The name’s Bond…….
December 2024
One of William Pinkham’s great grandchildren recently undertook training in the art of making leather gloves.
They retraced the steps of William who, at the age of twelve in 1873 went to work in a glove factory in Great Torrington in Devon starting as an apprentice chamois leather glove cutter.
His wife to be Rebecca also working at the glove factory sewed the chamois into gloves.
Together they went on to build a glove making business of their own which at its peak was making 100,000 gloves a week and was renowned for making some of the finest gloves of the time.
The 2024 experience came about thanks to Elizabeth Bond – The Smart Stitcher – who runs glove making courses from her workshop in Kingsey, Buckinghamshire.
Specialising in hand sewing fabric and leather Elizabeth also provides tuition for groups and on a one to one basis.
Elizabeth explained:
“I am a teacher, a maker and a designer. I started my working life as a mental health nurse and I changed career in the early noughties. I graduated from the Royal School of Needlework in 2006 having learnt to stitch anything with expertise.
I started working with leather in 2010 which opened up a whole new discipline for me. I love the challenges of creating bespoke pieces for people. Sharing my knowledge and skills is a passion of mine. You can learn anything if tea and cake are involved!!”
She went on to say
“Over the three day course we will be drafting a pattern to fit your hands and you will leave with the knowledge of how to sew and finish your gloves, equipped to make more in future”
Working with Lamb Nappa, a very soft and hard wearing leather the three day course which is aimed at beginners covered:
- Measuring hands
- Drafting a glove pattern
- Gloving leathers
- Hand sewing techniques
- Glove anatomy and pattern pieces
- Construction techniques
…and included comprehensive notes on How to Create your own Glove Pattern and How to Sew your own Gloves.
A briefing on glove anatomy was the start for preparing a personalised glove pattern
The organisation of the workbench belies the frenzy of work that was underway
From the bespoke pattern and after some careful marking and cutting of the lamb nappa the practice glove began to take shape. Note just how many pieces are cut out
Now the real skilled work in hand-sewing the leather started and the realisation of exactly what was involved in making a fine pair of hand-sewn leather gloves dawned
Now that the practice is complete work will start on the final pair. Watch this space!!
Throughout the three day course Elizabeth's enthusiasm, experience and profound skill rubbed off on the class and left a clear and confident understanding of the art of making leather gloves. An unforgettable, inspirational and fabulous immersion in the craft.
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