Leather Bracelet With Stone Cabochon

This is a project that is fun and looks great.

Step 1: Come Up With a Design Around the Stone You Bought or Made.

Step 2: Print a Couple Copies of Your Drawing.

Your pattern will be sturdier if printed on card stock instead of paper.

Step 3: Some of the Materials and Tools You Will Need for This Project.

• Stone Cabochon, Leather
• Ruler, French Curve, Pencil for drawing design.
• Scalpel, Xacto knife. for cutting out pattern and leather.
• Hole Punch, Stitching Awl, Stitching Needles, Waxed Thread, Stitching Punches, Edge Beveler, Contact Cement, Edge Coat, Satin Finish. for working with the leather

Step 4: Trace and Cut Out Leather From Your Pattern.

Make the backing leather a little larger it will be trimmed after the layers are sewn together.

Step 5: Making the Bezel to Hold the Stone.

1. On the back side of the bezel, center stone cabochon.
2. Trace around the stone cabochon.
3. Using the scalpel angled from the line toward the center, cut out the shape. The bevel will lay on top of the stone to hold it in.
4. Using edge beveler, bevel the front and back.
5. Lightly wet the edge, use the slicker to smooth the edges.
6. Carefully apply Edge Coat to the bezel and let dry.

Step 6: Punching Stitching Holes on the Bezel and Top Leather.

1. Center the bezel and apply blue tape to hold the pieces in place.
2. Using the stitching punches, punch holes around the edge, between the edge and where the back bevel starts..

Step 7: Apply Finish and Start Assembly

1. Apply Satin Finish to top of bezel and let dry
2. Apply Contact Cement to the back of the stone cabochon, bezel, and the center to stitching holes on the top leather.
3. When dry, center the stone and and press together, then press the bezel around the stone.
4. Pull enough Waxed Tread to go around the bezel 2 times.
5. Thread your needles.
6. Insert needle through one hole and center thread.
7. Start sewing from the front insert top needle through the next hole to the rear pull down snug, now insert back needle through the same hole to the front.
8. Continue around the bezel. When you reach the start continue over the first stitch.
9. Cut off threads being careful not to cut the stitches.
10. Using mallet roll over the stitches to smooth them out.

Step 8: Glue the Top and Back Layers Together.

1. Apply Contact Cement to the back of the front and the rough side of the back leather.
2. Place a strip of Tape about 1/2" wide between the layers to add a keeper.
3. Press the leather together.
4. Apply Satin Sheen to the back of the bracelet.

Step 9: Sewing the Bracelet Together.

1. Punch stitching holes around the border.
2. When you get to a curve use the Stitching Awl to pierce the leather, keep same spacing as the stitching holes.
3. Pull enough Waxed Thread to go around the bracelet 3 times and thread the needles.
4. Remove the tape and insert the ends of the keeper into the bracelet.
5. Using the Stitching Awl pierce the holes from the back through the keeper ends between the layers.
6. Start sewing as done on the Bezel.

Step 10: Trim and Finish the Edge.

1. Trim the back to same size.
2. Use Edge Beveler around the front and back.
3. Dampen the edge then using edge slicker smooth the edges.
4. Apply Edge Coat and let dry.
5. Roll the mallet around the stitches to smooth them out.

Step 11: Punch Holes for Closure

1. Using Hole Punch punch hole the size of the screw for Button Stud.
2. Install button stud.
3. Wrap bracelet around insert end into keeper to locate where holes are needed for closure.
4. Punch these holes a little smaller than the diameter of the Button Stud.
5. Then add a small slit to the hole on the side toward the center of the bracelet, so it will go over the Button Stud.
6. You can add more holes to make it adjustable.

Step 12: Finished

I hope you enjoyed and have fun making a bracelet. You may contact me if you have any questions.

Joe