“I saw it on the Internet and decided to make it myself.” This is how Oleksandr Rovniahin’s hobby started and has been going on for 10 years. Oleksandr is an accountant. He has been working at Zolotoniska branch for the past 15 years and devotes his free time to sewing leather wallets and purses.
There are no craftsmen in Oleksandr’s family. The desire to sew something with his own hands arose spontaneously, and he had to learn everything literally from scratch.
“When I saw a video on how to sew a wallet, I thought, why not give it a try myself? I bought leather, threads, and an awl, watched video tutorials from other masters, searched for information about materials and techniques, and then just started sewing. The first few copies ended up in the trash. The third or fourth attempt was successful, and I was satisfied with the result. By the way, I still use this wallet. Even though over the years I have sewn dozens of wallets, which would seem to be better and more skillfully made, this very first one remains the dearest and indispensable,” says Oleksandr.
Apparently, the wallet turned out to be lucky because it was after it that Oleksandr began to receive orders – one after another. Initially, a friend saw the wallet. When he found out that Oleksandr had sewn it himself, he asked for one for himself. Acquaintances and colleagues became interested in Oleksandr’s products, and the business took off.
It takes at least a week to sew one wallet. However, time is not the main thing here, assures our colleague:
“Even with the necessary tools, experience, and mastered technique, sewing a wallet or purse requires a lot of effort and time. I try not to hurry; one wrong move can damage the leather, and then you have to redo almost everything from the beginning. That’s why I work without specific deadlines. The main thing is quality, not speed. Ideally, I can sew one wallet in a week – then I get pleasure from working for several hours a day. It also happens that the result is not very satisfying, and sometimes everything turns out even better than planned.”
Oleksandr has ready-made templates and patterns, but at the customer’s request, he can sew an individual order. He orders leather, accessories, and tools from stores specializing in handmade products.
“Many of my acquaintances have been using my wallets for many years and from time to time they express their gratitude. It makes me very happy; it’s nice to know that what you have made with your own hands benefits people. I have been sewing wallets exclusively from leather, making them very durable. That’s why I jokingly say that they come with a lifetime warranty,” says Oleksandr.
