Hand-stitching a leather wallet
Leatherwork is a lasting hobby, and your first project can succeed with a few basic tools. A simple card holder or wallet teaches you the most important techniques, such as saddle stitch and edge finishing.
You will need
- Vegetable-tanned leather, about 1.5–2 mm
- A sharp utility knife, a ruler and a cutting mat
- Stitching chisels or an awl and a mallet
- Two blunt leather needles and waxed thread
- An edge beveller and edge finishing product
Steps
Draw a pattern
Make a pattern on thick paper or cardboard: for a simple card holder you need a back piece and one or two pockets. Add a stitching allowance of about 3–4 mm at the edges.
Cut the leather
Finish the edges before stitching
Glue the parts
Mark and make the holes
Sew with saddle stitch
Finish the stitching
Finish and protect
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