Leather is such a fun material to work with! My boys and I have enjoyed getting into leather crafting this past year. They love making leather hand grips for wooden swords and sticks, and I’ve enjoyed making leather shoes for my daughter. Sewing leather can be tricky, so I thought we would try some stitch-free leather projects. After researching and testing many free patterns, I’ve compiled 12 free no-sew leather project gift ideas to make with leather scrap!
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This roundup is full of great ideas for Christmas Gifts, Father’s Day and Mother’s Day gifts, or simply a fun project to incorporate into your school lessons. Some are simple enough for kids to make as a first leatherworking project. I hope you enjoy these leather craft projects as much as we did!
Supplies Needed for No-Sew Leather Patterns
Here are some supplies you may need to make these no-sew leather projects:
Rivets – This is a basic hammered rivet set. You can also buy sets that come with a tool to crimp them on.
I use a Kam Snap Press for rivets and snaps on all my garments, baby clothes, diapers, and leather projects. I’d recommend that setup if you plan to make a lot of projects that require snaps or rivets. I’ve used my press for many years now, and it’s so handy.
Snaps – This is a basic hammered set. Do a couple to practice before applying to your project. It’s not very hard to do. My boys were able to hammer their own onto some of the projects we made.
Hole Punch Tool – There are various tools that can be used to cut a hole before applying a snap or rivet. A lot of people use a punch like this with multiple sizes of holes. I got away with using my Kam press hole cutter that came with my rivets for now.
Cutting Tools – Most of these projects can be made with just a sharp pair of scissors. As a seamstress, I got away with using sewing scissors and a rotary cutter/mat to cut out these leather projects. If you want to go deep with leather, you’ll probably want to invest in tools specifically for cutting leather.
Where To Find Leather Scrap
I have found leather at garage sales and thrift shops, which is another great way to start leathercrafting without investing much. Consider upcycling a jacket, bag, or other leather item.
Springfield Leather is my favorite place to get leather. I loved picking up smaller $5 cuts and leather straps from the bins out in front of their store. They offer free bags of leather scrap with each purchase as well. I’ve only shopped in person, but they have a great online presence as well. So, check it out and see if you can pick up some great leather cuts!
Joann’s Fabrics has a little bit of leather. I have purchased their scrap bag with a 50% off coupon, which is a good deal!
Etsy has leather scrap, quality leather, and printed leather cuts.
Try asking around to see if any local leather workers near you are off-loading scrap at a low cost.
Also, check out Facebook Marketplace. I often see leather available there.
12 Free No-Sew Leather Project Templates
1. One Piece Riveted Belt Pouch by Le French Crafter
This project is super cool and very well-designed! It came together really quickly since I have a snap/rivet press. It would be harder to assemble with hammered or hand-pressed rivets, but not impossible. I hoped this belt pouch could be for my husband or my dad, but the leather I chose felt a little lightweight for this purpose once it was completed. I’d love to make this again with sturdier leather and I think they would like it. My 10-year-old loves it and has his eye on it! I may slip it in his stocking.
2. Leather Earrings Tutorial by Marching North
I love how these earrings turned out. I picked up a pack of hypoallergenic earring hooks for this. All the earrings I used to wear years ago now make my ears itch. I’m excited to make myself a new collection. The leather earring tutorial in the link above has 3 different earring shapes in two different sizes. They were a fast project!
3. Leather Desk Organizer by Jojotastic
This one came together in about 5 minutes! Super simple. I used rivets on mine, but in the tutorial, she shows how to use a tiny scrap to tie it, so no metal parts are required for this one.
4. Leather Christmas Ornament by Delia Creates
5. Easy Leather Ornaments by Craftivity Designs
These were fast and easy! I loved how these turned out, especially because they used a scrap of leather that I wasn’t sure what to do with. It was too thick for shoes but too small for much else. I haven’t quite decided how I want to decorate them yet. Maybe a stamped or hand-painted name, or an initial?
6. Easy Leather Circle Ornaments with wooden Bead by Making Manzanita
7. DIY Leather Notebook Cover by Make Supply
8. No Stitch Leather Card Holder by Make Supply
This little card holder was a quick and fun project. To make this one, I used a stiffer piece of leather that I had picked up at a yard sale. My 10- and 11-year-old boys both made their own at the same time. Perfect for storing cards, money, or Yoto cards!
9. Magic Mystery Braid Bracelet by Jewelry Tutorial HQ
We had so much fun with these! Two of my boys joined in on this project and wanted their own. The magic mystery braid technique is super cool!
One thing I noticed with this project is that the leather needs to be the right thickness for it to work well. The first one I made was very thin leather that I used for my baby shoes, but the braid looked sloppy and didn’t stay in place. We opted for a thicker leather closer to what I’ve used on the sole of shoes, or even a tad stiffer. That worked really well.
10. No-Sew Leather Key Fob by Fynes Designs
This was super quick and easy! It would make a great last-minute gift.
11. Leather Hanging Bird DIY by Sostrene Grene
Ok, this bird is cute! I want to make more. Would be cute on a Christmas Tree, as springtime or Easter decor, or secured to the outside of a gift.
12. Napkin Rings Made of Leather Straps
This page is in Swedish, but your browser may have the option to translate it as mine did. If not, it’s simple enough of a tutorial to follow from the pictures. These leather napkin rings turned out very nice. They will look great paired with some pretty linen napkins for a special occasion.
A bonus free leather project
Additionally, here’s a free no-sew leather project idea that is a little more challenging. I haven’t tried this one yet, but it looks nice! I love the ingenuity of how the sides are woven.
No Sew Purse by Paintyee Designs
More No-Sew Leather Patterns
Lastly, here are five more no-sew leather projects that aren’t free but look like great patterns! We didn’t test these yet, but they look so fun! Off to find more leather…
No Stitch Shoulder Bag Pattern
Final thoughts on no-sew leather gifts
I hope you enjoyed this post all about free, no-sew leather project gift ideas. I had a lot of fun curating and testing these projects with my kids. We’re enjoying learning more about working with leather and slowly adding to our supply collection. My son asked for a leather stamping kit for Christmas, so we’re excited to try that next!
Would you try any of these projects? Let me know your favorite in the comments below!
