DIY Leather Lunch-bag

Ever since I saw this post on Kaye's blog last year, I've been dying to do this DIY!  So yes, this project has been a long time coming; S will vouch for me here since I've been voicing my intentions to carry it out for a few months now.  Fortunately for a lack of plans this Easter long-weekend, I could finally do it!

Inspired by Anve (and then some more by Jil Sander), this is a simple DIY which won't cost you much time or money.  Scroll down for the instructions and then drool over the supple metallic leather at the end.

DIY LEATHER LUNCH-BAG   

Materials
Rustle up a big piece of leather (or pleather, or anything else you might fancy it in), some supa-glue, scissors, 4 press-studs, and a sewing machine.  You might want to equip your machine with some leather needles, or you'll end up with broken sharps all over the place.

Measure and cut out a large rectangle of leather (mine was about 45cm x 70cm) - the easiest way is to find a paper bag or a box which is similar in size to what you'd like your bag to be, then use those dimensions (lay it out as if you're going to wrap the box).

Fold it lengthwise with the good sides touching, and sew two of the sides together.  You should have a large leather pocket with an open top.

Turn your leather pocket inside-out and invert the bottom corners inside, like the picture on the left.  If you have a box to put inside, it makes it easier to shape.  If you've done it right, the outside should look like the picture on the right.  Make sure the seams are in the middle of the side panels.

Glue the base together from the outside (as shown) as well as the inside.

I used a piece of leather to hide the glue on the inside, as well as to give the base a bit more structure.

Finally, mark out and glue on your press studs where the leather folds at the top of the bag.  I put two on each side, however you could just put one in the middle to stop your goods from rolling out of your bag.

Et voila!


Now you have yourself a sexy leather lunch-bag.

Roll, fold, or bunch the top and off you go.

Happy Easter folks!

xx T