Tutorial & pattern | Magic leather case

THE NECESSARY MATERIALS

To complete this tutorial, you will need:

• 1 leather skin - 0.50 to 0.60 m² minimum surface area - approximately 1 mm thick
• 1 nylon zipper - Mesh width: 6 mm - Length: 65 cm
• 1 nylon zipper - Mesh width: 4 mm - Length: 18 cm
• 2 medium DOUBLE CAP brass rivets (T3) - Nickel plated
• 2 medium DOUBLE CAP brass rivets (T4) - Nickel plated

• Fabric for the lining - we recommend selecting a coated fabric.
  
  

And the following material:

• 1 cutter or scissors
• 1 sewing machine
• 1 spool of polyester thread no. 30 (diameter 0.41 mm)
• Double-sided tape

PRESENTATION OF THE CREATION

TUTORIAL VIDEO

1. PRINT AND TRACE THE PATTERN

Download and print the actual size pattern.
Using a silver pencil, trace the pieces of the toiletry bag pattern. Mark the center of each piece with a silver pencil or by making a small 1 mm notch in the leather (see pattern).
Also trace the pieces in the fabric lining, adding approximately 2 mm all around each piece (also mark the centers).

Please note that for piece P7, you must transfer it once in one direction and once in the other direction (only in the fabric).

2. Cut out the different pieces

Cut out the different pieces of leather. Cut out the lining pieces (without forgetting the extra 2 mm all around each piece).

For the handle (part P6), glue two pieces of leather together with leather glue. Then, cut out part P6.

Drill the 3mm holes on the handle and on part P1.

3. Make the handle

Sew a decorative seam all around piece P6 (handle).

Then, work the edge of the handle with an edge finish.

You can then attach it to the location provided on part P1. The base of the rivets will be hidden in the lining.

4. Make the inside pocket

Assemble the back of the small zipper (length 18 cm) against the right side of one of the P5 pieces. Then, assemble the right side of a second P5 piece onto the right side of the zipper. More precisely: sandwich the zipper between two P5 pieces.

Then sew, using a closing presser foot, as close to the stitch as possible, approximately 5 mm from the edge.

Open the P5 pieces (change sides) then topstitch 3 mm from the edge.

Do the same on the other side of the zipper and with the two remaining P5 pieces.

Take the two P5 pieces that are sewn above the zipper and place them on the same side. Then, place the two P5 pieces from below the zipper on the other side. Hold the pieces in place with sewing clips.

Sew the two widths (only) 1 cm from the edge.

Trim the corners and turn the pocket inside out.

Sew the bottom of the pocket at 5 mm.

5. Sew the 65 cm zipper

Take the 65 cm zipper and mark the middle of the zipper (on each side) so that it can be positioned correctly.

Place the right side of the zipper on the right side of piece P1 (edge to edge) matching the centers.

Sew in two passes, starting from the middle each time. Stitch 5 mm from the edge.

Place the right side of the P7 piece of the fabric lining on the wrong side of the zipper. Place the pieces center to center. Sew the lining in two parts, starting from the center and 7 mm from the edge.

Trim the corners a little.

Place pieces P1 (leather) and P7 (fabric) on the same side, then topstitch 3 mm from the edge.

Do the same on the other side of the zipper with the other end of piece P1.

6. Attach the inside pocket

Take the inside pocket sewn in step 4. Place the pocket on one of the P7 pieces (position it well in the middle, balance it 1 cm on each side). Sew 5 mm from the edge.

Turn the piece over (the front side of the leather facing you). Then, take the ends of the two P7 pieces and assemble them right sides together.

Sew the bottoms together 1 cm from the edge (do not sew the sides) and leave a space of at least 10 cm to be able to turn the case over at the end.

7. Fit the bellows on the sides

Take two P4 pieces and sew them together right sides together on 3 sides (sew 2 widths / 1 length).

Trim the corners a little and turn over.

Topstitch the three sewn sides of the P4 pieces.

Finally, sew the last length.

Do the same for the other two P4 pieces.

Sew the gussets to the lining on each side of the pencil case at a distance of 0.5 cm. Position the last sewn side of the P4 piece edge to edge. For this step, we recommend watching the video.

8. Close the sides

For this tutorial we used a double slider closure with an X opening (see video): please note that for this tutorial we recommend having an O opening. You must either change the direction of the sliders (see the video below) or remove a slider. We chose to remove a slider.

Open the zipper by pushing the slider back as far as possible.
Join the sides of the pouch by crossing the two parts of the zipper. Start crossing from the opening side of the zipper.

Make sure that the two sides of the zipper cross at the middle notch (on the leather part - pattern P1). The crossing should be 1 cm from the edge at the "Zipper Cross" mark indicated on the pattern (piece P1). Hold with pliers.

Then position the lining part edge to edge on the leather part, at the crossing, and hold with sewing clips.

Sew everything together 1 cm from the edge.

Do the same thing on the other side of the pouch. Be careful to be able to cross the other part of the zipper (which is normally closed), you must push the slider back towards the already stitched side and cut at the stop. Then open the stitches up to the slider so that the zipper is completely open (you will not have this problem if it is a double slider O opening).

9. Close the lining

Cut off the excess closure ends and turn the kit inside out through the hole left in step 6 (see video).

Then, sew to close the hole.

10. Fix the bellows

Sandwich the two corners of the small inner pocket into the gussets. Drill a hole and place a T3 rivet on each side.

Hand-stitch the 4 corners of the gussets onto the lining at the corners.

We chose to attach the handle at this point, but you can attach it in step 3 so the rivets are hidden in the lining. We used T4 rivets.

11. Option: Shape the pencil case

Topstitch the top and bottom of the pencil case (when folding, be careful to take the lining with it). This stitching will give the pencil case more support.

YOU'RE FINISHED!

Also discover our men's version:
SEE THE TUTORIAL >