Leather pencil case

Step 1

You need a piece of leather measuring 20 cm x 30 cm for template A and B. 

The templates can be downloaded and printed out further down this page. 

Step 2

(Template B)

Cut off the excess paper on one of the long sides. Fold a bit of tape to make it double-sided and stick it to the back of the template. Place the template on the backside of the leather and make sure that the long side, you just cut, is lined with the edge of the leather. Cut the remaining sides.

Step 3

Round the corners with a round corner punch in size 20 mm. Place it so that the white line of the punch is parallel to the tip of the corner.

Step 4

(Zipper)

In order to make room for the zipper, you need to cut out the oval part of the middle of template B.

Use a corner punch in size 15 mm or a round punch in size 15 mm to round the corners in both ends.

Step 5

Cut the straight lines. Use a metal ruler as a guiding tool. 

Mark the four guidelines on the leather. The guidelines are marked with red on the template.

Step 6

Apply a bit of water on the edge of the leather and polish it with a wood slicker until it's dry (see picture 1).

Apply edge colour in a thin layer once the edges have dried (see picture 2). 

Step 7

(Grooving)

Set the guide width to 3 mm on the Japanese groover. Make a groove around the hole and the outer edges on the front of template B. The edges of the oblong holes shouldn't be beveled. 

Step 8

(Punching holes on template B)

Punch holes in the crease with a Japanese chisel. Start the punching process at the innermost hole by using a 2-prong chisel. Place the chisel with one prong on each side of the rounding. This way both the ends will be identical. 

Punch holes with a 6-prong chisel on the long sides. 

If necessary, use a thick leather scrap as a punching board. 

At the outermost edge, there must be a hole at the guideline in the middle on the short side of both ends. 

Remember to only apply minimal pressure to begin with to ensure that both sides have the same number of holes, before pressing the chisel all the way through the leather.

Step 9

(Template B)

Fold a small piece of tape to make it double-sided and stick it to the back of the template. 

Place the template on the back of the leather and cut out template A (18.2 cm x 13.9 cm).

Step 10

Cut off the corners using scissors. 

Mark the four guidelines on the leather. The guidelines are marked with red on the template.

Step 11

Set the guide width to 3 mm on the Japanese groover. 

Make a crease following all the four edges of the front. 

Step 12

Bevel all the sides on the front of template A and B.

Step 13

(Punching holes on template A)

Start the punching process in the corners, the same way as with template B. To get a nice result, it's important that the holes align on both templates. 

Remember to only apply minimal pressure to begin with to ensure that template A and the outermost holes of template B have an even number of holes, before pressing the chisel all the way through the leather.

Step 14

(Zipper)

A 25 cm long zipper will be slightly too long for the hole on template B. 

You can shorten the zipper by cutting off some of the teeth with a cutting plier. 

Use a flat nose plier subsequently to pinch the last couple of teeth together.

Step 15

Remember to cut off a bit of the fabric and melt the edge with a lighter.

Step 16

(Glue the zipper onto template B)

Apply glue around the back of the hole and on the outermost half of the fabric on the front of the zipper. Place the zipper on the leather, while the glue is still wet. Be sure to place it in the middle. Press down the zipper firmly and let it dry. 

Step 17

(Threading your needles)

For this step, you will need two needles, and a piece of thread six times the length of the piece, you will be stitching. 

Thread the needle in each end of the thread. Lock the thread by sticking the needle through the thread twice (see picture 1). 

Step 18

(Fasten the zipper)

Start the sewing process by sticking one of the needles through a hole and make sure that the thread is of same length in each side.

• Stick the needle on the front through the next hole and out on the back.
• Flip the zipper around, so that the front faces upwards and you will be sewing towards yourself. 
• Hold the thread down tightly towards the corner to the left. 
• Stick the other needle from the back and out the same hole and pull it upwards to the right. 
• Repeat the process.

Once you have sewn all the way around, you must make three stitches backwards to lock the thread.

Step 19

Glue template A and B together. Apply glue along the edges of the back on template A and B. 

Let the glue dry.

When you assemble the two pieces, it's important that the guidelines align. The guidelines are the ones marked with red lines on the templates.

Step 20

(Stitch template A and B together)

Thread the needle the same way as described in step 17. Cut the thread to stitch only half the pencil case. The thread will be too long if you stitch the pencil case in one go. 

Start by sticking one of the needles through a hole in the middle of one of the ends. Make sure that the thread is of same length in both sides. 

Stitch as described in step 18. 

At the rounded parts, you should be careful not to tighten the thread too much, since this will make the pencil case crooked in the edges.

Step 21

If necessary, cut off excess leather with a pair of scissors to create a straight edge.

Step 22

Sand the edges with sandpaper 600 grit, until they become smooth and even.

Step 23

Wet the edges with water. 

Step 24

Polish the edges with a wood slicker, while the edges are still wet.

Step 25

Apply edge colour with a wool dauber and let it dry. Sand the edges with sandpaper 600 grit and dye the edges again. 

Treat the pencil case with some leather grease.