Today's Best of DIY by Ashley Rose of Sugar and Cloth is a nice little summer project perfect to get ready for back to school. It also makes a nice gift! Check out the instructions below:
DIY Leather Pouch
I'll teach you how to modify a craft store leather bag kit to make this project modern, well made, and cost effective while still being the work of your hands. As the icing on the cake, you can personalize it by leather stamping or painting their name, a pattern, quote, you get the idea...
Materials:
Leather belt bag kit (like this one)
Scissors
A 3/4" silver rivet
In case the term "belt bag" threw you off a little, don't fret! We're skipping that part and making it a little more modern. To do that, thread your needle with the leather cording, and double stitch just the back where the belt hook was supposed to be. Double stitching just means that you stitch it one direction, and then turn around and stitch the same section in the opposite direction. If you're filling up all of the spaces in between the leather punched holes, then you're doing it right.
Next, remove the snap that would normally be used for the belt loop, and replace it with a simple silver rivet for aesthetic purposes.
For the sides, lay the leather pieces rough side facing rough side, and align the outer punched holes. Start sewing them together, leaving a strand of leather cording on the end to use to knot the seams when you're finished.
As long as you're sewing as tightly as you can through the aligned punched holes, then you're sides will form correctly even if they pucker a bit at first (see top photo). Once you've sewn through the entire side piece, you're going to sew back through it all (double stitch), just like the original seam. Repeat these steps again for the other leather side.
Finish it up with clasping hardware by inserting the screw through the inside of the pouch, and then twisting the clasp onto it from the outside.
Visit Ashley Rose online at:
sugarandcloth.com
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