love into a machine-made bag. You can't put that same level of intention into a piece that was zipping through a factory in thirty seconds. When I pull those threads tight, I’m thinking about the person who is going to use it, maybe someone going on a hiking adventure, or a writer filling up The Chronicler’s Cover with their own life's stories.
A Note of Gratitude
I want to end this series with a huge "thank you."
Thank you for supporting a small business that started at a kitchen table. Thank you for valuing craftsmanship over convenience. Every time you choose a handmade leather wallet or a tote from us, you aren't just getting a high-quality accessory. You are helping me continue this journey and supporting a dream that was born out of one of the most challenging times in my life.
I hope that when you carry one of my pieces, it inspires a bit of adventure in you. And more importantly, I hope it reminds you that anything worth doing is worth doing right, one stitch at a time.
If you have any questions about my process or just want to say hi, feel free to reach out. I love hearing from you all.
Stay adventurous,
Eric
Owner & Maker, The Kilted Leatherworker LLC