A Cute and Simple Leather Baby Tote Bag

This is a very simple Baby Tote Bag I designed and made for my Neice. Only needs the most basic tools, and the most rudimentary of skills to get a really sweet, pretty and functional bag. I have only been leatherworking for three months, so I am still early in my journey and am no expert and my "workshop is somewhat cramped. So I hope that this is as simple for you as I found it.

Materials Used.

Leather - I used 5oz (2mm) natural Veg Tan.

Dye - Optional (My leather was just some leftover I had already dyed for another project)

Rivets for fastening the handle - Optional, you could sew the handles on.

Fastener/closure - Optional

Tools and Other Stuff

Craft Knife with spare blades

Cutting mat/board

Straight edge/Ruler

Sandpaper - 150 and 320 grit

Canvass/Cotton rags

2 x Needles (Preferably Saddlers Harness needles)

Waxed synthetic thread.

Mallet

Stitching Irons or a fork

Awl

Leather Punch

Glue (I use a neoprene contact cement, but water based leather glues are good)

Notebook and pencils

Bulldog Clips

Lighter to melt thread ends (optional)

Rivet Setter if you are using rivets.

Tools for the fastener of your choice.

Optional - Burnishing agent (water will work!), Slicker (cotton rag is good or a pencil), Safety ruler, dividers.

The pattern is very simple. It is a piece of leather 210mm x 200mm with a couple of 40mm squares removed. The shape and dimensions are detailed on the photographs, the first picture is in my notebook and in the second picture the pattern has been transfered onto card, in this case the back of a cereal packet.

The third picture shows the pattern after being cut out. It is now ready to be transfered to the leather.

The overall shape we want can be seen on the first picture. This is achieved by tracing the pattern and then flipping the pattern on the short edge and tracing it once more.

I used a scratch awl on the dyed side, but you could use a pencil on the reverse if you wish, just avoid any pens with a heavy ink load like sharpies as there is the possibility of bleed. If you do scratch on the dyed side, do not scratch the short edge... this scratch would show on the final item.

Once you are happy with your traced pattern it is time for cutting your leather.

IMPORTANT: Use a NEW blade in your knife. Sharp blades are safer when cutting leather, as well as being more effective!

How to cut your leather:

a) Cut the leather as a rectange, leaving in the "narrows" in the centre.

b) Use a punch to puch holes in the two internal corners of the "narrows" on each side (See third pic). This will make the narrows easier to cut and give you a rounded corner that will not tear so easily.

c) Cut from the holes to the edge and then join the dots to release the scrap pieces.

You should end up with a piece of leather like the one in the fourth pic.

The final picture has letters assigned to edges so I can explain assembly more easily. In essence, A will be stiched to B and C stiched to D. This will make X and Y into the top opening of the bag.

Burnishing Leather is the process of smoothing fibres on the edges of leather to a glossy finish that you can feel and see. It is a very satisfying process.

You will need sandpaper, a cotton rag (or a slicker) and a burnishing agent (water, gum tragacanth, Tokonole, etc.) and some elbow grease. It is a very simple process:

a) Sand your edges smooth with first 150 and then 320 grit sand paper.

b) Apply your burnishing agent - Just dab it along the sanded edge with your finger, it is best to do one edge at a time so you burnish before the agent dries.

c) Take you rag (or slicker) and rub along the edge over the burnishing agent. You do not need to force it, pressure is not needed, but a fast back and forth rubbing will get the desired effect. You will feel a change as you rub the cloth along the edge.

We will burnish All sides EXCEPT the "narrows".

We will be stiching side A and B and D and C together.

To sew through leather we need to punch the holes first. This we do either with a set of Stiching Chisels or with an awl. It is key to ensure that the spacing is the same along every seam. There is a way we can do this:

a) Measure 4mm from edge three times along side A and scratch a line joining the marks making a line paralell to the edge. Repeat for sides B. C and D. (You could use a set of dividers set to 4mm if you have them). This is the STITCH LINE.

b) Holes are made by either a stitching chisel (first pic) or a culinary fork followed by an awl. The fork will govern the stitch spacing so try and use a fork with tines 3-5mm apart. The fork is pressed into the leather to leave a mark, and to hole is then made with an awl. Stitching Irons make life easy by setting their own spacing and, with the clump of a mallet, making a neat set of holes.

c) To ensure your holes line up on your seams, we begin from the Top of the bag (X or Y) and work towards the middle. In the first pic you can see that the Iron (or fork) has one tooth over hanging the edge of the leather. This will keep your stitch holes aligned and make sewing easier.

d) Make your holes all the wat along your stitch line and stop several mm from the end.

e) Repeat for sides B, C and D.

Now we start to get technical.

Glue your chosen first seam (in my case I glued C to D first). Apply glue to both surfaces and if you have a shiny, oily leather, you may have to rough the glued area with a little sandpaper to get a good stick.

It is key that your holes line up. In the second pic you can see, I have used a few spare needles to align the holes as the glue dries.

Once dry we can begin to sew. We use saddle stitch to sew the leather seams, it is a simple stitch using 2 needles. If you are new to saddle stitch, here is an instructable for you :

https://www.instructables.com/How-to-saddle-stitch...

Begin stitching from the top of the bag (XY) and work down to the "narrows". Start and end your sewing with a double stitch and use a lighter to melt the end of your thread.

Repeat for the other seam. As your bag takes shape step by step, the stitching becomes tougher as the space you have inside the bag reduces... persevere, it is worth it! By the end you should have something like the item in the last picture.

This is the step that turns the cylinder into the angled tote that we are here to make.

In the first picture you will see a "half circle" hole at the top of the seam. We pinch that closed and hold it with a bulldog clip, it doesn't have to be too tidy here, you will be able to trim and shape after gluing. Note the area where the leather is in contact and apply glue to about 10mm in from the edge. Using a piece of scrap (leather or card or cloth) to protect the dyed leather clip the glued edges tightly and leave for 3-4 hours or more. There is a lot of spinginess here and we need to get the glue properly stuck! (Picture 3)

After the glue is set, you can trim, sand and burnish the edge before making the holes for the stitching. Make sure you get a good line from side to side and then sew it up with saddle stitch. (Last Pic)

As this is a small bag, and it will not be carrying great weights, the handles do not need to be huge. I have again used some scrap 5oz (2mm) Veg Tan dyed green.

The Handles are 260mm x 15mm and are cut round at the ends, use a washer, jar, tub or punch to get the desired shape. They are fully sanded and burnished. The first hole is 10mm from the end and the second hole is 30mm from the end. If you are sewing the handles on just make 2 rows of holes and stitch as before. If you are using rivets, you will need a setter (second pic).

Each handle is fitted to one side of the bag. We son't want the handles crossing the openning.

I used my awl to mark the location of the holes onto bag, they need to be at an angle of about 50ish degrees from the horizontal to give a comfortable feel. Attach the handles and set the rivets.

If you are using a snap closure/magnetic closure now is the time to fit it, just follow the manufacturers intructions.

Now you can finish your bag off by adding a leather thong with a charm or beads, or lining it.

A leather treatment of Mink oil, Neatsfoot oil, beeswax or any other leather conditioner, will help keep your Baby Tote looking good.

The pattern is easy to adapt and enlarge as long as you keep the proportions the same it will always look great!

Well done, you have built your bag! Enjoy your Tote.