DIY Upcycled Leather Clutch

Rodeo season is approaching! So I thought this DIY Upcycled Leather Clutch I made would be a cute little addition to complement your cowboy boot outfit.

I made this upcycled leather clutch believe it or not from an old couch!!! Hence why I’m super excited to talk to you guys about this.

Almost every day when I’m out driving I see at least 1 leather couch sitting on the side of the road or posted on craigslist.

What a waste, am I right?!?

I got to thinking one day, how much leather that was and how somehow there must be a way to reuse all of it. Even if it wasn’t a couch anymore it could still be useful.

So one day a neighbor had one laying in front of their drive so Tom and I stopped and loaded it into the car.

I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do with it all, but that was a problem for another time.

That night proceeded to take apart the leather from the couch frame that very same night.

I began doing some research on the different kinds of leather and discovered that there are different grades. And those grades determine what you can use the leather for.

I brainstormed a bit and decided it would be fun to learn how to do some basic leatherworking. I thought a good starting place would be to make an upcycled leather clutch as a first project.

How hard could it be?

This was super fun to make. Learning the meticulous process and craftsmanship that goes into leatherworking gave me a new appreciation for yet another artform.

The best part about doing this project though was knowing I was able to create something from what used to be a couch. It wasn’t going to just end up as garbage in a landfill after only probably several years of use.

And that makes me SOOO happy!!

If you like these kinds of posts and looking for more fun, cheap, eco-friendly DIYs check out my other projects. You might also like reading my DIY Paperless Napkins

It’s my goal on this blog to try and inspire people with the things that I make here. But it’s just as important to me to show people there’s a lot you can do to be more eco-friendly. While also frugal and stylish at the same time. There’s no reason why we need to compromise.

Okay, now that the “rant” is over let’s get down to how I actually made this DIY Upcycled Leather Clutch!

If want to make this bag yourself you’ll either need a sewing machine equipped to handle leather or some leatherworking tools.

When I decided I wanted to do some leather projects I quickly learned that quality tool can cost quite a bit of money.

I wasn’t willing to shell out that much for a new interest in a hobby I may or may not love.

I advise you not to spend a lot either.

If this is something you find out you are passionate about and want to get more serious about then later down the road it would be a good idea but for this projects and other smaller ones, this is the kit that I used.

The kit comes with everything you’d need to start off with the exception of leather glue which I highly recommend you get even if you don’t get the kit.

NOTE: There is a lot of items that come in this kit and it’s not always clear what to use it all for. So, If you guys want me to go through the tools and explain their purpose and how to use them in another post let me know in the comment below.

The glue is so helpful when you’re stitching two pieces or more of leather together. It will keep the layers all in place and make it so much easier and faster of I process I promise. Plus it makes the finished product look much cleaner.

Instructions

Cut out your 4 leather pattern pieces to size
On the sides that are not sued apply a layer of glue around the edges of one side of your front and back pattern pieces.
Take the corresponding pattern pieces and lay it on top of the piece with the glue. Be sure that both sides have the suede side facing out.
Place something heavy on top of leather pieces and leave there until glue appears to have dried.
After glue appears dry, create holes for stitching as shown in the diagram.
After holes have been mad stitch all the way around the bag
Trim excess leather from edges
Flip bag right side out
Cut leather strips for clutch wrap strings. Be sure the strips are long enough to wrap around the leather clutch and tie securely
stitch on wrap strings to the middle of the clutch flap

All you have to do now os fold in half and wrap strings around clutch and tie and you’re done!

What do you guys think?! Pretty cool right?

I hope you guys enjoyed this easy DIY Upcycled Leather Clutch. Let me know if you guys like DIYs like this so I can be sure to share more DIY projects like this with you!