John and Heather Hill know a thing or two about hard work and the beauty of handcrafted art. The pair are owners of Doubletree Leatherworks and specialize in one-of-a-kind, custom leather creations.
The company was started as Doubletree Carriage Company in 2008 as a horse drawn carriage service. While successful, when John and Heather welcomed baby Henry, they knew the business needed to adjust to their new family. “One of our most popular rides was engagement (proposal) rides. We were certain that toting a baby along those rides would deter the blissful outcomes that we were encountering and with the lack of evening childcare I needed to find something else to do,” says Heather.
The pair has a long history in hands-on work. John works full-time as a mechanic in Rochester and has a knack for fixing anything that comes his way. Heather also has experience with repair, serving a stint in the U.S. Air Force repairing C-130 airplanes. In addition, she has a long history with horses which eventually served as a sort of catalyst to their current work.
“I have always had horses and been concerned with their proper care. Eventually, we got draft horses and that required a makeover of the tack room. We were having a tough time finding quality tack that fit our horses comfortably so we decided that we could make our own,” explains Heather. “We set out to find some tools and got to work. We studied higher end tack construction and then found a leather guild and a Master Saddler that was willing to share his knowledge with us. It wasn’t easy. He was and still is an instructor that makes you think about things, figure them out on your own so to speak, and then advise you on what you can do better. We are continually attending classes to learn new skills and better the skills we currently have, it’s something we really enjoy.”
In 2012, the Hills formally added their passion for leatherworking to the mix, making the business Doubletree Leatherworks. In the six years since, the business has steadily expanded. “It’s now at a turning point and ready to grow!” enthuses Heather. The pair credits the expertise and guidance of some amazing leather workers for their growth. “We met some really neat people from this area while attending the Bluff Country Leather Guild: Gene Kappers, Carol Kohn, Sue O’Kada, Mark Rader, and David Genedek,” notes Heather.
The business takes up residence on the Hill’s farm in Cherry Grove. “We are located on the quiet prairie on a quaint hobby farm,” says Heather. The area had some draw for the pair. John hails from Houston, but has family blacksmithing history in Spring Valley, and he had a great-great-great-grandfather that was a blacksmith in Spring Valley. Likewise, Heather grew up in Rushford, but has grandparents who farmed in the Wykoff and Lanesboro areas. “When it came time to find a farm, this one happened to be available and just down the road from the church where we attended Cowboy Church services, so here we are,” she adds. “It’s a great area for us.”
Moving to the farm in 2016, the farm has undergone various upgrades, including the complete renovation of an old garage. Now the leather shop, the building’s interior was gutted due to water damage and the roof was replaced.
The company is more than a business, however. It’s a family operation and an opportunity for the Hills to showcase their art. John creates custom saddles, gun leathers, and larger projects, such as custom saddles and tack. Floral carving, the intricate floral patterns within the leather, crafted by hand, is also an interest. Heather creates smaller projects including leather purses, knife sheaths, and home decor, as well as the management of the day to day operations and online portion of the business. Geometric stamping, the meticulous repeated stamping of a pattern on leather, is a favorite of Heather. Even son Henry enjoys working with his parents in the shop, using the stamps to create belts, book marks, and ornaments. “A lot of our projects have all of our hands involved in them,” says Heather. “We work together.”
The work is a challenge, but one the family takes head on. The process of crafting leather pieces includes many steps and begins with a pattern. There are patterns available for use, but the Hills prefer to create their own patterns so they know exactly what they are working with. “We have tried purchased patterns but they generally leave a lot to be desired and often times are missing information,” explains Heather.
Once a pattern is chosen, the Hills draw out both the construction and the decorative part of the pattern design. A leather type, and thickness, is chosen and finished hardware options are also considered and determined. The paper patterns are transferred over the leather, careful of placement to avoid laying the critical portions of the pattern over any weak spots in the leather. Once laid out, the process of cutting the leather can begin. “It can be very time consuming,” adds Heather. “Some of our leathers that we cut out by hand are about a quarter inch thick.”
When the pieces are cut, the artistic flair begins to show on the projects as the carving, stamping, or sometimes both, begins. After detailing, oils and finish products are applied and edges smoothed. Sometimes, pieces are wet formed at this point, depending on the finish goals. This involves the wetting and moulding of the leather to form various shapes, which holds when the leather dries. After oiling, finishing, and any molding, the pieces are then stitched together. This can be by machine or by hand, and also includes the addition of any rivets, snaps, latches, buckles, or other details.
“The amount of time for each projects varies anywhere from 30 minutes in a simple key chain to a few hours in a wallet to 100 hours or more in a saddle,” explains Heather. “It really depends how elaborate you want to make things.”
“Every time we complete a project it’s a triumph. We get excited about every project as every project can have it’s little quirks that need to be ironed out,” adds Heather. Some of the projects they’ve undertaken have been award-winning. “We enjoy this work. It is a challenge and we get to create functional pieces of art.”
Despite the success, there’s been some growing pains for the business as well. Getting the word out about their art has been one. It’s been coupled by a difficult time getting consistent communication services in their area. Utilizing a broadband company, the business was able to get good service via email and texting, but calling remains touch and go.
Once people see their products, and more importantly, get a feel for the products, the challenges are lessened. “They can instantly tell the quality. There is no comparison of our products to the big box stores,” stresses Heather. “We use high quality, full thickness leather. It’s not thinned down and bulked up with plastic or cardboard. We cut our pieces from a side of leather.”
The Hills would like to continue to expand their business as well, offering beginning leatherworking classes. “People don’t get to use the creative side of their brains that much in the everyday work space or their hands,” adds Heather. “We want people to know that they are capable of making something with their own two hands and that everyone has a bit of artist in themselves.” While plans aren’t finalized, they hope to begin offering classes this summer. “We hope to be able to offer small class size, project-based classes that can be completed in a short amount of time and let the classes grow from there. People can do this as family or a group of friends. My goal is to get people away from the screens and having a good time.”
The Hills also hope to add horse drawn rides back into the mix. “Now that our little guy is older, we have a location picked out near Forestville where we can focus on family friendly rides in a wooded location,” notes Heather. Rides will be available on a limited basis.
For those wanting to see Doubletree Leatherworks up close and personal, or get their hands on some unique, custom items, the farm shop is available by appointment. “We love visitors and we love to show how things are made and giving tours of our shop. As the business grows we will add more permanent hours ,but if you are in the area stop by; we will stop what we are doing and show you around.”
The shop is located at 18529 – 160th St., Spring Valley, Minn. 55975. More information about Doubletree can be found online at their website, www.DoubletreeCarriageCompany.com, or on Facebook.
Leave a Reply