Get ready to add a touch of wild style to your bag with our step-by-step leathercraft tutorial! Today, we continue our series with a new addition, as we’ll be teaching you how to make an adorable fox bag charm using the highest-quality veg tan calfskin leather.
Building upon our previous tutorial where we showed you how to make a raccoon bag charm, this one will be just as fun and rewarding.
Whether you’re a seasoned leathercrafter or a complete beginner, you’ll find this tutorial easy to follow. So grab your tools, get your cutting board ready and let’s get started on making this cute and charming accessory that’s sure to make all of your friends envious!
Print it on US letter or A4 paper depending on the version you downloaded 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 reference found at the bottom of each page.
Keep the assembly diagram to help you position the pieces later on during the stitching process.
Print on card-stock paper to make it easier to trace the shape on the leather.
Tracing the outline of the pattern onto the leather
Using an awl, trace the outline of the pattern pieces onto the leather.
Some pieces have to be traced twice as one side is a mirrored version of the other. For those, turn the pattern element over to mirror the piece the second time you trace it.
Don’t forget to mark the positions of the holes that we will need to punch through later on.
Checklist of all the pieces to trace:
A x1 regular and x1 mirrored (pattern turned over)
B x1
C x1
D x1
E x1 regular and x1 mirrored
F x1
G x1
H x1
I x1
J x1 regular and x1 mirrored
K x1 regular and x1 mirrored
L x1
M x1
N x1 regular and x1 mirrored
O x1 regular and x1 mirrored
Punching the stitching holes
Use stitching prongs or a hole punch to punch the stitching holes for all the pieces using the marks that you left earlier as a guide to position them.
You’ll also need to punch two holes for the eyes on both pieces A. Don’t forget to also punch two holes at the end of each slit on the torso (D).
Cutting-out the pieces of the project
Using a pair of scissors or an X-Acto knife, cut-out all the pieces of the project .
Open the slots that will let the legs (E) pass through the torso (D).
Dyeing the leather
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.
For this project I used a mix of orange and white to create a nice contrast between the different parts of the body. The snout was dyed in black.
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.
Burnishing the edges
Burnish all the edges that won’t be workable anymore once stitched 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.
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.
Preparing the eyes, the ears, the feet and the tail
Punch in two dots in a piece of black leather scraps.
Insert the two black dots just punched into each eye socket in the two pieces A and secure by applying glue to the back of each piece.
Apply some pressure with your mallet or else to level the eyes with the surrounding piece of leather.
Glue the lighter part of the ears and feet to their corresponding background piece (K on J for the ear, O on N for the feet).
You can use a needle before applying the glue to help you align the pieces together. Check the assembly diagram to make sure the the stitching holes of the superposing pieces are aligned properly.
Use the same method to glue the white tip Hto the orange background of the tail (G).
Stitch the tip in place and burnish the edges.
Stitching the eyes to the head
Start assembling the head by stitching together the eyes (A) to the head’s background (B).
We’re only stitching one full edge and three stitching point on the lower edge. We leave the rest un-stitched for now as it will connect to the backside (I).
You can burnish the center of the lower edge at it will become inaccessible once the nose is stitched in.
Stitching the belly and the legs to the torso
Insert both legs (E) into the torso (D).
Stitch the belly (C) to the torso (D) securing the legs (E) at the same time.
Assembling the snout, the head and the torso
Secure the head (B) to the torso (D) by stitching on the snout (F).
Preparing the key-ring
Make sure to have the tab (M) ready to be used with the system of key-ring that you chose.
Stitching it all together
Start stitching the torso (D) to the backside (I).
As you progress along the side, stitch in the foot (N) and the tail (G).
Continue along the edge to finish stitching the eye.
Add in the ear (J), followed by the tab (M) and the puff (L).
Add some stuffing as you stitch to give some thickness to the fox’s head and torso.
Finally add in the second ear and foot and close down the fox. Congratulations, you made it!
Finishing touches
Burnish the edges newly created by the superposition of the pieces that were just stitched together to blend all the layers smoothly together.
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.
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:
Tutorial
Fox bag charm
2 hours
Easy
Common for leathercraft
Get ready to add a touch of wild style to your bag with our step-by-step leathercraft tutorial! Today, we continue our series with a new addition, as we’ll be teaching you how to make an adorable fox bag charm using the highest-quality veg tan calfskin leather.
Building upon our previous tutorial where we showed you how to make a raccoon bag charm, this one will be just as fun and rewarding.
Whether you’re a seasoned leathercrafter or a complete beginner, you’ll find this tutorial easy to follow. So grab your tools, get your cutting board ready and let’s get started on making this cute and charming accessory that’s sure to make all of your friends envious!
Requirements
Skills
Tools
Bill of Materials
Pattern
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 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 reference found at the bottom of each page.
Keep the assembly diagram to help you position the pieces later on during the stitching process.
Print on card-stock paper to make it easier to trace the shape on the leather.
Tracing the outline of the pattern onto the leather
Using an awl, trace the outline of the pattern pieces onto the leather.
Some pieces have to be traced twice as one side is a mirrored version of the other. For those, turn the pattern element over to mirror the piece the second time you trace it.
Don’t forget to mark the positions of the holes that we will need to punch through later on.
Checklist of all the pieces to trace:
Punching the stitching holes
Use stitching prongs or a hole punch to punch the stitching holes for all the pieces using the marks that you left earlier as a guide to position them.
You’ll also need to punch two holes for the eyes on both pieces A. Don’t forget to also punch two holes at the end of each slit on the torso (D).
Cutting-out the pieces of the project
Using a pair of scissors or an X-Acto knife, cut-out all the pieces of the project .
Open the slots that will let the legs (E) pass through the torso (D).
Dyeing the leather
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.
For this project I used a mix of orange and white to create a nice contrast between the different parts of the body. The snout was dyed in black.
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.
Burnishing the edges
Burnish all the edges that won’t be workable anymore once stitched 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.
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.
Preparing the eyes, the ears, the feet and the tail
Punch in two dots in a piece of black leather scraps.
Insert the two black dots just punched into each eye socket in the two pieces A and secure by applying glue to the back of each piece.
Apply some pressure with your mallet or else to level the eyes with the surrounding piece of leather.
Glue the lighter part of the ears and feet to their corresponding background piece (K on J for the ear, O on N for the feet).
You can use a needle before applying the glue to help you align the pieces together. Check the assembly diagram to make sure the the stitching holes of the superposing pieces are aligned properly.
Use the same method to glue the white tip H to the orange background of the tail (G).
Stitch the tip in place and burnish the edges.
Stitching the eyes to the head
Start assembling the head by stitching together the eyes (A) to the head’s background (B).
We’re only stitching one full edge and three stitching point on the lower edge. We leave the rest un-stitched for now as it will connect to the backside (I).
You can burnish the center of the lower edge at it will become inaccessible once the nose is stitched in.
Stitching the belly and the legs to the torso
Insert both legs (E) into the torso (D).
Stitch the belly (C) to the torso (D) securing the legs (E) at the same time.
Assembling the snout, the head and the torso
Secure the head (B) to the torso (D) by stitching on the snout (F).
Preparing the key-ring
Make sure to have the tab (M) ready to be used with the system of key-ring that you chose.
Stitching it all together
Start stitching the torso (D) to the backside (I).
As you progress along the side, stitch in the foot (N) and the tail (G).
Continue along the edge to finish stitching the eye.
Add in the ear (J), followed by the tab (M) and the puff (L).
Add some stuffing as you stitch to give some thickness to the fox’s head and torso.
Finally add in the second ear and foot and close down the fox. Congratulations, you made it!
Finishing touches
Burnish the edges newly created by the superposition of the pieces that were just stitched together to blend all the layers smoothly together.
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.
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: