How to Make Your Own Leather Journal Kits

Use recycled leather coats to make leather journal kits.

A leather journal kit could be the perfect gift for a friend or a teenager, who enjoys crafting and writing. The kits, which utilize recycled leather coats or purses, also would be a great craft fair item. Look for the coats and purses at thrift stores, where they are available at low cost. One leather coat could make several journal kits. Include instructions for the leather journal kit's construction.

Things You'll Need

• Leather coats or purses
• Cutting board
• Metal ruler
• Craft knife
• Dremel drill with 5/64-inch drill bit
• Masking tape
• Scrap wood
• Printer paper
• Leather cording
• Clear cellophane wrapping paper
• Ribbon

Instructions

1. Cut apart the leather coats and purses at the seams with the craft knife.

2. Place large pieces of leather on the cutting board. Use the metal ruler and craft knife to cut the leather fabric into large rectangles that measure 4 1/2 by 6 inches.

3. Place a strip of masking tape along one 6-inch edge of the leather rectangle. Mark the strip every 1/2 inch with a pencil, 1/4 inch from the fabric edge.

4. Place the leather on scrap wood and drill through the marks with the Dremel drill over the scrap wood.

5. Cut the computer paper to measure 4 1/4-inch by 5 1/2-inch with the craft knife and ruler over the cutting board.

6. Mark one long edge every 1/2 inch with the pencil and punch through each mark with a paper punch.

7. Write out instructions that explain how the journal is constructed by placing the papers between two pieces of leather, and explaining that the journal is bound by lacing the cording through the edge holes like a shoelace.

8. Wrap the paper, leather covers and cord in cellophane wrapping and tie the kits with ribbon

References

• "1,000 Ideas for Creative Reuse"; Garth Johnson; 2009
• "Don't Throw it Out"; Lori Baird; 2007