Tool pouch or roll - PEP BB textile.straw.leather.toolpouch

I made a tool roll/pouch for my pricking irons (the punches for marking stitches used in leatherwork). They are only cheap ones, a Made in China set that I inherited with much of my kit, but it's nice to have them stored in something better than the plastic bag they came in.

I made use of some poorer quality leather for this project, as much to be rid of it than anything. It is still tough enough to protect the tools (and my fingers!) but it looks quite beaten up and worn. It's impossible to get a nice finish on the edges of this stuff too - I didn't even try for this project, instead cutting it neatly and avoiding ragged or frayed areas.

As usual, I made up a pattern using a piece of scrap paper, then cut out my leather using this. I stitched pockets for each of the pricking irons, varying the length of the stitch for the aesthetics. I then cut a pair of slits in the top piece, braided up some undyed wool that my partner uses for crochet and used it as a tie to secure the roll.

It's not the prettiest but it works well enough for me!

I'm always leaving my cellphone everywhere and losing it or forgetting it. Since I only use it as a tool for taking pictures, it's a bummer to always be losing it. I felt it was time to make a belt pouch for it! I decided that, since I was at it, I would add sections for a pen and pencil (I use--and lose--both these tool a lot), as well as a pocket for a tissue, credit card, or other small item I might need to store.

I found these videos helpful for the wet-molding and assembly of the pouch:





I used all vegetable-tanned leather, as well as linen thread. I used no glues at all.

To wet form it, I needed a mold. I went out to the random scraps of wood my husband salvaged from a woodshop dumpster, and sawed and sanded this one down to size.

Traced out my cellphone

sawed and sanded!

I cut another piece from the same board to use as a foundation, and then wetformed the leather onto the mold and clamped it down.

soaked the leather in warm water until bubbles stopped coming out, and then clamped it to wood with binder clips

It worked!

inside of the wetformed leather

outside of the leather

Now it's time to trim and poke the holes in!

I trimmed it a little too short--I wished I trimmed it later in the process. It still worked out, though

Then it's time to get the flap, back, and the way to affix the flap down. I really liked this green, but didn't have enough of it, so I ended up improvising

I made SO MANY paper templates to make sure I had the size and shape of the pieces just right!

I needed to sew this down first, so I wouldn't have to sew inside the pouch after it was assembled!

More holes need to be poked for the pocket, pen/pencil holders, and back panels.

I triple checked each of these to make sure everything lined up right before poking the holes!

Time to sew it all together! I chose to sew everything at once, rather than sewing in layers. This was a bit trickier, but I love how it turned out.

Sewing all the layers together with golden linen thread

It is finished!

finished cellphone holder!

Back of the pouch. I love how all the colors and shapes look together!

Look inside

tool pouch attached to my belt!

I loved learning to use the saddle stich in leather this project. I used my home-tanned elk hide, once again. I cut it with a box knife, measured my spoon-carving tools to estimate how large my pockets needed to be, then stitched around it by hand, using thread I waxed myself. Finally, I applied a button and attached a strap for the button hole. Wa La!