Couple things. I am a registered nurse, work in the operating room sometimes. I am guessing you know some medical type people.

1. See if you can beg some "needle drivers" a couple "suture removal scissors" and a pair or two of "standard forceps." The latter two are single use disposables, so anytime someone opens a package for one the other is still sterile in the factory packaging. Needle drivers can (typically) be run through an autoclave and be reused, those might be tough to find. If you do like them they run US$5-10 (and up) each.

You may not like these for sewing, but someone in your class probably will. You can probably get a free lunch in exchange for a pair for suture removal scissors ;-)

Surgical forceps probably have too many teeth on them to be useful in kiltmaking. They are made for picking wet thread up from wet smooth slippery surfaces, but worth a try. Smooth toothless forceps go by many names, just tell your contact what you are up to and ask about "big tweezers."

2. To toughen up your skin, rub the areas you want to toughen with salt alternating with lemon juice. Do this before you get any cuts, sores or blisters. On open skin these are excruciating substances, on intact skin they will encourage callous formation.

I can't imagine you would need a sailmaker's palm unless your skin is extraordinarily delicate, I don't bother with mine until I am working with 8oz or heavier leather, but I do keep needle drivers around for lighter work.