Planning your purse layout
Your purse dimensions will depend upon the variety and sizes of scraps in your leather bundle.
You will need three large pieces – one each for the back, front, and flap. You will also need three pieces the same width for the sides, and bottom.
The average minimum size of my three largest pieces was 9 1/2” wide by 7 1/2” tall. This set the height and length for the sides and bottom. The average width of those pieces – the sides and bottom – was 2 3/4”.
So, my purse measures 9 1/2” long x 7 1/2” high x 2 3/4” wide. Adjust your measurements to fit your scrap leather pieces.
Cutting Measurements
B Purse bottom 1 – 9 1/2” x 2 3/4”
C Purse sides 2 – 7 1/2” 2 3/4”
D Side strap holders 2 – 1 1/4” x 7”
E Side pockets 2 – 2 3/4” x 4”
F Front purse flap 1 – 5 1/2” x 9 1/2”
G Back pocket 1 – 8 3/4” x 6”
H Back pocket flap 5” x 8 3/4”
I Inner front pocket 8 3/4” x 5”
J Outer front pocket 8 3/4” x 4”
K Outer pocket flap 8 3/4” x 3”
Cut along the dotted lines of the
cutting guide on pieces F, G, H, and K.
Simple Lay-over Flap
To create a simple, lay-over flap, place the flap leather on top of the pocket leather with the tanned sides up.
Use your rotary cutter or bench knife and a metal ruler to cut the angle of the top edge of the pocket, cutting through both pieces at the same time.
Mark your stitching holes, and use your awl to punch holes through both layers at t he same time. Using the double-needle stitching pattern, stitch the flap to the pocket top.
A rolled flap is stitched by laying 3/8” of the long flap edge under the top of the pocket with the raw sides of leather together. Punch your stitching holes with an awl 1/4” from the top edge of the pocket, through both layers of leather. Now stitch along the awl line. You can now roll the flap forward to lay over the pocket top.
