Welcome to our delightful leathercraft tutorial, where we’ll guide you through the creation of a charming Easter egg candy box! This festive project is perfect for adding a touch of handmade elegance to your Easter celebrations.
This egg-shaped candy box is not only a practical container for your sweet treats but also a beautiful keepsake to cherish for years to come. Adorned with a dainty bow that cleverly conceals a hidden magnet, this candy box is as functional as it is adorable, allowing for easy and secure closure.
Whether you’re a seasoned leather artisan or new to the craft, this project promises to be a joyous and rewarding endeavor. Join us as we embark on this creative journey and create a delightful Easter egg candy box that’s sure to impress!
Print it on US letter or A4 paper depending on the version you downloaded.
Make sure that the pattern is not resized by checking your print settings. You can check if it was printed properly by measuring the reference found at the bottom of each page.
Securing the pieces of the pattern on the leather
Roughly cut around the different pieces of the pattern with an X-acto knife or a pair of scissors.
Secure all the pieces of the pattern to your leather using masking tape.
Punching the stitching holes
Use your stitching prongs or hole punch to punch out all the stitching holes.
Use your 2.5mm and 4mm hole punches to punch out the holes that will accommodate the rivet and the magnet.
Cutting-out the pieces of the project
Using an X-Acto knife, cut-out all the pieces of the project.
Burnishing the edges
The edges that will be stitched side by side do not need to be bevelled and burnished. Indeed it would be detrimental to the continuity of the surface and shape that will be created.
However you probably do want to bevel and burnish all the other edges if you want a very neat result. The relevant pieces are denoted thusly on the pattern:
B, C (only the short edges that will form the rim), D (only the top grain edges), E, F, G, H, I, J (only the edge forming the wider arc), K.
Skiving the pieces of the bow
The bow is made-up of quite a few layers (7 + 1 to be exact). It is necessary to skive down the thickness of all those overlapping layers for everything to fit correctly.
How much should be removed? That will depend on two things:
The length of the post of your rivet which will go through 6 layers.
The piece denoted as E in the pattern which needs to be able to loop around the four layers of pieces F and G.
Painting the leather
I have recently invested in not one but two sets of angelus paint and this is what I used for this project. All the exterior pieces are painted with a mix of Pacific Blue and White while the interior has been painted with Sterling Silver.
Angelus paint sets really quickly. When it does, you’ll only ruin the texture if you’re still trying to work it. You gotta be fairly quick and use light and smooth brush strokes. One coat is almost never enough to get an even covering. That’s ok. Let it dry for at least 2 to 4 hours (even more if you are patient enough – I am not) and add additional coats as needed.
Stitching the bowl
This step will be done using a cross-stitch and the piece we are working on is denoted A in the pattern.
A strip (actually divided in two parts, a long one H and a short one I) runs around the middle of egg vertically. So we need to keep two opposite pairs of edges un-stitched to be able to accommodate for those strips later on.
With that in mind, stitch together six pairs of edges (leaving a gap between two groups of three) to start shaping the bowl.
Next we need to stitch on the strip (B) that runs around the egg horizontally using a saddle-stitch.
Start by stitching the stitch line running along the wider arc of the piece. That stitch line is only decorative.
With the loop (B) now closed, start stitching the smaller arc to the upper edge of the bowl (A). The loop is positioned outside of the bowl.
Gluing the magnet in place
Apply a small amount of glue in the hole that will accommodate the magnet.
Carefully push the magnet into place from the exterior.
Stitching the upper dome
This step will be done using a cross-stitch and the piece we are working on is denoted C in the pattern.
The process is almost exactly the same as the one we followed for the bowl, with two key differences:
Every petal of the bowl (A) is identical, so it did not matter which two opposite pairs of edges we chose to leave un-stitched. However in the case of this dome, one pair of edges is separated by a slit that runs longer than all the others. This will tell you which opposite pairs of edges to leave un-stitched.
As the horizontal strip (B) covers the last stitch of the slits on the bowl, we could run our stitch all the way without trouble. However with the upper dome, if we were to do this and then stitch the inner reinforcement strip (D), we’d have visible overlapping stitches. In order to avoid this, stop one hole short of the entire stitching line while stitching the six pairs of opposite edges.
The inner reinforcement strip (D) is there to give some more rigidity to the rim of the dome (C) and ensure that it stays in shape.
Stitch it around the lower rim inside the dome using a saddle stitch.
Assembling the bow
Use a rivet to secure all the pieces of the bow (E, F, G) to the vertical strip (H).
The layers go as follow:
E -> F -> rivet -> G -> F (folded) -> F (folded) -> E (folded) -> E (folded) -> H -> rivet cap.
Stitching the vertical strips to the bowl and the upper dome
The time has come to link together the bowl and the upper dome to finally form the egg!
Start stitching the long strip (H) to the upper dome (C) from the bow. The first pair of stitches do not connect to anything. They are decorative, ensuring that the stitch line is visibly uninterrupted along the strip. The second pair of holes on the strip (H) connect to the second pair of holes on the dome (C).
We shall be using a hybrid stitch between cross-stitching and saddle stitching here that I decided to call sad-ross-stitching because I watched too many episodes of Friends recently. It is a hybrid because on the exterior it looks like a regular saddle stitch, but on the inside it progresses like a cross-stitch. Meaning that we are working on both parallel stitching lines at the same time, joining the two opposite edges but maintaining a consistent aesthetic on the strip compared to the horizontal strip that we stitched earlier.
A little caveat awaits you at the junction between the upper dome (C) and the bowl (A): the last two holes on the dome are not connected to the strip to allow that part of the strip to function as a hinge.
Thus when you reach the second-to-last pair of holes on the dome (which are connected to the strip), the next pair of holes on the vertical strip (H) will connect to the first pair of holes on the horizontal strip (B) that we stitched around the bowl (A) earlier.
Let’s step back from this word salad and look at the layers of our leather sandwich for each pair of holes along the entire strip (H):
Starts in H alone (first pair of holes after bow) | 1 pair ->
H over C (second pair of holes on C, comes after the first pair which connects to the inner rim D) | 1 pair ->
H over C (up to second-to-last holes on C) | 36 pairs ->
H over B (on top of decorative stitch) | 1 pair ->
H over B over A | 1 pair ->
H over A (until end of strip) | 9 pairs ->
Ends in A | 1 pair.
The situation is much simpler with the smaller vertical strip (I). Use the same sad-ross-stitch to stitch it in place and close the last open pair of edges on the bowl (A).
There is only one thing to be mindful about: on one end the margin after the last pair of holes is 3mm vs 5mm for the other end. The 3mm one goes against the horizontal strip (B) and you ought to start stitching from there.
Stitching the base of the egg
First stitch the smaller arc of the base’s wall (J) to the bottom of the bowl (A and K) using a saddle stitch.
The piece denoted K that goes inside the bowl serves the purpose of giving additional rigidity to the bowl as well as hiding the end of all the stitch lines.
Finally using a cross-stitch, close down the little gap that remains on the walls of the base by joining the two pairs of stitching holes and stitch the bottom of the base (L) to the walls.
The upper dome is designed to fit snugly inside the rim of the bowl, which is what we want. But not every 5oz leather comes with exactly the same thickness. Additionally stitching the inner rim to the dome can have a tendency to make the rim flange out. All of which can prevent the dome and the bowl to fit perfectly together. Don’t despair if that is the case for there is a solution! Using a Q-tip or a small paint brush, slightly dampen (not soak! you don’t want to create stains) the leather around both rims. You may want to do that to the strip under the bow as well if it doesn’t naturally fall into place against the magnet. Close down the egg – even if you have to struggle a bit to do so at that point, no worries there. Leave it to dry like this overnight and you’ll see that after that bit of water-forming persuasion it now closes easily and perfectly every time.
Final result
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 it 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!
Footnotes
The following online content provided some assistance and/or inspiration during the making of this project:
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Tutorial
Easter egg candy box
6 hours
Moderate
Common for leathercraft
Welcome to our delightful leathercraft tutorial, where we’ll guide you through the creation of a charming Easter egg candy box! This festive project is perfect for adding a touch of handmade elegance to your Easter celebrations.
This egg-shaped candy box is not only a practical container for your sweet treats but also a beautiful keepsake to cherish for years to come. Adorned with a dainty bow that cleverly conceals a hidden magnet, this candy box is as functional as it is adorable, allowing for easy and secure closure.
Whether you’re a seasoned leather artisan or new to the craft, this project promises to be a joyous and rewarding endeavor. Join us as we embark on this creative journey and create a delightful Easter egg candy box that’s sure to impress!
Requirements
Skills
Tools
Bill of Materials
Pattern
Easter Egg Candy Box Pattern
5,00 $Walk-through
Printing and cutting the pattern
You can get the pattern here if you haven’t already.
Print it on US letter or A4 paper depending on the version you downloaded.
Make sure that the pattern is not resized by checking your print settings. You can check if it was printed properly by measuring the reference found at the bottom of each page.
Securing the pieces of the pattern on the leather
Roughly cut around the different pieces of the pattern with an X-acto knife or a pair of scissors.
Secure all the pieces of the pattern to your leather using masking tape.
Punching the stitching holes
Use your stitching prongs or hole punch to punch out all the stitching holes.
Use your 2.5mm and 4mm hole punches to punch out the holes that will accommodate the rivet and the magnet.
Cutting-out the pieces of the project
Using an X-Acto knife, cut-out all the pieces of the project.
Burnishing the edges
The edges that will be stitched side by side do not need to be bevelled and burnished. Indeed it would be detrimental to the continuity of the surface and shape that will be created.
However you probably do want to bevel and burnish all the other edges if you want a very neat result. The relevant pieces are denoted thusly on the pattern:
Skiving the pieces of the bow
The bow is made-up of quite a few layers (7 + 1 to be exact). It is necessary to skive down the thickness of all those overlapping layers for everything to fit correctly.
How much should be removed? That will depend on two things:
Painting the leather
I have recently invested in not one but two sets of angelus paint and this is what I used for this project. All the exterior pieces are painted with a mix of Pacific Blue and White while the interior has been painted with Sterling Silver.
Angelus paint sets really quickly. When it does, you’ll only ruin the texture if you’re still trying to work it. You gotta be fairly quick and use light and smooth brush strokes. One coat is almost never enough to get an even covering. That’s ok. Let it dry for at least 2 to 4 hours (even more if you are patient enough – I am not) and add additional coats as needed.
Stitching the bowl
This step will be done using a cross-stitch and the piece we are working on is denoted A in the pattern.
A strip (actually divided in two parts, a long one H and a short one I) runs around the middle of egg vertically. So we need to keep two opposite pairs of edges un-stitched to be able to accommodate for those strips later on.
With that in mind, stitch together six pairs of edges (leaving a gap between two groups of three) to start shaping the bowl.
Next we need to stitch on the strip (B) that runs around the egg horizontally using a saddle-stitch.
Start by stitching the stitch line running along the wider arc of the piece. That stitch line is only decorative.
With the loop (B) now closed, start stitching the smaller arc to the upper edge of the bowl (A). The loop is positioned outside of the bowl.
Gluing the magnet in place
Apply a small amount of glue in the hole that will accommodate the magnet.
Carefully push the magnet into place from the exterior.
Stitching the upper dome
This step will be done using a cross-stitch and the piece we are working on is denoted C in the pattern.
The process is almost exactly the same as the one we followed for the bowl, with two key differences:
The inner reinforcement strip (D) is there to give some more rigidity to the rim of the dome (C) and ensure that it stays in shape.
Stitch it around the lower rim inside the dome using a saddle stitch.
Assembling the bow
Use a rivet to secure all the pieces of the bow (E, F, G) to the vertical strip (H).
The layers go as follow:
Stitching the vertical strips to the bowl and the upper dome
The time has come to link together the bowl and the upper dome to finally form the egg!
Start stitching the long strip (H) to the upper dome (C) from the bow. The first pair of stitches do not connect to anything. They are decorative, ensuring that the stitch line is visibly uninterrupted along the strip. The second pair of holes on the strip (H) connect to the second pair of holes on the dome (C).
We shall be using a hybrid stitch between cross-stitching and saddle stitching here that I decided to call sad-ross-stitching because I watched too many episodes of Friends recently. It is a hybrid because on the exterior it looks like a regular saddle stitch, but on the inside it progresses like a cross-stitch. Meaning that we are working on both parallel stitching lines at the same time, joining the two opposite edges but maintaining a consistent aesthetic on the strip compared to the horizontal strip that we stitched earlier.
A little caveat awaits you at the junction between the upper dome (C) and the bowl (A): the last two holes on the dome are not connected to the strip to allow that part of the strip to function as a hinge.
Thus when you reach the second-to-last pair of holes on the dome (which are connected to the strip), the next pair of holes on the vertical strip (H) will connect to the first pair of holes on the horizontal strip (B) that we stitched around the bowl (A) earlier.
Let’s step back from this word salad and look at the layers of our leather sandwich for each pair of holes along the entire strip (H):
The situation is much simpler with the smaller vertical strip (I). Use the same sad-ross-stitch to stitch it in place and close the last open pair of edges on the bowl (A).
There is only one thing to be mindful about: on one end the margin after the last pair of holes is 3mm vs 5mm for the other end. The 3mm one goes against the horizontal strip (B) and you ought to start stitching from there.
Stitching the base of the egg
First stitch the smaller arc of the base’s wall (J) to the bottom of the bowl (A and K) using a saddle stitch.
The piece denoted K that goes inside the bowl serves the purpose of giving additional rigidity to the bowl as well as hiding the end of all the stitch lines.
Finally using a cross-stitch, close down the little gap that remains on the walls of the base by joining the two pairs of stitching holes and stitch the bottom of the base (L) to the walls.
The upper dome is designed to fit snugly inside the rim of the bowl, which is what we want. But not every 5oz leather comes with exactly the same thickness. Additionally stitching the inner rim to the dome can have a tendency to make the rim flange out. All of which can prevent the dome and the bowl to fit perfectly together. Don’t despair if that is the case for there is a solution! Using a Q-tip or a small paint brush, slightly dampen (not soak! you don’t want to create stains) the leather around both rims. You may want to do that to the strip under the bow as well if it doesn’t naturally fall into place against the magnet. Close down the egg – even if you have to struggle a bit to do so at that point, no worries there. Leave it to dry like this overnight and you’ll see that after that bit of water-forming persuasion it now closes easily and perfectly every time.
Final result
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 it 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!
Footnotes
The following online content provided some assistance and/or inspiration during the making of this project: