Every time I fly some place I keep thinking how I really need to get something to hold my passport and other travel documents in. I’m getting ready to head off to Hong Kong, and well, I thought it was finally the time to follow through and actually get one. What’s even better than getting something is making something, and when I saw this DIY, I thought I could very well do this myself. It takes a bit of precision and care, but you can put this together at home no problem. Here’s how:
You’ll need: a passport, a cutting board, ruler, 2 – 8.5”x11” pieces of leather, leather rope (not pictured), white charcoal pencil, ruler, utility knife, awl, needle and thread (I got this cool 3 in one gadget pictured below that worked great)
Step 1) Lay out leather, aligning it with the lines of your cutting board, and place passport in the corner .5” from the edge.
Step 2) Trace around the outside of your passport with the white charcoal pencil. After you’ve done so, use your ruler to extend the line all the way to the other side, stopping .5” from the edge.
Step 3) Align extra piece of leather so that the top edge is even with your top line. Line ruler up with the bottom edge of your first piece of leather, and trace a line across piece number two.
Step 4) Using the utility knife, cut along the line you have just drawn on piece number two.
Step 5) Get your awl ready, for those of you who bought the same one I did, you have to unscrew the top piece, insert the needle, and then screw the piece back on over the needle to hold it secure.
Step 6) With the right sides together. Lay the first piece on top of the second piece, and begin to poke holes every 1/4” along the white lines (do this on every line except for the top one). You’ll then want to push the needle through to enlarge the holes even more.
Step 7) Once you’ve poked the holes on all of your lines, sew thread through. Cut off lose ends with your utility knife.
Step 8) After making sure that your passport fits, draw two points roughly in the center that are 2” apart.
Step 9) Using the awl again, poke holes on both of these dots. You may have to poke a few next to each other to make them big enough. Once you’re done, feed leather rope through. Tie in a bow and cut off extra rope.
Comments
I love making things out of leather….@ michaels I bought a bag of leather scraps for $6. I made this adorable drawstring back with crystals on the front! I also made my friend a pouch for coins for her birthday which I embroidered :)
http://Www.forsurejadore.blogspot.com
i love this ! its such a good idea! thanks
That is a great idea & it’s very help full to us.
Awesome!
If you can buy your leather from an independent seller, ideally someone from a native community, that would be better. Not only would you be saving yourself a lot of money since Tandy over charges, but you’d also have the ethical satisfaction of helping a community. :)
This DIY is great…It be great to use something like this as a clutch aswell ;)
Hi! I am living in Hong Kong.
welcome to here.
by the way, what will you do in hong kong?
Your clothes always fall apart, but your blog is the best in town! Thanks for all the great ideas FP!!! You always to a fabulous job explaining things, and as a teacher, I always appreciate it when someone can take something they fully understand and break it down so we dummies can do it!
Hi! I wanted to make this, but I don’t understand the part where u make the 2 holes for the leather rope ties… Pls explain where