Introduction: Shoe Leather Coin Purse

This is a coin purse I made for the new "golden dollars" .
My 3 year old son was watching "Robin Hood " + Grandpa throwing out old shoes = cool place to stash change.
I really love the feel of the dollar coins and needed something to put them in to keep them from the bottom of my backpack. Watching the movie Robin Hood and seeing the characters run around with sacks of Gold was pretty cool. I had just said to myself that I needed some leather to make a coin purse when Grandpa came up the stairs and said he was getting rid of his old shoes and did I know anyone who could use them....

Step 1: Harvesting Leather

Using a craft knife, cut away sections of leather by following the shoes seams. The leather is bonded to many layers of material, but once you cut though the top leather layer you can peel it off....

Step 2: More Cutting

Going around the back of the shoe to get a long piece.

Step 3: Gathering the Leather a Pattern Emerges

at this point I was just harvesting leather, but I see how a pattern is emerging for a coin purse.

Step 4: Soft Leather

This T shaped piece is thinner and softer than the body leather. Great for the top of the bag where the shoe laces will thread through and will be pliable enough to cinch up tight.

Step 5: All the Pieces

I trim the pieces if needed to make sure they match in size.

Step 6: Sewing

Before sewing, I sanded the "inside" surface of the leather free of the adhesive residue by rubbing the leather on the concrete steps to the patio. I used a sharp hand needle and black sewing thread doubled and knotted and pulled through beeswax to make sewing easier. I started with the two long pieces back to back. ( inside out )

Step 7: Sew One Edge

I sewed the two pieces of leather along the top edge only.

Step 8: The Top Fits

Fold open the sewn long piece and notice that it wants to curve into a "U" shape. Wrap the long piece around the toe top leather, make sure it "fits" and sew .

Step 9: Pushing the Needle

Sometimes I would put the eye of the needle on the arm of my chair and push down for those times when the leather was really stubborn. You can use a machine for this ! Ha Ha ...Or a thimble.......

Step 10: Almost There

After sewing both sides , turn work right side out....

Step 11: Decorate

I decided to add a bit of beads for sparkle and to make a clean edge, as I will be sewing on the outside like a piece of applique . The top edge of the "T" will be folded to the inside of the purse and sewn along the long edge only , so as to make a tunnel or pocket for the purse strings.

Step 12: Tacking Beads

I tacked the bead string along the edge every 5 beads or so.....

Step 13: After Applique

After sewing/tacking down the applique "T" shape to both sides of the coin purse...this photo shows the top edge with the strings in place. Fold down the soft leather of the "T" and sew along the long edge to the top edge of the purse, capturing the string. The string must be able to glide along its pocket...

Step 14: Working the Strings

Make a slit with a craft knife in the inside of the string pocket. With the aid of a crochet hook wrap the string around the purse opening and out the slit , one end of the string coming out one side and the other end on the opposite side of the purse, so that when you pull the string the purse will close.

Step 15: Add Pony Beads

Add a large bead (or 2) to the string , so when the coin purse is in the closed position it will stay tight. Open the purse all the way and knot both ends of the string together for a bead stop. Knot both shoelace ends to keep from fraying, a spot of fabric glue on the knots secures them. Note...You could run a strip of hook and loop tape on the inside for a more perfect seal if you don't mind the noise.....My little coin purse can hold $50.00 worth of dollar coins easy...Though I doubt it will see that much !!!
Hope you enjoyed my first ever instructable.

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