U3Aleathercraft

This is a very simple way to make a tote bag of any size. Very few tools are needed: A craft knife or leather cutting scissors A ruler and pegs / bulldog clips 4 pronged pricking iron Polyboard or scrap leather pad 2 harness needles Thread If you don't want to sew the handle on then use easy rivets and a rivet setter. I am using a piece of goat skin but you can use whatever finished leather you have available. This is the basic pattern which you adjust according to the size of your leather. Start by cutting your leather to a rectangle then fold it in half. Decide what size you want the gusset to be and then cut out the two squares that are exactly half the size of your gusset. Let me show you what I mean on the actual leather cutting a three inch square to give me a six inch gusset. Turn your leather inside out. Mark the stitch line along the two long edges with a biro. I have made mine a quarter of an inch (5mm) from the edge. Then mark a stitch line round the short edges that for

  Making this purse will show you how to stitch round a curve, snap setting and use up those bits of left over finished leathers that you might have hanging around. There are not many tools that you are going to need for this one: A craft knife or leather cutting scissors A three part snap setter tool kit One 4 part snap  A 2 pronged pricking iron Two harness needles Thread I have chosen to make the outside from a piece of vegetable tanned tooling leather so that I can decorate it but you can use whatever stiffish leather you prefer. The inside piece needs to be a stretchy flexible leather. Start by printing off the pattern which should measure 18cms by 9cms. Draw a circle no smaller than 4 cms in diameter in the centre of one end. Draw round a bottle top or anything else of the right size if you don't have a compass. This opening for the coins can be bigger (up to 5 cms) but if it is any smaller you won't be able to get 50p coins in or out. Also 12mm from each end mark the hol

One of the most popular projects is to make a belt.  You can buy ready cut belt blanks or use a strap cutter to cut a suitable length. Buckles and keepers can be salvaged from old belts or you can buy new ones online and from Lyons Leather. The size of the buckle needs to be the same as the width of the belt blank. An inch and a quarter is a good size for jeans and an inch for smart trousers.  It is helpful if you can measure an existing well fitting belt. Measure from the end of the buckle to the hole that is the best fit. Add 7 inches (3 inches for the turn over on the buckle end and a minimum of 4 inches beyond the hole to the pointed end of the belt). This gives enough to tuck into belt loops on trousers. The edges of the belt need to have the sharp corner rounded off with an edger on the back and front. The buckle end needs a slot cutting for the tang of the buckle to poke through. If you don't have a slot punch then  two appropriately punched holes joined top and bottom by a

If you are new to leathercraft this is a great item to start with as it will teach you casing leather, marking up, creating a stitching line, stamping, saddle stitching and burnishing. You will need: A piece of tooling leather cut to six inches by one and a half inches Water in a spray or with a sponge An English Point end punch Wing dividers 4 pronged diamond stitching chisel or pricking iron Stamp and stamp handle Double sided tape 2 large harness needles size 000 Thread Stitching pony Split ring Mark the centre point 3" in from one end and mark half an inch either side of the centre. Repeat on the opposite edge. Mark half an inch in from both edges to form a triangle. This will give you the points on which to place the English Point end punch. Place the leather on a poly cutting board or scrap leather pad and holding the punch firmly and upright hit the punch hard. Assuming you had sufficient Shredded Wheat for breakfast the scrap piece will separate from the main piece. Other