Pencil holder in leather

Step 1

Download and print out the template further down this page. Use a pair of paper scissors to cut out the template.

The bottom piece has a radius of 3.5 cm and measures 6 cm from the centre of the circle to the pointed tip. The side piece is 27.4 cm x 10 cm.

You’ll need four bottom pieces and 1 side piece for this pencil holder.

NB: When using thick leather, the side piece must be slightly longer than stated in the template.

Step 2

Sketch out four bottom pieces by using a wing divider and steel square. Cut out the bottom pieces and the side piece as well.

Step 3

Scratch the grain side (the smooth side) on two of the four bottom pieces by using a scratch brush.

Step 4

Apply glue to the two bottom pieces you just scratched and leave them to dry separately for approx. 10 minutes until slightly dry.

Step 5

Install the knife on the Japanese stitching groover, while the glue on the two bottom pieces gets slightly dry.

Step 6

Make a crease on the grain side on one of the two bottom pieces that haven’t been glued. The crease must be 5 mm from the edge.

Step 7

Glue the two bottom pieces together (the ones you applied glue on in step 4). Press them together firmly by using a lace roller.

Step 8

First, apply glue to the bottom of the two pieces, you’ve just glued together. After this, apply glue to one of the other two bottom pieces. Leave them to get tacky before gluing them together. Apply glue to the flesh side and unite the pieces. At this stage, the bottom consists of four pieces of leather glued together.

Step 9

Install the guide to the Japanese stitching groover. Make a crease at one of the ends on the side piece 5 mm from the edge. Use your 5 mm space maker to mark out stitching holes. Press down the space maker hard enough to create a small square by each marking. Make a crease along the side piece 5 mm from the edge by using a stitching groover with its guide installed. 

Step 10

On the side piece, apply a bit of glue approx. 4-5 cm from the edge in both ends on the flesh side. Once the glue has almost dried, put together the two sides and make holes in the markings by using an awl. After this, stitch together the two sides with two needles and a piece of thread. The thread must be more than four times the length of the side, you’ll be stitching. Once you’ve stitched the entire side, make three stitches going backwards to lock the stitch. Cut off the excess thread.

Step 11

Use your 5 mm space maker to make markings in the crease on the bottom piece. After this, use your diamond pointed awl to make holes. Slant the awl, so that the tip comes out through the side of the edge.

 

Step 12

Apply glue to the edge of the bottom piece as well as on the inner side of the side piece (at that end, where you made a crease). Put together the bottom piece and the side piece, while the glue is close to being dry. This makes it easier to assemble the two parts.

Step 13

Once the glue has dried completely, stick an awl through the hole that you made on the bottom piece to show direction. Take your other awl and make a hole in the side of the crease, you made in step 9.

Step 14

Now it’s time for stitching the bottom and side piece together.

Step 15

Once you’ve stitched all the way around the bottom piece, make three stitches backwards to lock the thread. Cut off the excess piece of thread.