Handpainted Leather Purse

Step 1

Steps:

1. Apply contact cement to the back of the upholstery leather and the back of the tolling leather. Press the two pieces together, bonding them as one piece. Let dry.

Step 2

2. Trace the purse templates for the front, back, sides, handles, flap and D-ring straps onto the bonded leather.

3. Cut out the purse pieces using a rotary cutter and scissors.

Steps 4-5

4. Sketch a flower and paisley design on the front of the purse using a pencil. Sketch a design on the purse flap.

5. Paint the designs on the front and flap of the purse with acrylic paint and an artist paintbrush.

Step 7

6. Dip a pencil eraser in acrylic paint to add dots to the design by pressing it onto the leather.

7. Dip the handle end of a paintbrush into the paint and press it onto the purse front designs to make smaller dots. Let the paint dry.

Step 8

8. Place the purse template onto the front and back pieces of the purse and mark the stitching holes along the edges. Mark the stitching holes along the edges of the sidepiece as well.

Step 10

9. Punch holes all the way around the marked pieces with a leather punch and rubber mallet.

10. Thread a needle with twine and hand sew the sidepiece to the front and back pieces using a double overhand stitch, going through each hole twice.

Step 11

11. Thread one leather strap through each D-ring and rivet the straps to the front and back of the purse using rivets with the rivet tool and a mallet.

Step 12

12. There will be two D-rings on the front and two D-rings on the back of the purse. Thread the front strap through the other side of the D-rings on the front and secure in place using rivets.

Steps 13-14

13. Thread the back strap through the other side of the D-rings on the back and secure in place using rivets.

14. Install the two sides of the clasp to the flap and front of the Handpainted leather purse according to manufacturer's directions.

Lupe Salais grew up in Mexico City and came to Texas to study fashion design in college. After having kids she left the profession and began teaching fashion design at the local community college. It wasn’t long before she began missing the business and got back into it as a hobby, this time creating her own fashions.

Website: www.cosamonna.com