Western Highlands of Scotland
Master craftsman Steve Ross brings over 30 years of traditional leatherwork to the Scottish Highlands — specialising in unique commissions. Wallets, bags, belts, laptop bags, instrument cases and more, each piece carved and stitched entirely by hand.
The Craftsman
Steve Ross grew up in New Zealand, shaped by a father who built cathedrals and designed homes with rooftop swimming pools, and a mother whose dressmaking filled the house with the rhythm of creation. That inheritance — the instinct to make things that are both beautiful and useful — runs through every piece he produces.
Leather carving found him thirty years ago on the road in New Zealand. He traded a house truck for a 130-year-old miner’s bach on five acres of subtropical rainforest on the South Island’s wild West Coast — living off-grid, teaching himself the craft, and taking commissions for top hats, tooled waistcoats, wallets and bags. Between the trees and the ocean, a distinctive style took root: organic, narrative, deeply connected to the natural world.
Life took him from white water rafting with the All Blacks to rope access work dangling from the Millennium Dome, the Runcorn Bridge and the ceilings of theatres — before love, in the form of Argentine Tango, brought him to Scotland permanently. He and his wife Nicky, his dance partner of four years before they became a couple, now live on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula: one of the most remote and unspoiled places in Britain, where ancient oak woodland meets sea loch and the light changes everything.
It is this landscape — rugged, elemental, unhurried — that now feeds his work. The Māori carving tradition of his homeland, the Celtic knotwork of the Highlands, and thirty years of hard-won craft knowledge come together in every commission. No two pieces are alike. Every one is made entirely by hand, in the studio, to last a lifetime.
The Collection
Bespoke Work
Every commission starts with a conversation. Whether it’s a wallet with a salmon leaping at sunrise, a custom belt, a leather laptop bag, a fitted tool or instrument case, or something entirely your own — Steve loves to talk through exactly what you want and then make it happen.
Learn the Craft
Run from Steve’s workshop studio in Salen, Highland Scotland — courses suit complete beginners and experienced crafters alike. Small, personal and hands-on: you’ll leave with real skills and a piece you made yourself, by a fire, in the Highlands. Contact Steve directly to book.
Full Day · 9am–5pm · Beginner Friendly
A full day introduction to the ancient craft of leather work. Learn to cut, stitch and finish your own leather piece from scratch — no experience needed, just enthusiasm.
£160
Book Now2 Days · 9am–5pm · All Abilities
In this intensive two day course you will learn the art of hand crafting and carving your very own wallet. Leather carving is an ancient skill — you’ll leave with the confidence to call yourself a leather worker.
£260
Book NowCourse Holiday · Year Round
Combine a leather course with a holiday in the stunning Scottish Highlands. Ardnamurchan offers guided walks, fishing, cycling and total escape — and Steve’s studio has accommodation available on site.
Private Tuition · Flexible
One-to-one sessions tailored entirely to you — your project, your pace, your goals. Whether you want to develop a specific skill or work on a personal commission alongside Steve, private lessons are available by arrangement.
What Customers Say
An exquisite piece. I ordered it for my birthday and it arrived on time. I am super delighted. The quality is extraordinary and the carving is just as I’d hoped.
Absolutely beautiful work. Brilliant quality. Communication was excellent and Steve even personalised it near the buckles exactly as I asked. I can’t wait to see his face when I give it to him.
The wallet Steve made for me is extraordinary — the carving is so detailed and the leather quality is outstanding. It’s the most personal gift I’ve ever given. Worth every penny.
This course was fantastic. Loved every minute of it. Very therapeutic, inspiring and motivating. Steve is a very good and patient teacher giving just the right amount of instruction, guidance and support. My husband and I recommend this course to anyone who loves working with their hands in a delightful rural setting.
Steve took a novice with a few self-taught skills to someone with the confidence to call himself a leather worker. I made a wallet with a Viking ship image and am well chuffed with the result. He’s a great judge of when to offer advice and when to leave you to it. I can’t believe how much my skills improved in just 2 days!
He and his family are so friendly and hospitable. You were also the first people to do a leather craft course holiday in the new workshop. I loved working with you both. Hope to see you again sometime.
Find the Studio
The workshop sits in Salen on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula — one of the most remote and beautiful corners of Scotland. Surrounded by mountains, sea lochs and ancient woodland, it’s the perfect place to create and to learn.
Say Hello
Whether you’re after a commission, want to book a course, or simply have a question about a piece — Steve loves to hear from people. No enquiry is too small or too unusual.