Distressed Leather Book Bag DIY

I recently received this amazing piece of leather from the Leather Hide Store and couldn't wait to make this bag out of it. LHS provides high quality leather at wholesale prices, making projects like this one affordable without losing the quality of a high end leather bag. This piece of leather is from the remnant sale section on their site, which is one reason it has the great tattered look to it. I've been wanting a large bag to bring to meetings that can hold my lap top, notebooks, files, etc. but something more professional looking than a backpack and more personal than a briefcase. This project would be perfect for those of you about to start school and are looking for a new book bag.  Here's how I created this project:

Supplies: Large tattered piece of leather, sewing machine, heavy duty fabric or leather scissors.

Begin by cutting out the pattern of the purse. To prevent losing any leather, instead of cutting it into two separate pieces for the front and back, I cut it into one large piece and folded it over, leaving the back section longer to create a flap. Because I wanted mine to have a tattered look, I left the messy edges on the flap. Next, fold it with the outside facing inward and stitch the open side and bottom, creating a bag. I wanted mine to be as simple as possible, so I didn't add a lining, but it's always an option if you're comfortable enough with your sewing machine to add in a lining to your bag. Because your bag will most likely be holding a lot of heavy materials, make sure it has a sturdy stitch by going over the seam twice with a zig zag stitch. Next, turn the bag right side out. Cut out and stitch on a long leather strap. Because the remaining leather wasn't long enough, I attached two pieces together to create one long strap.  I measured mine to make the bag hang at my hip. Lastly, stitch on the strap to each side with a sturdy stitch. I attached the strap to the bag twice through with a zig zag stitch. 

What's great about this project is that because each piece of leather is unique, each bag will have a one-of-a-kind look. Enjoy!