- 1). Lay your leather fabric flat on a table. Let the rougher side face up. Place your purse pattern on the fabric and trace the outside of the pattern. Free hand draw a handbag shape if you have no pattern. Make it as large as you want.
- 2). Cut out the shape from the leather and place it on another sheet of fabric. Cut out the second shape and place them on top of each other so that both rougher sides are facing outward. Line them up perfectly.
- 3). Use your hole punch to make a series of 1/8-inch holes along the bottom and sides of your bag. Make these holes 1/4 inch from the side of the bag and separate them by 1/8 inch. Keep the holes of your purse halves perfectly lined up, with the rough side of the leather still facing out.
- 4). Thread a piece of the 1/8-inch leather strap through a hole on one end of the purse. Pull the strap through both halves of the purse and pull it up through the next hole. Continue threading your strap through the sides till you reach the end.
- 5). Pull the strap through the holes until there are 3 inches of strap at the beginning of your threading. Tie this 3-inch strap into a series of knots to close off the end. Use your lighter to fuse the fabrics of the leather strap. Pull the sides together tightly and tie the other end of the strap using the same process.
- 6). Turn the purse inside out to keep the stitches on the inside of the purse. Cut two straps of leather about half an inch wide and about 4 feet long. Place the ends of one of the straps on the top of your purse to create a handle. Push the leather snap holders into place to hold the handle to your purse. Repeat this process on the other side.
- 7). Use your leather knife to cut a 2-inch slit in the center of the top of your bag side. Attach a button directly opposite the slit using your needle and thread. Close the bag by sliding this button through the slit.
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