I remember my late DH teaching his Boy Scouts in making Indian clothes from leather. I think he had them pound the sewing holes on the edges by putting the leather on soft wood and pounding an awl with a rock (like the Indians did or if they didn't they should have!!) The boys loved it, and made some gosh-awful clothing that lasted far longer than I thought they should, since my own son had one of the ugliest vest ever seen on any boy in captivity!!