Leathercrafting: Make Your Own Personalized Wallet!

This Instructable shows you how to make your own fun & functional wallet. It will show you how to personalize your wallet with stamps, drawings and stitching.

Tools and materials

Leather (thin)

Press fasteners

Thread

Sewing Needles

Leather hole puncher

Flatiron

Scissors

Box cutter

Pattern (made in cardboard)

Soldering iron

Mallet

Iron stamps for leather crafting

Small piece of fabric (cotton)

Step 1: Cut Out the Patern

First cut out the pattern in carboard, then draw it on the leather.

Cut out the shape with scissors or a box cutter.

Dimensions in mm.

Step 2: Folding

Fold the shape in the right places (see pattern). You can iron the fold lines, but protect the leather with a piece of waste fabric.

Step 3: Apply Press Fasteners

First make two holes in the right places (flaps). Fold the shape again and mark where the bottom parts need to be.

This way you are sure it's going to be on the right place.

The top parts need to be on the flaps, apply them with the plastic tool (usually it comes with the packet). Use the mallet to apply the fasteners.

Step 4: Make Cutouts for the Cards

Cut out two slots for the cards.

Step 5: Apply Fabric

Make a pocket for credit cards with a piece of fabric. Cut out the shape. Use textile glue or sew it, onlyglue or stitch the edges on the backside of the leather.

Step 6: Personalize!

You are done making the wallet!

Now it's time to personalise the leather

Stitching

Soldering iron

Metal Stamps

Step 7: Stitching

If you want to add a color accent on your wallet, stitch an edge, pattern or drawing. Be creative!

You can use different colors and stitching patterns. Sew by hand or use a stitching machine (warning: make sure you're sewing machine is capable for sewing leather).

Step 8: Soldering Iron

You can make nice drawings with a soldering iron in the leather. Write your name or copy a drawing on the leather. Just heat it up and start to draw! When you draw on dark leather it becomes lighter, light colored leather becomes darker.

Step 9: Stamps

If you have metal stamps (letters or shapes) you can use them to personalize your wallet. Hammer the stamp into the leather with a mallet.

With some types of leather, it's difficult to imprint the stamp. You get the best result with naturally tanned leather. When you use naturally tanned leather you first have to impregnate the material with water. Afterwards you can finish it up with wax.

You can also use a rubber press (if you have one) instead of a manual stamp . (see video)