How to Sew a Leather Wristlet

Are we tired of these sewing posts yet? Hmm? If the answer is yes, well. Too bad. It’s my blog and I’ll sew if I want to. I bought a bag of leather remnants at Hobby Lobby a few weeks ago, and knew immediately what to make – I would sew a leather wristlet. I didn’t know how to sew a leather handbag but how hard could it be, right? Right. (And it’s less a wristlet and more like a clutch with a wrist strap, but let’s not quibble over the details.)

I made a leather bag a few years ago, and pretty much followed the same instructions to make this one. (Except this time I made life easier on myself and sewed in the zipper before sewing up the sides of the bag.)

For this bag, I used these supplies (and those are affiliate links down there):

– Leather remnants

– 1 (9 inch) metal zipper (size needed will depend on size of bag)

– 1 fat quarter, or any other fabric suitable as a lining for the bag

– 1 washer

– Color matching thread (I should hope that one was obvious, but I’m being thorough)

All of this cost about $10 altogether. Big spender over here.

First, I took two similarly-sized pieces of leather and trimmed them to the same size.

I took a fat quarter and ironed it flat, then cut two pieces from it the same size as the leather. Then I sewed them to the wrong sides of the leather.

I didn’t bother using interfacing for this. Interfacing adds a little stiffness and structure, but the leather I used was stiff enough without it.

Make sure your machine has a heavy-duty needle on it before you begin sewing.

Then I turned the bag inside out, right sides together. To hold it all together, I used binder clips.

For the little leather tab that holds the wristlet strap, I cut a small piece of leather and put the washer on it. Then I tucked it between the sides of the bag.

Sew up the sides. Be careful – when you sew over the tab, you’re sewing through 4 layers of leather. My machine was having none of that, and I had to use the hand wheel on the side and do it manually.

Then turn the bag inside out.

Next, I measured my wrist and cut a length of leather just a smidge longer. I threaded it through the washer and sewed it shut.

I like this one. A lot. It’s 1/64 the size of my everyday purse, and I foresee it saving me much shoulder pain in the future.

See you later!