Equipment
- 1 suede calfskin split skin - Thickness 1.4 mm - Minimum surface area: 0.65 m2
References to favor :
Charcoal gray split leather: LPG35GRIS0
Taupe split leather: LPG33TAUPE0
Chocolate leather crust: LPG34CHOCO0
- 2 skins of suede goat leather (lining) - Thickness 0.5 mm. Recommended surfaces: 0.55 m2 and 0.35 m2
- 1 half-round welded ring - NICKEL steel - 20x15x3 mm
- 1 rotating carabiner - NICKEL - for 20 mm lanyard
- 2 T2 double cap rivets
- Foam for the bottom of the bag and sides (we chose foam-lined leather).
- Cutter and rotary cutter
- Polyester thread n°30
- Machine needle
- Small sewing clips
Sewing leather by machine
Discover, in the guide below, the essential points to know before starting machine sewing leather (with a family machine).
Boss
Using a silver pencil, trace the pattern onto the leather skins. The seam allowances are included in the dimensions given below.
Split leather
Cut 9 pieces from the split leather skin (here gray suede calfskin, 1.3 mm thick).
- 37 x 32 cm x2
- 37 x 12cm x1
- 32 x 12 cm x2
- 7 x 2 cm x2
- 120 x 4cm x2
Lining
Cut 7 pieces from the lining leather (here yellow suede goatskin, 0.8 mm thick).
- 37 x 32 cm x2
- 37 x 12cm x1
- 32 x 12cm x2
- 61 x 6 cm x2
Trick
If your leather is not long enough to cut strips 120 cm long, 2 solutions are possible. Either trim the leather and make a connection (see the guide) or divide your strap into 2 parts and assemble it with accessories (example with rectangle loop).
HOW TO TRIM LEATHER > 
1. Cut out the pattern pieces
Cut out the pattern pieces using a cutter and a ruler. 
2. Double the strips
Put leather contact glue on the back of the 4 straps.
- Along the entire length of the lining straps
- About 61 cm for the split leather straps. Make 2 marks 29.5 cm on each side.
Wait a few moments then glue the strips together. Press/smooth the leather with a roller (ref. TA289) to obtain good adhesion of the glue. 
3. Cut the excess lining
Cut off the excess leather lining with a rotary cutter. 
4. Sew the strips 55.5 cm
Make 2 parallel seams over 55.5 cm and on each strap => lined part only.
Start the seam 2.7 cm from each side of the lined part. 
5. Glue the straps on the front and back
Make 2 marks 6 cm on each side of the front and back of the bag (width 4 cm).
Then add glue.
Glue a strip (make an arc) on each piece (front and back).
Be careful to let the strips protrude about 1 cm at the bottom (and therefore do not put any glue at the bottom of the strips). Also be careful not to put glue on about 2 cm at the top of the front and back (in order to be able to sew the lining => see photo n°2). 
In this photo, the lined part of the strap is not sewn but it must be sewn in the previous step.
6. Sew the straps on the front and back
Sew the straps to the front and back of the bag up to the stopping points (sewing from step 4). 
Be careful not to sew the strap with the leather on the top of the front and back of the bag for about 1.5 cm (in order to be able to sew the lining). 
7. Sew the sides and bottom
Sew right sides together the 2 side pieces on each width of the bottom (split leather). 
Glue/flatten the seams on the reverse side of the leather and topstitch (on the right side). 
8. Assemble the bottom + sides with the front
Position the sides + bottom on the front of the bag right sides together (use sewing clips). 
Then make 3 “straight” seams: 2 widthwise and 1 lengthwise. 
9. Assemble the back to the front
All you have to do is sew the back to the front of the bag (right sides together): make 3 seams as in the previous step. 
Cut the excess strap ends and turn the bag inside out. 
10. Assemble the lining
Cut out 2 rectangles of foam (here we used scraps of foam-lined leather) measuring 30 x 12 cm. Then glue them on each side (back) of the lining leather: the rectangles are deliberately 2 cm smaller in order to be able to sew the lining on the bag without having any extra thickness. 
Sew a lining in the same way as the bag (steps 7, 8 and 9). Do not turn the liner over at the end of the last step. 
11. Reinforce the bottom of the bag
Glue foam to the bottom of the bag to reinforce it. 
12. Position the small closing tabs
Glue the small strips (7 x 2 cm) to close the bag in the center of the front and back of the bag (see photos). 
13. Put the liner in the bag
Place the lining in the bag (wrong side together) and put glue all over the upper edge (be careful to bring out the small closing tabs). 
Work each side, flattening the extra thickness (see photo below). 
Then glue the lining edge to edge of the bag. 
14. Sew the lining
Sew the lining to the bag (sewing along the entire top edge). 
15. Add a carabiner and half-round ring
Attach 1 half-round ring 20x15x3 mm and 1 rotating carabiner to the small closing straps: using a T2 double-cap rivet. 
16. Option: make a pompom
Decorate your bag with a small two-tone leather pompom.
HOW TO MAKE A LEATHER POMPOM? >
YOUR TOTE BAG IS COMPLETE!
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Discover another version of the tote bag!
SEE THE TUTORIAL FOR THIS NEW VERSION >
