Matthew Jackson 🇬🇧, Overseas School of Colombo (OSC)

Matthew found my atelier on a quiet afternoon, looking for a way to spend his free time making something real with his hands. He’s from the UK and works at the Overseas School of Colombo. We planned the learning around his schedule and kept it practical.

He chose his leather and thread, then we worked through the essentials: reading the grain, marking patterns, cutting clean lines, punching holes, saddle-stitching, and edge finishing. He left with a finished wallet he could use every day.

Kindle cover with pen holder 

With confidence from the wallet, we designed a slim Kindle cover with a stylish pen holder. We sketched the pattern, measured his device, cut the parts together, then stitched and finished the edges over two relaxed sessions. Piece by piece, it came alive—personal in the best way because he built it himself.

Before he left, we photographed both pieces and wrapped them travel-ready. Our conversation carried on beyond the bench as well—I later designed creative posters for OSC Middle School dramas—a small collaboration that grew naturally from a good workshop day.