People can be divided into two types: the former throw away all unnecessary or broken things, the latter put them off until better times or for further restoration. Often among all such good things come across leather, natural or artificial. Not always a shabby little thing can be restored. Therefore, a logical question arises in my head about what can be done with this material.
This article will present the simplest options for making leather products with your own hands and photos as an example. Who knows, suddenly you will enjoy working with this material so much that it will turn into a permanent hobby?
The simplest basics of work
The simplest and most accessible for all actions is to take scissors and cut along the line. And in the end, you get a great bookmark for books.
Firstly, it can be a regular leather rectangle. No frills, no pretentiousness, some kind of elegant handmade item.
Secondly, you can always decorate and give a piece of skin individuality. It can be paints on the skin, glued rhinestones or beads, sewn buttons of an interesting shape or color. Your taste and preferences already play a role here. You can create abstract patterns or come up with a thematic pattern. Some will like to stitch the edges with decorative tape, which will give a rather rough material of grace.
Thirdly, there is no need to adhere to the simplest geometric figure. Interestingly enough, the bookmarks look oval, zigzag, in the shape of a wave or the silhouette of an object. In this case, for a start, it is better to draw the shape of the future product, and then cut it out in clear lines.
This option is great for book lovers and diaries. DIY handmade leather products are always considered a unique and original accessory.
If you are a fan of decorating keychains
How often have you observed this picture: on a metal ring is hanging one key and several key fobs? Sometimes it happens. But usually, among several keys, an original and memorable keychain is modestly or not very hanging. This is also a kind of manifestation of individuality and self-expression.
In order for your pendant on a bunch to be of excellent quality and last a long time, you will have to sweat a little over its creation. And you can come up with hundreds of options for such leather products. With your own hands you will create a unique keychain.
It can be a simple square (or any other geometric shape) of the printed material: embossing, paints, threads.
You can cut two parts of any object or animal, sew them together. It turns out a two-way keychain. For example, a house, a fish, a heart or an Egyptian pyramid.
Not so long ago, girls got tassel earrings in fashion. Why not repeat this idea in your new fashion keychain? So everyone can find their favorite idea and bring it to life.
Pack your glasses and pencils
What do-it-yourself leather products for beginners are available at first? What should be advised to do for beginners? Another option is the covers. It does not matter if itβs glasses or a knife, stationery or drill for a drill. Many of you love order in your things.
When it comes to packing a single item, in this case itβs enough to sew a semblance of a suitable sized bag from two halves.
But keep in mind that the subject is voluminous. And so that it fits comfortably, leave a gap for the thickness.
If you decide to collect all the pencils, then you can make a simple folding case.
What he really is? Just an ordinary leather rectangle with pencil mounts (do not forget that pencils are given only as an example). In this case, the slice can be carefully processed or left in its original form. Leather is not a fabric; it will not bloom.
Artful decoration for the interior
You probably immediately realized that this was a panel. And this is a simple product to create from pieces of leather with your own hands. After all, what could be simpler? They took the base, attached several multi-colored scraps to your taste and the original picture is ready.
With due diligence, you can create a certain plot, for example, a landscape or a still life. Otherwise, you get an attractive abstraction.
As a basis, you can take a regular picture canvas. Using a glue gun (conveniently and quickly enough), attach leather threads. Just pre-try to degrease so that the future work is securely fixed.
Do not bypass the representatives of the stronger sex
After all, men also have every right to look original and stylish, for example, at some event. And what is most striking? Right, interesting and unusual accessories.
Now we will talk about ties, bow-ties and similar accessories, as well as other leather products. With your own hands you can translate such beauty into reality.
Firstly, such decorations can be made in one layer or in two. In the first case, you will have to carefully trim and process the edges of the product so that everything looks at the proper level. The material itself must be thick enough so as not to lose its shape. In the second option, you sew two identical elements together. Therefore, it will be necessary to use sufficiently thin and elastic skin so that there are no fractures and visually everything looks neat.
Secondly, move away from template standards. Butterfly does not have to resemble the classic version. Today you can see such products in the form of a bat, wings, leaves of trees or any other images. And you can cut out the outline of a butterfly from very dense skin. With this approach you will capture the attention of others for sure.
Decorate your outfits
It's about creating jewelry. And this is just a bottomless topic for expressing your imagination. It is worth briefly giving examples for each accessory separately.
Earrings, or rather pendants on earrings. Such products are made in the form of brushes (so popular among women), silhouettes of animals, birds, objects (be original in this matter), round or any other form of bilateral medallions. These earrings are simple to complete and perfectly complement any outfit.
Bracelets of all kinds. About twenty years ago, leather strings with knots in a few revolutions around the arm came into fashion. Today you can meet any design made of leather: starting with a simple wide strip around the wrist and ending with ribbons of various weaves.
The ring does not have to be made of metal. Cut the tape from a piece of leather and fix the desired diameter. The slice can be glued, stitched. And you have an original designer product.
Make some leather figures, such as balls or circles. Connect everything on one lace - and you are the owner of a fashionable necklace.
Brooch clasp, glue, leather figure - three simple components for making a brooch. Combine these components together for a modern decoration.
Variants of decorating the main material
Making leather products with your own hands implies the use of additional elements for decoration. And to come up with an interesting decor for your future accessory is quite easy.
The simplest and most colorful option is the use of special paint for the skin. Taking brushes in hand, you begin to create your most cherished and original ideas. Pieces of leather become a canvas for you, and you yourself turn into an artist. Conventional paints will not work for one common reason: they will not hold well and quickly peel off.
For lovers of brilliance, all kinds of rhinestones and sparkles will become indispensable. Using a glue gun or any other suitable glue, lay out the intended pattern. How beautiful the pattern will shimmer in the sun!
The edges and sections of the skin can be processed to a presentable appearance. Otherwise, you can decorate with thin ribbons from the skin itself or take textile ribbons. This option will look neat and professional.
More complicated, but still suitable for beginners, decorating methods will be embossing with foil and without it on a genuine leather product. With your own hands you are able to create stylish things with the help of three-dimensional images. Special foil for hot stamping will create iridescent patterns. And for this, it is enough to be able to use a soldering iron a little. That is, on a piece of leather, apply a sheet of foil and the necessary elements, circle with a heated tool. And in the end, a brilliant pattern is as if printed on the material. For more complex options, stamps and mallets should be used to work with the skin. But this is a more professional method and a completely different story.
Slicing
And now to the technical points. In order for your design creation to look neat and professional, you need to pay attention to the cut edges of the material. You can handle a leather product with your own hands at home using commonly available tools. The process is simple, but it takes time and accuracy.
- To get started, take the usual PVA glue, dilute with water in a ratio of 2: 1, and brush all sections with a brush or cotton swab.
- While the solution is not completely dry, tap the perimeter with a hammer. Otherwise, your cut will become noticeably thicker than the rest of the skin.
- The next step will be sanding the ends with sandpaper. But only after the impregnation has completely dried. For the first approach, you can take a grain size of 220.
- And now repeat again in a circle: glue solution, hammer, drying the product, rubbing with sandpaper. But now process with finer, for example, 600 grit.
- Can be repeated a third time with 1000 sandpaper. That is, your task is to bring the state of the slices to the type you need.
That's the whole process.
Pick tools with the right calculation
No need to rush immediately to the store for expensive professional scissors or profile hammers. Especially if a leather product with your own hands will be performed in a single copy. In practice, it turns out that everything you need is at home.
If you plan to paint on the skin, then paints can be applied with any brush available to you. The difference in the stiffness of the pile, so the coat of paint will look different. But for the first experiment, any brush is suitable.
Rhinestones and other small elements for gluing. Firstly, for a convenient grip, you can take any tweezers, and you can not only glue them with a glue gun. If there is no such unit at home, any other suitable glue will do. For example, superglue after drying remains transparent.
An awl will be needed if you plan to sew decorative edges of the skin. First you make holes of the right size, and then easily pass the cords through them.
There are professional scissors: tailor sharp, there are special for working with skin. But it makes no sense to spend money on them for the sake of one cut. Ordinary, but well sharpened household scissors are perfect. And, of course, the right attitude.