Tutorial - Make a leather bag for pétanque balls

THE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT

To complete this tutorial, you will need:

• 2 pieces of fir wood. (here, the pieces are 7.5 x 7.5 cm and 1.7 cm thick)
• 1 piece of vegetable tanned leather 30 x 40 cm - th. 1.9mm
• 1 neck strap (width: 19 mm | length: 75 cm minimum)
• 2 strong pressure buttons diam 15 mm and the installation tool
• 6 T3 rivets and setting tool
• 12 upholstery nails
• 1 finishing gum (tokonole, gum tragacanth, gum arabic, etc.)
• Olive oil
• A mallet and a hammer
• A cutter
• A 4 mm round knocking cookie cutter
• Water-based leather glue
• A size 2 square shade

Optional:

• A set of alphabet stamps (8137_00)
• A guide for stamps (TA350)
• A tricolor ribbon

PATTERN & DIMENSIONS

We have made a case for pétanque balls 73 mm in diameter.
The downloadable pattern at the top of this page is therefore suitable for 73 mm balls. If your petanque balls are smaller or larger, you can adapt the pattern accordingly.

How to define the dimensions of your pattern?
To calculate the width of the leather, we took the thickness of the wood (x2) and the diameter of a pétanque ball (x3). For safety reasons, we added 1 or 2 mm for each pétanque ball:
(7.4 x 3) + (1.7 x 2) = 10 inches in width.

To calculate the necessary length, multiply the width of your wooden piece by 4 (here, 7.5 cm). Then add 4.5 cm (or more) for the flap.
(7.5 x 4) + 4.5 = 34.5 cm in length.

For aesthetic reasons, we decided to start the bag 1.5 cm from the edge of one side of the piece of wood.
Our piece of leather is therefore 25.6 cm wide and 33 cm long.

Please note, these measurements are given for information only and correspond perfectly to the diameter of our petanque balls, the thickness of our wood, its rounded sides and the thickness of our leather.

1. TINTING THE LEATHER WITH OLIVE OIL

Using a wide brush, soak the leather with olive oil.
Put at least 2 coats trying to put the same amount of oil everywhere.
Leave the oil to soak into the leather for at least a day and if possible in front of a window (so that it tans).

2. WORK THE PIECES OF WOOD

Cut out the two pieces of wood with a jigsaw. Round off the sides with a jigsaw and sander. Attention, the pieces must be the same size (here 7.5 cm).
Using a worktop oil (vegetable oil), nourish the wood. Apply 2 coats and sand between each coat.

3. PRINT AND ASSEMBLE THE PATTERN

Print (actual size) and assemble the pattern. Transfer the pattern in silver pencil onto your leather.
Attention, the measurements of the pattern are given as an indication and correspond perfectly to the diameter of our petanque balls, i.e. 73 mm (see above).

4. CUT THE LEATHER

Cut the leather with a cutter. Be careful, cut the curves in several times (in quarters).

5. WORK THE LEATHER AND STRAP SLOTS

Sand the edges of the leather and flatten the sides.

SQUARE GATE GUIDE >

Apply the tokonole on the slice then rub vigorously with a lisette or a cloth.

Cut the strip. Here, the strap measures 75 cm.
Then, apply the tokonole to the edge.

6. CHECK AND RECORD

Using a round awl or needle, score points for the placement of nails, press studs and rivets.
Use the pointings of the leather to make those of the strap.

7. INSTALL STRONG PRESSURE BUTTONS

Using pliers or a punch cutter, make the holes for the strong pressure buttons (4mm diameter holes).
Place the head (cap) on the flap and the other part on the strap.

8. STICK THE STRAP TO THE LEATHER

Apply glue to the strap, then stick it to the leather at the location indicated on the pattern (dotted lines at the rivets).
Before gluing, place the French flag at the central rivet.

Smooth the leather with a roller (ref. TA289) to obtain good adhesion of the glue.

9. INSTALL THE T3 RIVETS

Make the holes for the rivets using the revolver pliers or a punch (diameter 4mm). Then, install the 6 rivets.

10. CUSTOMIZATION WITH ALPHABET STAMPS

Personalize the pétanque ball bag with alphabet stamps. Moisten the area where the personalization will be marked, then hit the letters.
Here, we use the guide for Deco leather stamps in order to have straight and regular marking.
GUIDE TO LEATHER MARKING >

11. WAX THE LEATHER

Option: apply nourishing milk or wax to nourish and protect the leather.
SEE THE DEPARTMENT >

12. GLUE THE LEATHER TO THE WOOD

Make a mark 1.5 cm from the edge on one side of your pieces of wood.

Then, apply contact cement to three sides of the wood pieces.
Also apply glue to the edges of the leather (only the edges that will be glued).
Wait a few moments for the glue to soak in, then stick the leather to the wood.

13. INSTALL THE UPHOLSTERY NAILS

Finally, hit the upholstery nails with a hammer at the remaining points.

YOUR PETANQUE BALL CASE IS COMPLETE!

HERE IS ANOTHER METHOD TO MAKE A CASE FOR PETANQUE BALLS.

SEE GILLES’ TUTORIAL >