Blue Spruce Leather Craft

It's cold outside. And inside too. The last days it was, at least for me, much too cold to be in the workshop. Time to do something different.

To get distracted from my day job I have to make something in my free time. The last week and days have been too cold to be in the workshop. So I decided to make something in the cosy environment of my tiny makers desk.

Do you know the dead ugly ID badge holders. I'm sure you do. The plastic things which does break all the time. And as we don't have to wear our ID badges open in the company, I put mine always into the pocket of my trousers. Looks ugly too and is not really comfortable.

I was wondering if there isn't one out of leather, like my wallet. Mine is out of veg-tanned leather.

And I was asking myself how difficult it would be to sew a card holder by myself.

That being said, off into the internet. You can find tons of instructions about saddle stitching there.

I recommend to have a look at Tandy Leather. Very useful videos out there.

After some research I ordered some leather offcuts and a simple leather sewing starter kit for a couple of bucks. 

A few days later I had all the things together to play around with leather, threads, needles, you name it. 

This weekend I started seriously with my first leather craft project. A simple card wallet.

I cut out two simple parts for this wallet. Backside is a simple rectangle and the front side is the same piece just having a triangular cutout.

Both pieces have been fixed together, then I started to saddle stitch. 

Started pretty good.....

Started saddle stitching

....and after a while I have stitched all along the three edges.

Sewing done

And here is the final result of my very first handcrafted leather good.

Complete!

Not too bad for a prototype, or?

Why prototype? It's not the type of leather I've got in my mind. But before I will spent money on expensive leather I wanted to try out if it works, if it is fun and finally something I would like to make.

More fun than expected. Next big thing will be a toolbox for the leather tools. I think...

I have got one kilo of leather. I think I will sew card wallets for the whole family and beyond now.

Stay tuned and warm!
Stefan