If you’d like to save a little cash this holiday season and still give someone a gift that they will really enjoy, then you might consider how to make a leather wallet on your own. If you’re handy with a thread and needle, or a sewing machine if you prefer, and enjoy taking on different types of projects, then this can be a great gift making and giving opportunity for you.
Here are the steps involved in making a leather wallet:
1. Get The Materials
The first thing that needs to be done is you need to purchase the materials that will be used to make the leather wallet. Materials needed to make a basic wallet include leather, soft polyester type material for the inner pocket lining, and sewing supplies such as needle and thread. You probably want to use a dark colored thread such as black or dark brown.
2. Measure and Cut The Material
The next step after gathering all of the materials needed for the project involves measuring and cutting the leather and inner pocket liner material to size. The pattern of your wallet will depend on the style of wallet that you wish to create. For this task we’re going to create a tri-fold wallet so you’ll want to cut the leather into two 43 x 93 pieces. This will give you a wallet that is just the right size for just about any pants pocket, jacket pocket, or wherever it is the wallet will be kept.
With the two pieces of leather cut to size, fold the edges over so there is about an eighth-inch lip on all sides. Use a hammer to compress the creased edges that you created when folding the leather over. This will make it easier to glue and stitch the edging together.
3. Cement and Stitch The Edges
When you have the edges of both leather pieces creased and compressed thoroughly, use rubber cement to glue the edges down. Do this for both leather pieces. When finished, you should have an inner edge that completely surrounds the inside of both leather pieces. Give the cement plenty of time to dry so that your edges don’t come apart when trying to stitch them together.
Once the cement is completely dry, stitch the edges of both patterns together. This will help further reinforce the edging so that it doesn’t come apart.
4. Create The Inner Pocket Separator
This step is optional. If you would like a separator in your wallet, take the polyester type material and cut a piece that is slightly under 4″ x 9″. Trim this piece to match the size of the two leather halves that you will be gluing and stitching together. Cement the separator piece to the inside of one of the leather halves and then stitch it once the cement has dried.
5. Putting It All Together
Cement one long side and both ends of the two leather halves and place them together with the insides facing each other. Do not cement both long sides of the leather halves because you want one side to remain open. Make sure that they match up exactly and apply pressure to make sure they glue together securely. Allow adequate time for the cement to dry.
Finally, stitch the two halves together on the same sides where the cement was applied. This extra stitching will help reinforce the wallet so it does not easily fall apart. When done, evenly fold the wallet into thirds and place it under a flat heavy object such as a book for an extended period of time. This will help create the to folds and will compress the wallet so it remains in the folded position.