Pinwheel Coin Pouch

Pinwheel, Squeeze, Origami... no matter what you call this coin pouch we can all agree that it's pretty cool! Just like all my other leather projects you will not need any fancy leather tools. And to make things even better, this is an incredibly easy and quick project to make. Let's get started!

Step 1: Materials

For this project you're going to need:

• Leather (I used 5oz. chrome leather, but I recommend a lighter leather)
• Utility Knife
• Needle
• Hammer
• Pattern (You can use my octagon design above)

Step 2: Scoring, Cutting, and Marking

Place the pattern on the grain side (nice looking side) of the leather and using your needle score the design. Use the utility knife to cut along the scratch. Next, realign the pattern on top of the grain of the leather and, using your needle, mark the leather at the vertices of the inner octagon and the center of each outer ark. We will use these marks later as a guide when we fold.

Step 3: Folding

Before we begin folding we need to place the leather in water for 5 minutes. This will help it keep its shape later on. After the 5 minutes remove any access water with a paper towel. Start folding the sides of inner octagon by hand so that the grain is on the outside. Once you have folded each side, go over the folds with a hammer. Next fold along the radial lines that extend from the octagon to the center of the arks. Make sure that the grain is on the outside. Again, go over these with the hammer. Now we want to bring all the center of the arks together in the middle and then push all the flaps to the right or the left. This will give the cool origami design. Once you have made any adjustments place a heavy object on the pouch and let dry for a day.

Step 4: Final Touches

After drying you can smooth out the edges with sandpaper and burnish the sides. I, as usual, chose not to do so because I like the raw look.

I hope you guys go ahead and give this project a shot because it's easy, rewarding, and makes for a great gift! Get creative with your coin pouches, add designs on the edges, maybe make it a decagon or some other polygon! If you guys want to know how I made this design let me know and I can come back and add a step showing the design process.

If you liked this Instructables you might like my other leather projects:

Beetle Bag: https://www.instructables.com/id/The-Beetle-Bag/

Passport Cover: https://www.instructables.com/id/Easy-Leather-Pass...

Medieval Needle Case: https://www.instructables.com/id/Medieval-Leather-...

Please leave pictures and videos of your coin pouches and as always let me know how I can improve my Instructables! :)

Comments

[timtak]

We had a Sonia Rykiel patent leather wallet with the square version of this (only four flaps) but it was really useful since it would open up, like this one, to let you see what coins we had. I lost it. I am looking for the name. The square type is unlikely to be called a pinwheel coin pouch/purse. The "origami coin purse/pouch" naming, that the OP suggests, has a lot of hits for the square type on Google image search. Maybe one day I will be able to find an Origami Sonia Rykiel wallet on ebay. Thank you.

[Ricardo Furioso]

Wow. My grandfather carried a pouch exactly like this in his pocket with tobacco in it. I haven't thought about that in 50 years. I can still remember the smell. Thank you so much for sharing, and reminding me of him.

[Daniel Stabile]

My pleasure, glad it brought you memories :)

[patytrico]

Fantastic! It would be a lovely present ;) Thanks for the idea. I would give it a try ;D

[Daniel Stabile]

Thanks! Let me know how it comes out :)

[FillimenaB]

I was in the US Navy and while in the Phillipines I picked up a square one that folded in like your design . Unfortunately it’s in the Pacific Ocean east of Hawaii. I would love to know how to design one like it.

[snowf7]

I had one of these when I was in high school. Over the years it has gone missing. I would really like to make another on my own. What is the size of the pattern, before it is folded? If I bought a square piece of leather, how big would it have to be for the pattern to fit on it? The piece you are using ( 5 oz. chrome)looks to be about the thickness of a cereal box. Would a piece of leather chamois work, or is that too thin?

[Daniel Stabile]

The pattern unfolded was 21 cm and the leather I used is much thicker than a cereal box, at least 3 times thicker if not more. Honestly if you found a piece of leather about 1mm thick I think that would be best. And yes, I think thats a cobbler hammer, I found it in ecuador while traveling

[snowf7]

Thank-you Daniel;

Your reply really helps. I have some scrap leather that should be about the right thickness. I am going to try making one.

[Daniel Stabile]

No problem! Let me know how it turns out :)

[snowf7]

The hammer you are using looks very interesting. Is it a cobbler's hammer?

[onlyHischild]

Why I haven't tried to make one of these like my grandfather's, I have no idea. Thank you, Daniel, for the instructable. I'm also going to for the medieval needle case. I have a sterling toothpick case and the needle case would be more natural. I love all things natural.

[Daniel Stabile]

I'm glad you like it :) The hammer I found in some hardware store in ecuador, I've never seen one like it in the states

[donnie.hodges]

how would you add a liner material? thanks.

[Daniel Stabile]

Unfortunately I haven't tried to do that, maybe you could stitch it around the perimeter of the pouch and then also stitch it along the inner octogon?

[onlyHischild]

I forgot to ask, where did you find the hammer?

[unstabel]

Do you make and sell them

[Daniel Stabile]

No, this is actually the first one I ever made. Everyone tells me I should sell them though haha

[pinkfly]

Lovely! I think I will use this pattern with paper instead of leather: it's could be used as birthday card maybe (with sparkling flying papers hidden inside)?

[RickG5]

Or glitter, depending how much you like the recipient...