MATERIALS NEEDED
- 1 transparent PVC sheet - 1mm thick - 29 x 39 cm
- 1 piece of leather 20 x 30 cm - Medium soft, medium firm - 1.1 mm thick
- 1 METAL zipper 6 mm wide - 20 cm long
- 1 card of MeiSi waxed linen thread - M40 or M50
- 1 round punch - Ø 1 mm
- 1 double-sided adhesive tape - 3 mm wide
- 1 block of beeswax
- 1 utility knife
Video
1. Print the pattern
Download the pattern and print it to actual size. Cut out and tape the pattern onto the leather using masking tape to avoid damaging the leather's grain.
Also tape piece P4 onto the PVC sheet.
2. Punch the stitching holes
Punch the stitching holes on the leather and PVC, using a Ø 1mm punch.
3. Cut with a utility knife
Cut the leather and PVC following the pattern lines using a utility knife.
With an erasable pencil, copy the pattern arrows onto the leather to indicate the top of the pieces.
Leather stitching with the English stitch
For this tutorial, we recommend stitching the leather with the English stitch: a simple and quick technique (with a single needle). As side stitching is difficult to access, saddle stitching would be too complex to implement. Moreover, as this creation is not subjected to high tension, the English stitch is perfectly suitable (as it is for zipper stitching)!
4. Stitch pieces P2 and P5
Wax the thread with beeswax. Thread a needle at one end and tie a knot at the other.
Stitch the top of pieces P2 and P5 right sides together using the English stitch. Use the English stitch technique explained above.
5. Open the seams
On the wrong side of the leather, open the seams with adhesive tape or contact glue. Then flatten with a steel roller or a jeweler's hammer.
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6. Stitch the sides
Properly position pieces P1 and P2/P5, right sides together, using the pattern arrows. Center the middle of piece P2/P5 on the middle of piece P1. Then stitch with the English stitch.
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7. Shape the sides
Apply neoprene glue 0.5 mm from the edge before flattening the seam.
Shape the leather after stitching to ensure proper positioning: use a tapper and an edge slicker if necessary.
Do the same for the other pieces P1, P2 and P5.
8. Cut the zipper
If the zipper is too long, cut it and use an appropriate tool to remove the teeth.
9. Apply double-sided tape
Glue double-sided tape to the wrong side of leather strips P3, then attach them to the right side of the zipper 4 mm from the teeth.
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10. Stitch the zipper
Stitch the zipper and leather together with an English stitch.
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11. Stitch the PVC
Stitch the two widths of PVC (right side) onto strips P3 (wrong side).
12. Stitch the sides
Open the zipper to facilitate stitching. Then, stitch the leather sides to the PVC.
YOU'RE DONE!
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