Tutorial & Pattern | Men's/Women's Sheepskin Leather Backpack | Leather Decor

The necessary equipment

To complete this tutorial, you will need:

• 1 whole skin of France sheepskin leather - 0.75 m²
• 2 strips of fed collar leather - coffee brown - Width 29 mm - Length 120 cm
• 1 strip of fed collar leather - coffee brown - Width 24 mm - Length 120 cm
• 1 meter of flat cut buffalo leather lace - Width 4 mm - Chocolate
• 1 half-round ring - aged brass steel - 25 x 20 x 3 mm
• 1 oval rotating carabiner - aged brass - 60 x 25 mm
• 2 sliding buckles - aged brass - 30 x 22 mm - Wire 3.8 mm
• 2 rectangular loops - aged brass - 30 x 13 mm - Wire 3 mm
• 1 rolling eyelet kit and installation tool - 11 m - aged brass
• 1 set of 20 large brass rivets (T6) aged brass finish
• 1 spool of braided and waxed polyester thread - 500 meters - diam 0.8 mm - brown
• 25 saddler needles - round tip - Lg = 57 mm - d = 1.1 mm - Size 1/0 (Ref: CA118_011)
• 1 pot of 250 ml of neoprene glue, LIQUID with brush integrated into the cap
• 1 meter of French flag tricolor polyester ribbon - width 15 mm
• 1 jar of tokonole - Finishing gum for leather - 120g

And the following material:

• 1 Scotch NORTON adhesive masking tape - Lg 19 mm - Long 50 m (WA079)
• 1 round punch - SEIWA Japan - diam 1.5 mm (TA300_015)
• 1 round punch with straight handle - diam 11 mm (EP_DROIT_11)
• 1 riveting tool (TL_8100_00)
• 1 anvil for setting rivets and press studs (TL_8056_00)
• 1 hardening fixative for leather finishing - Deco Leather

1. Cut out the pattern pieces

Download the pattern and print it in real size. Then cut out the pieces, leaving about 1 cm of margin at the edge of the different pieces. Tape (using masking tape to avoid damaging the leather) the pattern pieces to the leather skin.

2. Pierce the leather and cut out the pieces

Drill the sewing holes indicated on the pattern using a round punch 1.5 mm in diameter. Also drill the holes for the rivets (3 mm) and the holes for the eyelets (11 mm).

Then, cut out the different pieces, following the lines, with a cutter and/or a rotary cutter.

3. Option: apply hardener on the crust side

Using a brush, apply hardening fixative to the back (crust) of all leather pieces. Then leave to dry for 24 hours (do not put in the sun). The hardener will allow the fibers to stick together and make the leather firmer.

4. Prepare the flap

Glue part n°5 on part n°7 of the pattern (make sure that the holes are in front). Apply neoprene glue to the split leather then facilitate gluing with a steel roller.

5. Start sewing the flap

Sew the two flap pieces together. For that :

• Cut the thread : generally equivalent to 4 or 5 times the length of the sewing line.
• Thread a needle at each end of the thread (see photo 1):

- Stitch the thread at needle height then stitch it twice.
- Crush the end of the thread and pass it through the eye of the needle.
- Pull on the thread to tie the knot.
- Do the same thing to thread the other end of the thread on the second needle.

• Pass one of the needles through the 4th hole and even out the threads.
  For a question of aesthetics, we started the seam at the 4th point in order to make 3 double points and thus have a symmetry with respect to our end seam (the 3 stop points) => to be done only if the seams do not not come together. (see picture 2)
• Sew by passing each needle one by one through each hole.
• Then tighten the point well.
• To finish the seam: make 3 stop stitches, cut the thread flush then burn it (if polyester).
• Finally, hammer the seams with a joiner's hammer.

Attention, do not sew the upper line of the flap at this stage (see photo 3).
SEE THE SIMPLIFIED LEATHER SEWING GUIDE >

6. Work the edges of the flap

Using a finishing eraser: work on the edges of the flap. Start by sanding the edges with an abrasive sponge, then apply tokonole and rub vigorously with a smoother or a cloth.

For the more seasoned, you can choose to work the slices with a rim.
WHAT IS A RIMBORD?

LEARN MORE ABOUT TOKONOLE >

BEFORE AFTER

7. Cut the leather straps

Cut the 24 mm leather strap into 3 parts:
30 cm for the handle of the bag
33 cm for the flap strap
43 cm around the bag

Cut the 29 mm leather strap into 2 parts:
2 times 100 cm for the handles of the bag
2 times 11 cm for the bottom of the handles

Then work the slices of each strip.
Abat-carrer, sand the edges then apply tokonole and rub vigorously with a smoother or a cloth.

8. Trim the ends of each strip

Trim the ends of each strip over 3/4 cm.
LEARN MORE ABOUT TRIM >

9. Work on the hooks of the straps

Take the two strips 29 mm wide and 11 cm long.
Pass the rectangular loops in the center of the 11 cm strips and glue the two ends of the strips together.

Work the slices with tokonole then fold pieces n°2 and n°3 in half. Then, place the 11 cm strips at the level of the hole for the rivet (indicated on the pattern) and let them protrude about 2.5 cm from the edge.
Using a round awl, mark the location of the rivet as well as the sewing holes on the 11 cm strips.

Pierce the strap to fit the rivet and facilitate the passage of the needle when sewing.

Fold parts n°2 and n°3 in half and glue them by applying contact adhesive.
Finally, sew the two squares. Attention, it is only necessary to sew the outline of the square. Diagonal stitching will be done at the time of final assembly.

You can use a steel roller to flatten the piece of leather and allow the contact cement to adhere better.

10. Work all the slices of sheepskin

Finish working all the slices of the sheepskin (with a finishing gum) before continuing the assembly.

11. Position the straps on the back of the bag

Take the 100 cm, 30 cm and 43 cm strips.
Place the straps on the back of the backpack, in the place provided on the pattern.

Attention, for the 100 cm strips (at each end of part n°1): place only 1 end of each strip and place them right sides together.

For the 30 cm strip: place the two ends in the rectangle, also right sides together.

To finish, place one end of the 43 cm strip in the center of the rectangle, the back of the strip against the right side of the sheepskin.

Mark the position of the rivets as well as the sewing holes using a round awl. Then make the holes for the rivets with a 3 mm cookie cutter.

Apply contact glue to glue the rectangle (part n°1) to the place provided on the back of the bag (part n°9).

Then sew the rectangle (part 1) and hammer the seam.

Finally, place the 4 rivets.

12. INSERT THE 12 EYELETS

Install the 12 rolling eyelets using the installation tool provided in the eyelet kit.

13. Finish working the flap

Take the 33 cm strip. Glue one end of the strip to the center of the top of the flap (see small blue circles on the pattern).

Mark and drill the sewing holes using an awl. Then sew the flap on the top of the bag (piece n°9).

14. Work on closing the bag

Fold the other end of the 33 cm strap over itself (about 5 cm) and place the carabiner.
Make the hole for the rivet and rivet the strap to the flap.

On the back of the bag:
Option: glue the tricolor tape at the location of the 1st rivet. Then put the rivets to hold the strap on the bag.

Finally, insert the half-round ring on the end of the 43 cm strap and fold it back on itself (about 2 cm).
Glue and rivet on the back of the bag.

15. Assembling the backpack handles

Sew squares n°2 and n°3 on the backpack in the places provided on the pattern (blue circles on piece n°9). Be careful to position the squares in the right direction: strap inwards.

To have an adjustable strap: pass the sliding buckle through one of the 100 cm straps then pass the strap through the rectangular loop. Pass the end of the strap back through the sliding loop. Then, rivet the two thicknesses of the strap together (be careful to rivet the correct thicknesses).
Do the same with the second 100 cm strip.

16. Sew the bag

Sew wrong sides together. The backs of pieces n°7 and 8 must be sewn on the right side of piece n°9.
Please note, for the bottom of the bag, we have sewn wrong sides together to give the bag more hold and a more rectangular shape at the bottom (see photo 3).
Pass each needle through each hole and pull the stitch tight.

17. Pass the lace to close the bag

Sew piece n°4 to form a lace stopper.

Then pass the lace through the eyelets and through the lace stopper. Finally, tie knots at each end of the lace.

The purse effect gives a more feminine style to the bag, we advise not to put eyelets if you want to have a more masculine style.

18. Waterproof the backpack

Waterproof the leather backpack with a water-based spray.

Your leather backpack is finished!

OTHER BACKPACK MODEL

@Marion Créations offers you another version of the backpack.