The other day I was absentmindedly looking at the furniture in my friend’s living room when I noticed a new addition: a cactus-looking thingamajig. I started re-arranging the “leaves”, thinking to myself that it was a very playful decoration. It is only then that my friend pointed-out to me that it was not only that, but that the leaves were intended to serve a double purpose as they could be used as glass coasters! I was sold. One big caveat though: the thing is made of cheap plastic and foam which is not exactly my vibe. Can you guess what crossed my mind at that point? “Hey, I’m a leather-worker. I can make my own, but better!”.
So with no further ado, let’s craft a beautiful handmade leather cactus coaster set!
Print it on A4 paper and cut-out the pieces of the project.
Make sure that the pattern is not resized by checking your print settings. You can check if it was printed properly by measuring the test box on the pattern to ensure that its sides are 5cm long.
Print on thick paper to make it easier to trace the shape on the leather. 200g/cm2 and above is ideal (as long as your printer can handle it)
Three pieces of the pattern have been separated into two elements in order to make them fit the format of the page. Thus you’ll have to tape or glue them together which is why they have a little tab to that effect. Those are the elements D, D’, E, E’ and F, F’. In each case, D & E & F go on the right, D’ & E’ & F’ on the left side
Using an awl, trace the outline of the pattern pieces onto the leather.
Each elements have to be traced once, except for the coasters (element A) that have to be traced 6 times. Try to group them together.
Don’t forget to mark the positions of the holes that we will need to punch through later on.
We will be double-siding the coasters (elements A) in order to make them more rigid and to have the top-grain on both sides.
The top of the flower pot (element B) has to be double-sided as well, again to add some rigidity to the piece.
The process is straightforward: prepare the opposite pieces by roughly cutting-out a sheet of leather slightly bigger than the elements we want double-sided.
Apply glue to the rough side of the matching leather pieces, position one of top of the other and secure the bound by applying pressure over the surface (a kitchen roller or a wine bottle can help with that. Keep the wine bottle handy in case you make a mistake during the next steps and wish to forget about it).
Dyeing can be achieved through different methods. I will refer you to this Youtube Playlist in order to learn more about the subject from much more qualified craftsmen than I am.
I am using water-based non toxic dyes intended to be used on leather.
The coasters were dyed green.
The top of the flower pot was dyed using a mix of hazelnut and a touch of blue (it makes the brown richer and more pleasing in my opinion).
For the flower pot I tried to find a mix that would match the terra cotta color of a real flower pot. I ended up using mahogany with a touch of red and hazelnut added.
Once the leather is completely dry, apply a coat of oil to re-hydrate it and protect the dye.
.
Try to be swift in your motions once the oil is on the leather to avoid creating darker spots. If this happens not to worry though, just leave it half an hour under the sun (rough side up so that the top grain doesn’t tan). The heat will help the oil spread out evenly in the fibers of the leather.
Using a pair of scissors/shears or an X-acto knife, cut-out all the pieces of the project.
To cut the slots of the coasters and of the top of the flower pot, first use your hole punch to free the end of the slot(s).
Then cut from the hole to the edge for the coasters, or from on end of the slot to the other for the top of the flower pot.
The pattern is designed with 3.5m wide slots because it fits the thickness of my double-sided pieces. Make sure to adapt this dimension to the thickness of your own pieces. Specifically for the coasters, it is very important for width the slot to be equal to or even slightly smaller than the thickness of the coasters so that they can securely be slid onto each other and remain in place.
We now need to double-side elements C and D in order to make them more rigid.
Why not group all the double-siding operations in one step? Because I wanted the dye to be as consistent as possible across pieces of the same color. Since the coasters had to be died on both sides, they had to be double-sided before being dyed which was not the case the elements C and D.
Using your 1mm hole punch or an awl, punch through all the stitching using the markings left earlier as a guide.
Bevel the edges of your leather pieces with your edge beveler (size n*1 in my case).
Use ~200 grit sandpaper to smooth-out any irregularity, then use progressively finer grit to prepare the edges for burnishing. The finer the grit, the smoother the edges will be which will make the actual burnishing a lot easier and the result look a lot cleaner.
Dampen the edge you are working on with water before sanding. It will help you obtain a sleek result much faster than if you were working dry and it will minimize the amount of leather dust in the air
Once you have beveled and sanded your edges, use a Q-tip (or the accessory of your choosing) to apply dye to the edges.
Burnish the edges using the method of your choice. I usually apply some tokonole to the edge and use a wood edge slicker to create the friction necessary for burnishing. You can also use a cotton rag and simply dampen the edge, it works quite well (often better than a low quality wood slicker).
Seal the burnished edges by vigorously rubbing some beeswax on them and then using a cotton rag to create some heat from the friction and melt the coat of wax evenly.
Never apply too much pressure on the edge during this operation. Indeed we want to prevent any mushrooming from happening especially when the edge is damp. It’s all about speed and friction to create heat, not pressure.
Stitch the inner band (element E) to the inside of the flower pot (element F) using a saddle stitch.
Then stitch the side of element F using a cross-stitch. Follow by stitching-on the brim of the flower pot (element D) using a saddle stitch.
Complete the flower pot by adding the bottom (element C). Stitch-it on with a saddle stitch, folder the bottom of element F so as to cover it with element C.
Finally stitch around all the coasters and the top of flower pot.
Apply the conditioning product of your choice on your creation and rub vigorously with a cotton rag to polish it and give it a nice shine.
I use a leather balm that I make by gently melting together “au bain-marie” 1 part beeswax and 6 parts olive oil. It’s great for nourishing and waterproofing.
I hope you enjoyed following along this tutorial. Please consider posting a photo of your creation in the comments below. It would mean a lot to me to see my little projects out into the world as you make them your own.
Any feedback/question about this tutorial or project idea that you’d like to see posted here is and always will be more than welcome.
Happy crafting!
The following online content provided some assistance and/or inspiration during the making of this project:
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Tutorial
Cactus coasters set
8 hours
Moderate
Common for leathercraft
The other day I was absentmindedly looking at the furniture in my friend’s living room when I noticed a new addition: a cactus-looking thingamajig. I started re-arranging the “leaves”, thinking to myself that it was a very playful decoration. It is only then that my friend pointed-out to me that it was not only that, but that the leaves were intended to serve a double purpose as they could be used as glass coasters! I was sold. One big caveat though: the thing is made of cheap plastic and foam which is not exactly my vibe. Can you guess what crossed my mind at that point? “Hey, I’m a leather-worker. I can make my own, but better!”.
So with no further ado, let’s craft a beautiful handmade leather cactus coaster set!
Requirements
Skills
Tools
Bill of Materials
Pattern
Cactus Coasters Set Pattern
Walk-through
Printing and cutting the pattern
The PDF for the pattern can be found here.
Print it on A4 paper and cut-out the pieces of the project.
Make sure that the pattern is not resized by checking your print settings. You can check if it was printed properly by measuring the test box on the pattern to ensure that its sides are 5cm long.
Print on thick paper to make it easier to trace the shape on the leather. 200g/cm2 and above is ideal (as long as your printer can handle it)
Three pieces of the pattern have been separated into two elements in order to make them fit the format of the page. Thus you’ll have to tape or glue them together which is why they have a little tab to that effect. Those are the elements D, D’, E, E’ and F, F’. In each case, D & E & F go on the right, D’ & E’ & F’ on the left side
Using an awl, trace the outline of the pattern pieces onto the leather.
Each elements have to be traced once, except for the coasters (element A) that have to be traced 6 times. Try to group them together.
Don’t forget to mark the positions of the holes that we will need to punch through later on.
We will be double-siding the coasters (elements A) in order to make them more rigid and to have the top-grain on both sides.
The top of the flower pot (element B) has to be double-sided as well, again to add some rigidity to the piece.
The process is straightforward: prepare the opposite pieces by roughly cutting-out a sheet of leather slightly bigger than the elements we want double-sided.
Apply glue to the rough side of the matching leather pieces, position one of top of the other and secure the bound by applying pressure over the surface (a kitchen roller or a wine bottle can help with that. Keep the wine bottle handy in case you make a mistake during the next steps and wish to forget about it).
Dyeing can be achieved through different methods. I will refer you to this Youtube Playlist in order to learn more about the subject from much more qualified craftsmen than I am.
I am using water-based non toxic dyes intended to be used on leather.
The coasters were dyed green.
The top of the flower pot was dyed using a mix of hazelnut and a touch of blue (it makes the brown richer and more pleasing in my opinion).
For the flower pot I tried to find a mix that would match the terra cotta color of a real flower pot. I ended up using mahogany with a touch of red and hazelnut added.
Once the leather is completely dry, apply a coat of oil to re-hydrate it and protect the dye.
.Try to be swift in your motions once the oil is on the leather to avoid creating darker spots. If this happens not to worry though, just leave it half an hour under the sun (rough side up so that the top grain doesn’t tan). The heat will help the oil spread out evenly in the fibers of the leather.
Using a pair of scissors/shears or an X-acto knife, cut-out all the pieces of the project.
To cut the slots of the coasters and of the top of the flower pot, first use your hole punch to free the end of the slot(s).
Then cut from the hole to the edge for the coasters, or from on end of the slot to the other for the top of the flower pot.
The pattern is designed with 3.5m wide slots because it fits the thickness of my double-sided pieces. Make sure to adapt this dimension to the thickness of your own pieces. Specifically for the coasters, it is very important for width the slot to be equal to or even slightly smaller than the thickness of the coasters so that they can securely be slid onto each other and remain in place.
We now need to double-side elements C and D in order to make them more rigid.
Follow the same procedure as on step 2.3.
Why not group all the double-siding operations in one step? Because I wanted the dye to be as consistent as possible across pieces of the same color. Since the coasters had to be died on both sides, they had to be double-sided before being dyed which was not the case the elements C and D.
Using your 1mm hole punch or an awl, punch through all the stitching using the markings left earlier as a guide.
Bevel the edges of your leather pieces with your edge beveler (size n*1 in my case).
Use ~200 grit sandpaper to smooth-out any irregularity, then use progressively finer grit to prepare the edges for burnishing. The finer the grit, the smoother the edges will be which will make the actual burnishing a lot easier and the result look a lot cleaner.
Dampen the edge you are working on with water before sanding. It will help you obtain a sleek result much faster than if you were working dry and it will minimize the amount of leather dust in the air
Once you have beveled and sanded your edges, use a Q-tip (or the accessory of your choosing) to apply dye to the edges.
Burnish the edges using the method of your choice. I usually apply some tokonole to the edge and use a wood edge slicker to create the friction necessary for burnishing. You can also use a cotton rag and simply dampen the edge, it works quite well (often better than a low quality wood slicker).
Seal the burnished edges by vigorously rubbing some beeswax on them and then using a cotton rag to create some heat from the friction and melt the coat of wax evenly.
Never apply too much pressure on the edge during this operation. Indeed we want to prevent any mushrooming from happening especially when the edge is damp. It’s all about speed and friction to create heat, not pressure.
Stitch the inner band (element E) to the inside of the flower pot (element F) using a saddle stitch.
Then stitch the side of element F using a cross-stitch. Follow by stitching-on the brim of the flower pot (element D) using a saddle stitch.
Complete the flower pot by adding the bottom (element C). Stitch-it on with a saddle stitch, folder the bottom of element F so as to cover it with element C.
Finally stitch around all the coasters and the top of flower pot.
Apply the conditioning product of your choice on your creation and rub vigorously with a cotton rag to polish it and give it a nice shine.
I use a leather balm that I make by gently melting together “au bain-marie” 1 part beeswax and 6 parts olive oil. It’s great for nourishing and waterproofing.
I hope you enjoyed following along this tutorial. Please consider posting a photo of your creation in the comments below. It would mean a lot to me to see my little projects out into the world as you make them your own.
Any feedback/question about this tutorial or project idea that you’d like to see posted here is and always will be more than welcome.
Happy crafting!
The following online content provided some assistance and/or inspiration during the making of this project: