waterstone recycled leather cuff tutorial

I'm so excited about today's tutorial. As you may well know, I ADORE taking old things and giving them a new life. Something about a distressed patina makes my heart go pitter-patter.
Just for fun, we will be making a fashionable cuff from what else...an old cuff!

*Note*
Stay tuned to the end because I have wonderful news concerning this very cuff.

I already had this strip cut from a distressed leather bomber jacket.

I pull out my handy dandy box of junk, I mean stuff, I mean charms and good stuff.
Seriously folks, you are only limited by your imagination.

I pull out several possibilities.

And settle on this, an old copper disc, hammered and stamped with the word "peace",
a little charm, a raised coppery button, and some burgundy suede.

I used a small jeweler's drill to get the holes in the leather. You can use a nail and hammer or if you're super strong, unlike me, you can use elbow grease. At any rate, you will need strong thread - the kind you use for leather or denim. You could also use small strands of leather.

I start by sewing my button to one end.
(It's good to use a raised button because it's less stress and pull on the button once the suede is looped around. See the next picture.)

Next, I cut my burgundy suede to the length I'll need. To be safe, I cut about 4 inches.

Stick the ends of the suede into the opening at the end of the leather cuff and sew. Use your widest stitch length. I actually went back after it was complete and zig-zagged over the ends to give it additional strength.

If you don't want to using a sewing machine you can certainly use a needle and thread.
Better yet, use decorative thread!

I used the heavy thread to add the charm and disc to the center of the cuff and it's done!

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What's my surprise? I'm not keeping today's project for myself. Nope, the offspring/part-time model didn't get it either. This cuff could be yours in about three weeks! I'll be having giveaways ALL WEEK LONG very soon for my two year blogging anniversary.
So stick around and stay tuned for that.