One of the first skills I learnt in leathercraft was to make a cardboard leather template or leather pattern. Before you start any leather project you will need a pattern/ template to trace off in order to know how many pieces it is made up of, what size these pieces need to be and where your stitching holes are positioned etc. A template will provide you with all this information.
A Template, or cutting template or leather pattern, is usually made out of cardboard and consists of a number of individual shapes/pieces that are overlaid onto your leather hide in order to trace out the pieces of your project. These pieces will cut out and sewn together to make up your leather object eg. a wallet, belt, bags etc.
In this post i would like to discuss how you can make your own leather template, what materials are needed, where you can get free templates and some tips and tricks that will save you time and start you off in the
right direction in your leathercraft journey.
What is a leather template used for.
A template acts as a guide so that you don’t have to continuously measure and size every piece of leather for your project. You can trace around the outline of your template pieces by placing them on top of your leather and then cut them out. Don’t forget to position and make the holes for your stitching in your template.
Obviously you will need to know what item you are going to make before you start your template. eg. wallet, belt, bag, watch strap etc. Secondly you will need to either make your own template (from scratch) or download one from the internet. If you are new to leather craft it is quicker and easier to download one. Sites like Pinterest have stacks of free templates available. You just need to find the right one for you that suits your skill level. Here’s an example of an acrylic template for a card holder that’s available on Amazon These can be used over and over and are really simple to use.
What materials do i need to make a leather cutting template?
Templates can be made out of a variety of materials, it doesn’t have to be cardboard. Paper, metal or even acrylic can be used to make a cutting template, but the easiest and cheapest material to use is cardboard. It is a relatively tough and hard wearing material and readily available and very easy to cut. Remember that your template can be re-used again and again for many projects.
Once you have made or downloaded the template you will need to print it out onto paper. Make sure you print it out so that it is the correct scale. Some downloaded templates may need to be enlarged before printing in order to get the pieces to the correct size/ scale. Do not use the “print to fit” function on your printer as this will print the template out at the incorrect size.
Now print out the template page or pieces and then cut out the individual paper pieces with scissors or cutting knife. The next step is to stick all your cut out paper pieces onto cardboard and then cut those out. You can use any kind of glue as long as it sticks to the cardboard. Once this is completed it’s time to cut out the cardboard pieces. Do not rush this process, take your time and use your ruler to guide you, making sure you don’t cut off any of the template edges.
You will notice that there are small circles/holes along all the edges of the template pieces. These holes are the stitching holes for the thread to go through when you start stitching individual your pieces together. You need to poke these holes on your cardboard template so that you can mark out the location of these holes on your leather a bit later. You can use a pricking iron or a scratch awl for this job. It’s a good idea to keep all your template pieces safely stored together so they can be re-used for other projects.
Is it expensive to make a carboard template.
No it’s not expensive to make a cutting template out of cardboard. You should be able to make your template for less than $2. Templates can become more expensive should you choose to make them out of acrylic or metal. Metal or acrylic templates are usually made when you become more advanced in your leather work and if you will be making numerous copies of the same item. For the beginner leather hobbyist I would recommend cardboard, as its cheap and if you make a mistake it will not cost too much to buy some more cardboard. For a couple of dollars you will have a good template/base to work from that will allow you to work accurately.
Advantages of making your own leather template.
The main advantage of making your own leather template is that you will have an accurate guide to cut out your individual pieces. All your edges and sides will be straight and true and your corners will be 90 degrees etc.
A template will also allow you to gauge how much leather you will need for each project.
If you are unsure take your template pieces down to your local leather store so that they can tell you how much leather you will need. The biggest advantage of a template is that they show you the location of your stitching holes. This is crucial as your stitching holes need to line up with one another when your pieces are stitched together. If your holes don’t line up you will have a messy untidy project that will be difficult to sew together.
How long will it take to make a cutting template?
It largely depends on the complexity of the project. If it’s something simple like a credit card wallet you will only need 3 or 4 template pieces. These pieces will need to be stuck onto cardboard and cut out so that the stitching holes can poked into the cardboard. This is a quick process and around half an hour should be all you need to have your template ready. If you are busy with a more complicated project like a handbag it can take considerably longer.
Making you own template from scratch (designing your own wallet) will take much longer as you will need to know the sizes/dimensions, where the stitching holes go, do your individual pieces line up etc. How do they fit together…..this can take a few hours. For the beginner its best to copy or download a free template until you gain the skill to make our own.
When do i need to make a leather cutting template?
You need to make a template before you start a new leather project, particularly if it’s the first time you are making that item. This is the first step for a beginner, as you become more experienced you can start to
“wing” it…..although i wouldn’t recommend this until you have sufficient experience and understanding. I always use a template for my projects.
What tools do i need to make a cardboard leather template?
You will need paper, cardboard, glue, cutting mat, cutting knife, steel ruler and a scratch awl or pricking iron. Any other tools are not really necessary. You will need a sharp cutting knife to cut out the cardboard pieces. It is best to buy a cutting knife with replaceable blades so that you can change it if it gets blunt. Other tools that might be needed are a scratch awl to mark the position of your stitching holes and to trace an outline of your template onto your leather hide.
Try not to rush when making the template, take your time and be careful not to cut your fingers when cutting out the individual pieces. I wouldn’t recommend children younger than 10 cut out the template without adult
supervision or at least and adult needs to show them how it can be done safely.
What software can i use to draw my own leather template?
There are a variety of software programs that you can use to draw your own template.(if you want to create one from scratch) Programs like Adobe Illustrator, or any draughting/CAD software like Autocad or even Microsoft
Excel or Microsoft Paint can work.
As long as these programs allow you to draw straight lines and print the drawing out to scale, you can use them to make a template. If you actually have the physical pattern in your hand it might also be worthwhile to digitize it/scan it so you can alter or use it again at a later stage. If all else fails you can use the good old faithful pencil, paper and a ruler. It’s cheap and easy.
Conclusion
Making a leather cutting template out of cardboard is very easy to do and there are many that are freely available on the internet. Making a template will give you a good understanding of the project and its overall size and complexity, how much leather you will need etc. Good luck with your first leather project!!