Ellenville library offers free leatherworking workshop to make a wallet

Ellenville Public Library & Museum opened the door to leathercraft with a free, one-hour adult workshop that put a finished wallet within reach of first-timers. Held Tuesday, July 14, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at 40 Center St. in Ellenville, the class was designed for adults 18 and older, with registration required and library patrons given priority.

The setup made the event unusually approachable for a public-library program. Instead of asking beginners to jump straight into a bag, saddle or holster, the workshop centered on a wallet, a compact project that introduces the core moves of leatherworking: layout, trimming, hole spacing, assembly and finishing. For anyone curious about the craft but hesitant to buy tools and leather before knowing whether the bench life is for them, the class offered a low-risk starting point and a chance to leave with something usable.

Anahit Pogosian led the session. Pogosian’s public bio describes them as a first-generation Armenian American interdisciplinary artist and educator whose practice explores ecology, myth and movement. Other profiles place Pogosian’s work across film, graphics, sculpture and design, a range that fits a workshop where hand skills and creative decision-making meet in a small functional build. That broader artistic lens can matter in leatherwork, where clean construction and personal expression often live in the same project.

The library treated the workshop as part of its regular public programming, not a niche add-on. Its mission is to provide high-quality public programming that meets the informational, educational, cultural and recreational needs of a broadly diverse community. The Town of Wawarsing also describes Ellenville Public Library & Museum as a local service point for book lending, digital resources, educational programs and community events, with a museum space for local history and cultural exhibits. Public hours listed on the library’s website make the building easy to work into a weekday schedule, with evening hours Monday through Wednesday.

Registration was available by calling (845) 647-5530 or through the library’s website. For leatherworkers, the appeal was plain from the start: a free seat, a short session and a wallet at the end, all inside a community space built to make a first visit feel manageable.