Easy-peasy Leather Sunglasses Pouch!

Jingle bells, jingle bells!

Ahh, Christmas time... You may be thinking snow, blankets and a toasty eggnog by the fireplace.

So why on earth (in the southern hemisphere) am I making a sunglasses pouch you ask?

Well, the Australian Christmas begs for a cold beer, thongs and a sunny day at the beach! Since my original pouch is long lost (R.I.P., wherever you are), now is good a time as any to make sure my sunnies are protected from drunken fumbles & tumbles.

So I'll show you how to make an easy-peasy sunglasses pouch you can proudly show off to your mates, loved ones, and your canine best friend. This is also a great gift idea for clumsy people like myself - plus, a handmade gift triumphs a mass-produced one any day!

Step 1: Only 3 Materials!

Materials:

• Leather (preferably 2 square feet of 5-6oz or heavier thickness)
• Magnetic snap clasps - 1 set (can be substituted for press studs or similar securing paraphernalia)

• Thread (preferably waxed) - I used flat, 1.0mm waxed Tiger thread by Julius Koch

*Phew, what a list! Hope I didn't forget anything. ;)

**To top it off, all of these were leftovers from my previous project so I didn't spend a single cent. Ahh, the perks of over-buying.

Tools:

• 2x blunt needles
• Awl
• Leather pricking iron
• Hammer
• Craft knife
• Ruler
• Adhesive tape (any will do, just for temporarily holding the pattern to the leather)
• Leather hole punch (optional - for an easy time attaching the snap clasps)
• Wing divider/drafting compass (optional - for consistent marking of stitch line from the edges)
• Craft clips (optional - convenient for holding pieces as you stitch)

*If you would like to burnish the edges, I highly recommend this YouTube tutorial by Tandy Leather. Personally, I prefer the look of the soft, raw edges but ultimately the choice is yours, dear reader.

Step 2: The Basics

Marking & punching the stitch lines

1. Drag any pointed tool + ruler to mark the stitch line.
   • A flathead screwdriver works fine, or use a wing divider/drawing compass to mark a consistent line from the edges.
     
   • You may also use a leather groover if you want the stitching to be flush with the surface of the leather.
2. Hammer along the line with the stitch punch until the punch has cleanly penetrated.
   • Overlap 1 or 2 of the holes for a consistent, straight line.
   • Do this on a stable, solid surface with a piece of scrap leather underneath to protect the punch and the surface.

Calculate and cut how much thread is required

• This depends on the thickness of the leather and the stitch spacing, but the general rule of thumb is 1.5x the length of the stitch line when the thread is doubled up.
• Having the thread too long will be very annoying - try to not to exceed your arm's length.
• If you run out of thread in the middle of a stitch line, don't fret! Just tie it off discretely on the hidden side and continue on with a fresh thread.

Threading the needle

1. Pass the one end (E1) of the thread through the needle hole.
2. Push the needle through the centre of the passed thread, leaving about 1"/2.5cm from E1.
3. Pull on the long side of the thread to tighten.
4. Twist the length of E1 flush with the long end of the thread. (optional)

Stitching

• The saddle-stitch was used for all stitching. Instructables has a fantastic tutorial on how it's done.

Step 3: Design

The case I've drawn is designed to fit sunglasses or eyeglasses up to 16cm x 6cm and is scaled to an A3 page. If your pair is shaped vastly different, the pattern can easily be scaled up or down accordingly.

I used magnetic snap clasps since I had them left over from my previous project, but feel free to use other methods too.

I also made a last minute decision to leave a 2cm excess strip of leather at the location shown in the photo. This made for a neater and sturdier edge and form.

Step 4: Transfer the Pattern & Cut the Leather

For the template

1. Print the blueprint full-scale on an A3 paper at a print-shop, or divide and print onto 2 A4 pages.
2. Carefully cut it out with a ruler and knife.

For the leather

1. Arrange the template pieces to minimise wastage and tape it down.
2. Mark/outline the corners with an awl. While you're doing this, it's useful to also mark the stitch lines, crease lines, and any noteworthy points.
3. Remove the template and cut the pieces out with a ruler and knife.

*Using the chisel for small cuts and holes will be much easier than using a knife

**If you are using vegetable tanned leather, you should apply any dyes and finishes now.

Step 5: Test Fit!

This is the time to test fit your pouch.

It would be disconcerting to say the least to find out in the end that your masterpiece doesn't fit the occupants. Don't worry about the nose piece yet - just temporarily secure both ends of the pouch with clips, tacks, clamps or pegs and test the fit.

While you're at it, this is also a good time to mark a suitable spot for the receiving clasp on the body of the pouch. This can vary depending on how neatly the sun/eyeglasses fold up, and may be different from the spot marked on the pattern.

Step 6: Clasps and Surrounds

1. Install the receiving clasp on the body of the bag (since it's more bulky) and the top part on the suede side of one clasp surround leather piece, not the lid flap itself.

*I did this for a sleeker look rather than attaching it directly on the lid flap and covering it. This way, only the stitches are visible from the outside.

**Make sure they are in the correct orientation! The receiver should be on the grain side, and the top piece on the flesh (suede).

2. Punch the stitch lines and stitch the clasp surrounds on.

*The butt of the receiving clasp should be covered from the inside (suede) of the pouch body with the surround piece, and the top part-surround combo should be stitched onto the underside (suede) of the lid flap.

Step 7: Nose-piece & Edge Trim

For the nose-piece:

Punch & stitch the nose piece onto the suede side at what will be the bottom of the pouch body, indicated by two 'X' markers.

• For easy reference, trim/fold off the pattern and lay it near the spot as shown in the photo.

Make sure that the protruding edge faces what will be the front, to give the pouch proper form and crush resistance.

For the edge trim:

1. Fold the excess strip over to the inside and temporarily clip in place.
2. Mark the stitch line and punch it out.
3. Stitch together.

Step 8: Nearly There...

Now you're almost done!

1. Fold the front of the pouch along the dotted line indicated on the pattern, over towards the middle of the pouch.
2. Temporarily secure each sides with clips or tacks, making sure that the edges are flush and properly aligned.
3. Punch the stitch holes with the pricking iron and stitch the corresponding sides together.

Step 9: Finished!

Congratulations, you've now made your very own pouch. How cool is that?