How to Make Leather Jewelry
Leather is an extremely durable and attractive material for jewelry. Making leather jewelry requires some strength as well as specific leather-working tools, but the end result can be creative, fun and personalized jewelry for yourself or friends.
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Things You'll Need
- Leather strips or cord
- Leather shears
- Leather punch or very sharp awl
- Snap
- Beads, charms, shells or other decoration
- Leather conditioner
Instructions
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Create a Leather Necklace, Bracelet or Anklet
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Purchase your materials online or at a local crafts or leather supply store.
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2
Use leather shears to cut a length of leather strip according to your neck, wrist or ankle size.
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3
Use your leather punch or awl to punch holes in the leather strip for metal accessories, or use a leather tooler or paint to make designs on the leather strip.
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4
Use your leather punch or awl to make 2 holes in the ends of your leather jewelry. Be sure that the holes line up evenly.
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5
Insert a snap in the holes at the ends of your leather, one on each side.
Craft Your Own Braided Leather Jewelry
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Lay out 4, 6 or 8 pieces of leather cord of the same length. The cord should be 1 to 2 inches longer than your intended finished jewelry length.
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Fold over one end of the leather cords to make a loop. Secure the loop by tying the loose ends of the cords into the braid or knotting them at the end.
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Attach the looped end to a peg or tuck it under a heavy object, like a sofa leg or bookcase, to keep the cords from moving around. You can also use a safety pin to attach the looped end to your pants leg.
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Braid the leather strips or cord together, and periodically slide beads or other ornamentation onto the cords. You can find variations on the common three-piece braid online at crafts or hairstyle websites.
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Knot the end of the braid and cut off the remaining edges with leather shears.
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Try using different widths or colors of cord to create a more dramatic look for your braided jewelry.
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Tips & Warnings
Condition your leather with mink oil or another conditioner before beginning to make it more pliable.
Reuse old leather belts, bags or jackets as a source of good, worked leather for jewelry making.
Keep leather away from heat and moisture to avoid stretching or mold.
Spot-test conditioner on leather before conditioning, especially if you will be using dyed leather.
Never punch leather or use an awl on your lap or the floor. Choose a hard, flat surface that will not be damaged by your tools.
