New knock-off: J.Crew leather patch pocket pullover tutorial

1.13.2015

New knock-off: J.Crew leather patch pocket pullover tutorial

This is a fun, dressier DIY clothing makeover/knock-off!

Inspired by the J.Crew Factory merino pocket tunic and the J.Crew merino leather pocket sweater (both from more than a year ago, I think), I put together this tutorial for a simple patch pocket detail on a plain sweater. Here are the originals...

J.Crew merino leather pocket sweater (sold out)

J.Crew Factory merino pocket tunic

And here's what you can make!

Leather Patch Pocket Sweater Tutorial

You will need:

• Crewneck sweater or long sweatshirt
• About 1/4 yard leather or faux leather (mine was super cheap fake leather, but since it won't bear much strain, that's fine)

Here's my "before" sweater and finished project.

(Note: this sweater had a funny balloon shape so I took in the sides majorly before using it for this tutorial--gave it an even more dramatic before/after, eh? See my method for taking in a lightweight sweater here!)

1. Try on the sweater;. TK

2. Cut approximate pocket pieces. You pick the proportions; this will depend on your size and the length of your sweater. Cut two identical. Mine ended up being about 7.5" wide by 10" long.

3. Fold over one corner for hand angle. Lay your hand on top of the piece, imagining 1/2" will be turned under on all sides. I did a right triangle, but it could be more steeply angled like the original.

4. Topstitch the top pocket edge. Start with a row of stitching just over 1/4" (typically the presser foot width) from the edge. (Remove pins before you reach them.)

Then sew a row less than 1/8" from the edge. If you can tell up close on the original, there are two rows of stitching which adds to the quality look.

5. Trim the excess pocket. Leave a small seam allowance outside your first row of top stitching. It's not like it will ravel!

6. Pin or clip under 1/2" all the way around. Leather and fake leather are difficult to pin, so you can also use sewing clips like these--very handy for thick projects, too.

7. Pin pocket in place. Approximately on top of the hand position you marked, pin the pocket down on one side. You'll probably be able to align it with the grain of the sweater to keep it vertical and straight.

8. Top stitch on the sweater. With about 1/8" of the folded seam allowance to the right of the needle, top stitch all the way around the pocket.

9. Match the other side. Fold the sweater in half lengthwise with the sewn pocket facing down and line up the second pocket's edges to put them in exactly opposite places. Pin carefully (repeat step 7) and top stitch (step 8).

Easy!

P.S. My suede flats are from Lands' End and I love them. Great price, real leather, even come in wide! And sparkle.

Try it at home!!

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Easy DIY leather camera strap tutorial and Leather Hide Store giveaway

3.10.2014

Easy DIY leather camera strap tutorial and Leather Hide Store giveaway

My first attempt at sewing on leather, and I'm so happy with it!! I was intimidated, but now I'm sold--real leather is wonderful to work with, and creates a really nice end product--I look forward to using it more in the future!

Leather Hide Store has been doing some fabulous blog collabs lately and there have been some very cool tutorials with their stuff (see some on their Facebook page)--and I'm so glad they reached out to me to send me my choice of one of their leather pieces, and the first thing I thought to make was this camera strap!

Turns out with just a few special tools, sewing on leather isn't hard at all, and this strap is just my kind of project! Simple, easy to measure, and, with careful sewing, creates a very pro-looking, practical accessory!

DIY Leather Camera Strap Tutorial

You will need:

• A piece of leather (at least 4.5" x 24")
• Clothes pins, binder clips, or Getta Grip Sewing Clips
• Seam ripper
• Leather scissors
• Leather needle for your machine
• Thread in the colors of your leather and the foundation to your camera strap
• An old camera strap (or the components of the adjustable base and connection point--you can buy adjustable strap materials at the fabric store)

Step 1: Using a seam ripper, take apart the base of the original strap. Those stitches are really in there, trust me! This part takes some patience.

Step 2: Now to the leather. Even it out so you have a perfect rectangle or at least a right angle on one side. Align your ruler and mark it with pen or pencil, then cut with leather scissors.

Step 3: To make the smooth-edged 1.5" strap, you'll a 4.5" piece of leather on itself 3 times, leaving a discrete raw edge on the inside. Cut your leather into a 4.5" wide, 24" strip, using the clear ruler to draw the edge.

(My typical pro Canon camera straps was a little over 1.5" wide by a little over 24" (the nylon/rubbery strap piece only, excluding the base. I cut my leather to be these same dimensions, but you could make yours a little longer or shorter if you like!)

Step 4: Using the ruler and pencil, draw lines along the length of the leather strip 1.5" from the top. You'll be folding it on itself in 3 almost even, 1.5"-plus-fold-room pieces--a tri-fold.

(The tri-fold finish for a leather or fake leather strap is a technique I learned from a sponsor back in 2011; she has this tutorial of the method and some good tips about fine points if you want to get technical!)

Step 5: Since you can't pin leather, to hold it in place, fold it carefully back to the 1.5" line and clip with your clothes pins, binder clips, or Getta Grip Sewing Clips, along the length of the strap.

Step 6: At the sewing machine (put on the leather needle!! and matching leather-colored thread on the bobbin and top thread), top stitch at the edge of the folded side of the strip (I used about a 1/8" seam allowance).

TIP: Use a big stitch length for a more even, professional look and just in case you need to take out a stitch. I hurried through and used different seam lengths in my top stitching, and I wish I hadn't!! Wish I'd used a medium-long stitch the whole way along. Oops. Do as I say, not as I do...

Step 7: Fold the raw edge back toward the folded side, clip in place, and sew along that edge with a matching seam allowance. This time you're sewing through 3 layers of leather, so it may be a little tougher for the machine. Go slow if you need to!

Step 8: Flip back to the first edge and top stitch 1/4" from the first seam.

Step 9: Back on the second edge, top stitch 1/4" from the second seam.

Step 10: The strap is now done. Grab the bases of the original strap (or the adjustable strap pieces you bought at the fabric store) and put the leather strap in between them. Pinch in place and sew through all the layers, retracing the X and rectangle stitching of the original. Repeat on the second side.

Done!! Here it is, smooth and nicely finished and ready for use!


It's perfect. Just the right size/length, has that nice leather smell, is more durable than the nylon/rubber/embroidered strap... so happy with how it turned out!

And here it is in use! Love it!!

And what a great DIY gift this would be!

If you want to try this yourself, check out Leather Hide Store--and one of you will win the $50 gift card! Enter here or on my Facebook page!

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