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 5 lengths of thread. Start by choosing the thread colour that you would like to stitch with then cut lengths of thread measuring 50cm (x1), 70cm (x1), 120cm (x1), 30cm (x2).

3 - Burnish the Edges

At this stage you will need to seal the leather edges using a traditional technique called ‘Burnishing’. Using the diagram above to find the edges needing burnishing at this stage.

Take your finger tip and dab a small amount of water on the edge of the leather. Then take your cotton cloth and gently rub the edges, you will see the rough edge turn smooth and shiny.

*Top tip - You can use a cotton bud for express precision when apply your water*

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 punched holes. Clip in place with the binder clips and use the canvas cloth to protect the leather. 

6 - Start Stitching

Start stitching 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 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 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 the thread to close to the hole.

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

14 - Attach Bag Flap

Place the 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 the pieces 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 with the needle.

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 - Create a Bar Tack

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

See Step 11 for the saddle stitch process.

22 - Add the Second Tab

Once you get halfway along the final side of this stitching section, place the other small leather piece between the front and back as before, the same distance down from the top edge. Clip in place and continue stitching. 

23 - Finish with Bar Tack

When you reach the end, finish the stitching section with a bar tack in the same way you started (see Step 20). Create 3 looping stitches.

24 - Backstitch and Tidy Threads

Backstitch one hole and cut the threads. 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 and tie a knot (see images 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.