The reason I started this website was because of inspirational projects like this stylish crocheted twine and leather basket. Yes, it’s actually made from dollar store materials! How would you use a pretty basket like this one? I think I’d like to use it in my bedroom to add some quiet style to my bedside (and I could keep some of my extra books in there). Find the instructions for this basket over at Make and Do Crew: [Dollar Store Twine & Leather Basket]

Supplies Needed:

• 6 balls of dollar store twine, $6
• Thrift store leather belt, $1 and up

Total: $6 and up

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Leather feathers – as fun to say as they are to wear!  We love these chic, dangly earrings from Gina Michele.  It’s a great way to use up scraps of leather left over from other projects; if you don’t happen to have any leather on hand, old leather garments from thrift stores are also a great source of materials for this project.  If you like the leather feather look, you could also use this technique to make a necklace, or even to embellish items for your decor!  [how to make leather feather earrings]

Project estimate:

• Leather, on hand or $1 and up
• Chain, on hand or $1
• Jewelry findings, on hand or $1

Total:  Free and up!

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Would you believe that these leather sandals started out as ordinary, inexpensive flip flops?  True story!  Caitlin from The Merry Thought transformed them with a little bit of leather, turning them into something far more fashionable.  It’s a great project for using up scrap leather from other projects; if you don’t have leather on hand, check thrift stores and yard sales for old leather garments, purses, or other leather items to cut up for crafty purposes.  [how to make DIY leather sandals]

Project estimate:

• Flip flop sandals, on hand or $1
• Leather, on hand or about $5 and up
• Leather punch, on hand or about $4 and up
• Glue, on hand

Total:  Free and up!

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Need some unique hardware for that furniture piece you’ve been working on?  Traditional hardware can be pricey – especially the more interesting pieces.  But it doesn’t have to be!  Nicole from Visual Heart made these loop-style pulls out of an old belt – the perfect that is worn out or no longer fits!  If you don’t have a belt laying around, check your local thrift stores, where you can usually find them by the handful for a very reasonable price.  [how to make leather door pulls] Project estimate:

• Old belt, on hand or $1
• Chicago bolts, $1 and up
• Drill, on hand

Total:  $1 and up

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If you’ve ever waited for your luggage at a busy airport baggage claim, you know how hard it can be to spot your own suitcase in the sea of others. Make yours sand out from the crowd by adding a unique luggage tag! Ashley from Sugar & Cloth used some leather remnants and colorful bits of yarn to create bright, whimsical tags that make her bags easily identifiable when they go past on the carousel. [how to make pom pom luggage tags]

Project estimate:

• Yarn, on hand
• Leather, on hand or $1 and up
• Leather alphabet punches or paint, on hand or $1 and up
• Eyelet, on hand or $1 and up

Total: Free and up!

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This tutorial is billed as a Christmas project, but I think it would be great any time of the year – personally, the shades of green make me think of spring!  Elena at Tuts+ made this one from leather that she purchase specifically for crafting, but you could also use an old leather garment to cut your leaves – it’s a great way to give new life to a jacket that is stained or torn.  You can also grab old leather items from thrift stores to take apart and use for materials.  Since leather is common in various shades of brown, this would also be a great idea to work into your seasonal decor next fall!  [how to make a leather leaf wreath]

Project estimate:

• Leather, about $5 and up
• Fabric, on hand
• Leaf template, free
• Needle and thread or sewing machine, on hand
• Wreath form, on hand or $1 and up

Total:  about $5 and up

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Make easy leather-covered journals using thrift store leather and dollar store notebooks. This simple project can make a unique gift and is quick enough to make for a group such as teachers or a bridal party.

Project estimate:

• Lined journal, $1
• Cardstock (or old report holder), on hand
• New or recycled leather, on hand or $1 and up
• Spray adhesive, on hand or about $3 and up

Total: $1 and up

Using a straight edge and craft knife, cut away the cover from your dollar store journal.

If you are using thick or stiff leather, use the removed cover as your template. Trace around it onto the leather using tailor’s chalk.

If you are using soft leather, the journal will look better if the cover is trimmed to the same size as the paper inside. So open the paper pages inside the journal and trace around the paper to make a template. (Optional: You can leave one edge of the leather raw and uneven for a rustic-looking journal.)

Cut out the leather with a rotary cutter if possible. Otherwise a straight edge and knife will do.

Trim your cardstock into two pieces that are double the size of one sheet of paper. (When folded in half, they will be the same size as the paper.) These will be your end sheets.

Using spray adhesive, glue one side of each end sheet to the front and back of the paper journal. Center paper over the leather cover. Use fabric glue or a similar flexible glue to glue the spine of the paper to the leather. Then use spray adhesive to glue the cardstock to the leather.  Place something flat and heavy on top of your journal and allow it to dry.

You can use scraps of leather to embellish the journal with a latch, a tie or a bookmark.

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I’ll be traveling a lot next month, and I’ve been looking for inexpensive, easy to pack, not-too-hard-to-make host or hostess gifts. These DIY leather bookmarks were made entirely from materials I already had on hand and require only the ability to cut a straight line. It’s not hard to make a dozen at a time. And they pack nice and flat in a suitcase.

Although the materials aren’t expensive, you will need a rotary cutter to make these bookmarks. Otherwise they will look homemade in a bad way. If you don’t already own one, you can purchase a small cutter and mat for about $20.

Project estimate:

• Old leather coat, free and up
• Gold fabric paint (or acrylic paint mixed with textile medium), on hand or $3 and up.
• Mod Podge, on hand
• Painter’s tape, on hand

Total: Free and up

In addition to a rotary cutter, you will need sturdy scissors, a piece of scrap cardboard, tailor’s chalk and a leather hole punch. You can save some time and steps by using new leather.

First dismantle your leather coat using sturdy scissors,  removing the lining and removing and flattening out the sleeves.

Then create a cardboard template to the dimensions of your finished bookmark. I made a 6 inch by 1 1/2 inch rectangle from a cereal box.

Using tailor’s chalk, trace the outline of your template on the unfinished (suede) side of your leather.

Continue tracing rectangles, placing them to maximize use of your leather.

Roughly cut out the rectangles of leather.

Using a rotary cutter, cleanly trim the sides, top and bottom.

To get straight edges, press straight down on the cutter, go slowly and cut past the end point of your leather. This keeps you from pulling away as you cut and stretching the leather. Also, pull the cut piece away before lifting your ruler. If a little spot is hanging on, you can go over it again with your cutter.

While you are cutting, you can also cut a strip of leather 6 inches long by 1/4 inch wide from your trimmings to make a tassel.

If needed, you can iron the leather by using low heat and sandwiching the leather between an ironing cloth.

Most leather used for coats is too soft and floppy to make a good bookmark. If you want to stiffen your leather, apply a coat of Mod Podge to the back or unfinished side.  Be careful not to get Mod Podge on the front. If you do, wipe it off with a damp cloth before it dries. Allow the Mod Podge to dry.

Tape off the end of the bookmark with painter’s tape and paint with gold. You can angle the tape for variety.

You can stop here.

Or, use a leather punch to add a hole and tassel. Use painter’s tape to mark a hole in the center of your bookmark. Punch one hole and use it as a template for your other bookmarks.

Tie a knot in the middle of your tassel strip and pull it through the hole.

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No matter how small your budget, this is a diamond necklace you will be able to afford!  It was designed by Clemence of Oh the lovely things, who also made a printable template you can use to make your own diamond shape!  The shape is cut from scrap leather; if you you don’t have any bits of leather laying around, look for cheap leather items (or fake leather items!) at thrift stores.  You could also make them in many other shapes, or make them out of any suitable materials you happen to have laying around.  [how to make a geometric diamond necklace]

Project estimate:

• Scrap leather, on hand
• Paint, on hand or $1 and up
• Diamond printable, free
• Awl or nail, on hand
• Chain, on hand or $1 and up

Total:  Free and up

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I love old rotary phones.  I love their squat, curvy look, the clickity-click sound they make when you spin the dial, and even the loud, fire-alarm-like ringer.  But I’m a cell-phone-only girl, so my lack of a land line means I have no use for one.  That is, unless I were to tear one apart and make this awesome rotary phone purse from Chica and Jo!  They even provide a printable pattern to cut out the shape of the bag.  Look for old rotary phones at thrift stores (it doesn’t even have to work!); for the body of the purse, if you don’t have leather or vinyl laying around, you could use a thrifted garment or a dollar store vinyl tablecloth.  The finished purse definitely makes a statement, and the rotary dial even still works!  How cool is that?  [how to make a retro rotary phone purse]

Project estimate:

• Printable pattern, free
• Rotary phone, about $5 and up
• Vinyl or leather, on hand or $1 and up
• Sewing machine, on hand
• Purse clasp, $1 and up
• Ribbon, on hand
• Glue, on hand
• Cardboard, on hand
• Lining fabric, on hand or $1 and up

Total:  about $5 and up

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