The Leather Retreat

Build a Traditional Crossbody Bag

with G.B. Davis

The Workshops of G.B. Davis

October 16–18, 2026

Noblesville, Indiana

You Won't Watch. You'll Make It.

Over three days you'll transform premium vegetable-tanned leather, solid brass hardware, and traditional hand tools into a crossbody bag built to serve for decades.

Every cut, every stitch, every burnished edge is done by your own hands—with personal guidance throughout the process.

You won't leave with a kit.

You'll leave with a bag you'll be proud to carry.

A Working Folk Art Studio

This isn't a classroom built to imitate a working studio.

It is a working studio.

For more than three decades, this shop has been a place where commissions are carved, signs are painted, books are printed, leather is stitched, and ideas become objects. During your retreat, you'll work at the same benches, with the same tools, and in the same environment where every piece leaving the studio is made.

With only four students, there is time to slow down. Questions are encouraged. Demonstrations happen when they're needed—not according to a rigid schedule. You'll learn not only how to complete each step, but why traditional craftsmen work the way they do.

Look around while you're here. Open a drawer. Pick up a tool. Ask about the strange object on the shelf. Nearly everything in the studio has a story, and those stories are part of the experience.

You'll leave with a handcrafted leather bag.

My hope is you'll also leave seeing the world a little differently.

The Bag You'll Carry for Years

Some projects are finished when class ends.

This isn't one of them.

The crossbody bag you'll build is designed to become part of your daily life. The leather will soften, the color will deepen, and every scratch, crease, and mark will become a record of where you've carried it.

We use premium vegetable-tanned leather selected for its durability and character. Traditional saddle stitching, solid brass hardware, and hand-finished edges create a bag that can be repaired, maintained, and enjoyed for decades—not discarded when fashions change.

Each student leaves with a finished bag, but no two are exactly alike. Your hands will shape the details. The way you cut, stitch, burnish, and finish the leather becomes part of its story.

This isn't simply something you made.

It's something you'll continue making every time you carry it.

Is This Retreat Right for You?

Not every workshop is for every student—and that's exactly as it should be.

This retreat is designed for those who want more than a finished project. It's for people who find satisfaction in learning a traditional skill, working with exceptional materials, and discovering what they're capable of making with their own hands.

This retreat is for you if...

• You enjoy slowing down and learning a craft well.

• You've always wanted to make something you'll carry and use for years.

• You appreciate quality, tradition, and thoughtful design.

• You're curious about hand tools and traditional techniques.

• You enjoy learning alongside a small group of fellow makers.

• You have little or no leatherworking experience—or you're looking to strengthen your fundamentals.

This retreat may not be for you if...

• You're looking for a quick afternoon craft project.

• Your goal is simply to leave with a bag, rather than understand how it was made.

• You prefer large classes where everyone works at the same pace.

• You aren't interested in careful handwork or taking your time.

The workshop is intentionally limited to four students so there is time for conversation, individual guidance, and the unexpected moments of discovery that often become the most memorable part of learning.

Meet Your Instructor

For more than thirty-five years, I've made my living with my hands and by teaching others to do the same.

My work has taken me from public school classrooms to folk schools, museums, and craft centers across the country, including Snow Farm: The New England Craft Program, the Shaker Museum, and Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village. Along the way I've learned that people don't simply come to make beautiful objects—they come to discover that they can.

That belief shapes every class I teach.

You'll receive demonstrations, individual coaching, and honest feedback throughout the retreat, but you'll also be given the freedom to solve problems, make decisions, and develop confidence in your own hands.

I keep classes intentionally small because I believe the best learning happens through conversation, observation, and shared discovery. Every student brings different experiences to the bench, and those experiences become part of the learning for everyone.

My goal isn't simply that you leave with a beautiful leather bag.

It's that you leave with the confidence to keep making.

Reserve Your Seat

October 16–18, 2026

The Workshops of G.B. Davis
Historic Downtown Noblesville, Indiana

Tuition: $687
All materials, premium leather, brass hardware, and use of studio tools are included.

What's Included

• Three full days of personal instruction

• Premium vegetable-tanned leather

• Solid brass hardware

• All tools and shop equipment

• Coffee, light refreshments, and good conversation

• A finished leather crossbody bag you'll use for years

Class Size

Enrollment is limited to four students to ensure plenty of individual instruction and an unhurried pace.

Registration

A $250 deposit reserves your place.

The remaining balance is due 30 days before the retreat.

Because of the small class size, deposits are non-refundable unless your seat can be filled from the waiting list.

Questions?

I'm happy to talk with you before you register. If you'd like to discuss whether this retreat is a good fit, please reach out.