Instructions Leathercraft Tutorial Resources

Make Your Own Small Leather Bag | Instructions

Make Your Own Small Leather Bag | Instructions

Small Leather Bag Instructions

1 - Check you have everything in your kit:

  1. Pre-cut and Punched Leather Pieces
  2. 3 x Canvas Cloth for burnishing & protecting
  3. 2 x Binder Clips to help you stitch
  4. 4 x Colours of Handmade Waxed Thread
  5. 1 x Keyring Loop
  6. 2 x Sewing Needles

You will also need:

  • Small pair of scissors
  • A little pot of water
  • Your quality time, 2-3 hours

2 - Measure the thread.

Your Small Bag has 5 stitching sections, so you will need to cut 4 Lengths of thread. Start by choosing the thread colour that you would like to stitch with, then measure and cut the 1 x 50cm, 1 x 70cm, 1 x 120cm 2 x 30cm pieces of wax thread.

3 - Burnish the edges.

Small bag Image 3 PT 1 to be added

Burnish the edges shown in the image

4 - Thread the needles.

  • A. Thread the eye of the needle with the 70cm piece of thread. 
  • B. Pull through 6-8cm of thread and then pierce the thread.
  • C. Pierce the thread again at 1cm distance along the long piece of thread.
  • D. Holding the needle tip, pull down the entire thread. This is called locking the needle.
  • E. Follow steps A-D with the other end of the thread and second needle.

5 - Place and clip pieces together.

Place flap facing and flap together making sure to line up the holes, clip in place with the binder clips. Use the canvas cloth to protect the leather. 

6 - Start stitching.

Start your stitch by pushing the needle through the top hole of the back stitching section. Pull the needle through so that there is an equal amount of thread on either side.

7 - Use saddle stitch.

A. With your left hand, take the needle from one side of your Small bag and pass it through the next hole. You will be stitching along the piece towards yourself.

B. Pull this needle through, leaving a loop of thread about 10cm long on the side.

C. Take the second needle and push it through the same hole as the first. Avoid piercing the thread as you do this and pull the other thread tightly to the side as this will help.

D. Pull both needles away from the leather to form a tight stitch. Repeat this for every stitch hole. 

8 - Secure the thread with a backstitch.

When you reach the end, stitch back on yourself for 3 more stitches to secure the thread. Cut the thread close to the hole and tuck in the ends.

9 - Fold the darts.

Fold the darts in the front piece so that the holes line up. Then clip in place.

10- Re-thread needle with 30cm of thread

11. Use saddle stitch.

  • A. With your left hand, take the needle from one side of your Small Bag and pass it through the next hole. You will be stitching along the piece towards yourself.
  • B. Pull this needle through, leaving a loop of thread about 10cm long on the side.
  • C. Take the second needle and push it through the same hole as the first. Avoid piercing the thread as you do this and pull the other thread tightly to the side as this will help.
  • D. Pull both needles away from the leather to form a tight stitch. Repeat this for every stitch hole. 

12 - Secure the thread. 

Post the needle through so that both needles are on the inside. Tie a knot 3x on the inside to secure the stitch and cut thread close to the hole.

13 - Repeat (steps 8 to 11) on the other side.

14 - Place flap onto the back piece of the bag lining up the holes so that the back piece has one additional hole at each end of the stitching section. Clip in place with the binder clip, using the canvas cloth to protect the leather.

15 - Re-thread your needles with the 50cm piece of thread.

16 - Use saddle stitch, as before, to attach the pieces together.

17 - Secure the thread with backstitch.

When you reach the end, stitch back on yourself for 3 more stitches to secure the thread. Cut the thread close to the hole and tuck in the ends.

18 - Add the tabs.

Fold the small pieces of leather and line up the first hole of this piece with the 3rd hole down from the top edge of both front and back pieces of the bag. Then clip in place.

-Top Tip- Use the sewing needles to help you line up your stitch holes before you clip everything in place ready to sew. 

19 - Re-thread the needle with 120cm of thread. 

20 - Start your stitch

Create a bar tack, do this by sewing the same looping stitch 3x at the top edge, this will strengthen the join. 

21 - Use saddle stitch.

22 - Once you get halfway along the final edge, place the other leather piece between the front and back as before, the same distance down from the top edge, clip and continue stitching. 

23 - When you reach the end, finish the section with a bar tack in the same way you started. Create 3 x looping stitches.

24 - Back Stitch 1 stitch, cut the threads and tuck the ends away using the back of your needle.

25 - Final burnish.

Burnish all of the newly joined edges. 

26. Add the straps.

Finally add your leather cord strap. Thread one end of the leather cord through one of the loops on the side, tie a knot below. 

Repeat this on the other side. To adjust the strap length and make it shorter, simply tie the knot higher and cut away any excess cord below the knot.

Ta-daa! Congratulations - you have now finished your personally crafted .Ar:ti|sans Small Bag! It’s the go-to bag for any occasion and the perfect tidy size to carry around your day-to-day necessities. 

We would love to see your creation in your home or as part of your outfit. Share it with us and our crafting community so we can celebrate your leathercraft dexterity. Tag us @artisans.life on Instagram (using the hashtag #artisanslife), drop us an email or leave us a review on our website to tell us what you enjoyed most about the making experience.

P.S. Did you recognise our Keyring Kit wrapped in your thread? Now you can now practice your leathercraft skills further by crafting your very own leather keyring! Click here to access the Keyring Craft Kit instructions blog.