Transforming a Fresh Sheepskin into Beautiful, Soft Leather
Discover the ancient craft of sheepskin tanning — a hands-on workshop that brings you deep into the heart of a traditional skill that has been practiced for centuries. In this immersive course, we take a fresh raw sheepskin and work it through every step of the tanning process using natural, chemical-free methods, transforming it into a soft, supple leather that you can proudly take home.
The process of tanning is both practical and creative: it conserves the skin, turns it into long-lasting material, and gives you a new appreciation for where leather comes from. Along the way, you’ll experience the almost magical transformation from raw hide to finished leather.
What will you learn during this 3 day course?
o How to prepare and clean a fresh sheepskin for tanning
o Step-by-step natural tanning techniques where we will use fat to transform the skin into leather.
o How to soften and finish the leather by working, stretching, and handling the hide until it reaches a soft, durable finish.
What will you take home?
By the end of the course, you’ll have:
o Your own naturally tanned sheepskin leather — soft, beautiful, and ready for use in many creative projects.
o The knowledge and confidence to tan sheepskins on your own using environmentally friendly methods.
Important
This course will begin Sunday Evening to rehydrate and rinse the sheep skins!!! This will take place after dinner on the first evening of the event!
No modern chemical tanning agents are used during this workshop, we work exclusively with natural materials and hands-on techniques.
Material's fee: 60€ Materials fee to be paid directly to instructors at the festival.
Materials include an ethically harvested Gotland sheep skin from Raleigh & Oliver’s neighbors in Sweden. The fee covers the cost of the skin (35€) and the remaining materials for tanning.
Bring with you:
2 very big, and very absorbent towels
Clothing/shoes that are allowed to get a bit greasy/dirty
Smile and warmed-up muscles
1 pair of rubber gloves (sturdy ones!)
A waterproof apron or a plastic that you can hang in front of yourself to protect you from liquids/fat (like a large trash bag)
All additional tools and materials will be provided.
Skill Level/Prerequisite’s: Open to All Levels!
Minimum age: 16+ years old (14-15 can take the class if their parent/guardian takes the class as well)
Workshops start after our morning circle around 9:30 am and end around 5 or 6 pm.
Klaus & Siska will teach in English but also speak Dutch.
If language is a barrier we are confident you will learn even if you speak or understand broken English. So much of the learning depends on seeing, feeling, and hearing the sounds as well.
IMPORTANT- Festival Tickets are booked separately and in addition to workshops. Please be sure you have booked your ticket before booking workshops!
See Klaus & Siska’s other workshops
Transforming a Fresh Sheepskin into Beautiful, Soft Leather
Discover the ancient craft of sheepskin tanning — a hands-on workshop that brings you deep into the heart of a traditional skill that has been practiced for centuries. In this immersive course, we take a fresh raw sheepskin and work it through every step of the tanning process using natural, chemical-free methods, transforming it into a soft, supple leather that you can proudly take home.
The process of tanning is both practical and creative: it conserves the skin, turns it into long-lasting material, and gives you a new appreciation for where leather comes from. Along the way, you’ll experience the almost magical transformation from raw hide to finished leather.
What will you learn during this 3 day course?
o How to prepare and clean a fresh sheepskin for tanning
o Step-by-step natural tanning techniques where we will use fat to transform the skin into leather.
o How to soften and finish the leather by working, stretching, and handling the hide until it reaches a soft, durable finish.
What will you take home?
By the end of the course, you’ll have:
o Your own naturally tanned sheepskin leather — soft, beautiful, and ready for use in many creative projects.
o The knowledge and confidence to tan sheepskins on your own using environmentally friendly methods.
Important
This course will begin Sunday Evening to rehydrate and rinse the sheep skins!!! This will take place after dinner on the first evening of the event!
No modern chemical tanning agents are used during this workshop, we work exclusively with natural materials and hands-on techniques.
Material's fee: 60€ Materials fee to be paid directly to instructors at the festival.
Materials include an ethically harvested Gotland sheep skin from Raleigh & Oliver’s neighbors in Sweden. The fee covers the cost of the skin (35€) and the remaining materials for tanning.
Bring with you:
2 very big, and very absorbent towels
Clothing/shoes that are allowed to get a bit greasy/dirty
Smile and warmed-up muscles
1 pair of rubber gloves (sturdy ones!)
A waterproof apron or a plastic that you can hang in front of yourself to protect you from liquids/fat (like a large trash bag)
All additional tools and materials will be provided.
Skill Level/Prerequisite’s: Open to All Levels!
Minimum age: 16+ years old (14-15 can take the class if their parent/guardian takes the class as well)
Workshops start after our morning circle around 9:30 am and end around 5 or 6 pm.
Klaus & Siska will teach in English but also speak Dutch.
If language is a barrier we are confident you will learn even if you speak or understand broken English. So much of the learning depends on seeing, feeling, and hearing the sounds as well.
IMPORTANT- Festival Tickets are booked separately and in addition to workshops. Please be sure you have booked your ticket before booking workshops!
See Klaus & Siska’s other workshops