How to make your own leather cuff bracelet


One of the hottest trends in jewellery in recent years has been the cuff bracelet. They come in all sorts of materials – metal, plastic, wood – and are often embellished with big sparkly jewels. Fashion magazines are dead on the money when they refer to them as “statement jewellery”. In other words, they’re the ideal accessory for party/clubbing outfits, but they’re not necessarily what you want for every day. However, there is a more pared-down alternative – a leather cuff. I’ve come across a few in stores, and there are one or two places like Etsy where you can find great hand-made leather cuff bracelets. But if you’re handy with a needle and a craft knife, you can also make one yourself. Best of all, you can use recycled materials too, so it will hardly cost you a thing.

I made the cuff in the photo out of an old leather belt bought for 50p in one of my local charity shops. Tooled, embossed hide belts are ideal, because they’re extremely strong and won’t need reinforcing with a backing of any kind. I also used a mother of pearl button from my own collection of vintage buttons. It’s hand carved, and the design is IMO a great match for the tooling on the leather.

leathercuff

When it comes to the length you need, your aim is to have a finished result that can move freely around your wrist without being so loose that it slips off your hand. My own wrist measures 6.5 inches (16.5 cm) all the way round, and I initially used a pair of scissors to cut a length of leather 9 inches (23 cm) long. So as a rough guide, an extra 2.5 inches over and above your own wrist measurement is what you need.

leathercuff2

After cutting the leather, I trimmed both ends so that they were pointy rather than flat. Then I used a craft knife to cut a teardrop-shaped buttonhole at one end. (With thick leather this does take time, so do be patient!) I then sewed the button at the other end using extra strong thread, just over half an inch from the tip. Since the leather is so thick, it helps if you bash a few holes in it using a hammer and a pointy object such as a tapestry needle. Be careful the needle doesn’t slip, and place the leather on a cutting mat or a couple of folded up newspapers. Don’t skimp on the newspapers either, because you don’t want to bash holes in your dining table or desk.

Another thing when sewing the button on: because you’re using thick leather, you need the button to sit a few millimetres above the surface of the leather you’re sewing it onto. Wedge a couple of matchsticks under the button when you’re sewing on, to help ensure that there is a bit of a gap.

So there you have it – a hand made leather cuff for a few pence. Who says style has to be expensive?

© Empress Felicity 2016

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