DIY: How to Destroy a Perfectly Nice Leather Miniskirt

I have fantasies about paying for my family's next trip to Europe by selling my clever little crafts, especially my rather fabulous bookmarks. After a few local craft fairs, I must admit the sad truth: Craft does not pay. The money is in the "trash" resale business.

Still, I understand the fun and satisfaction of crafting. Sometimes, it's a sanity saver...a pricey little sanity saver.

To keep expenses low, I repurpose throwaway items and Goodwill finds. Here's an example:

DIY: LEATHER BOOKMARKS

For this project, you will need the following:

* One leather or suede skirt, ideally stained or otherwise ruined for regular wear
* A ruler
* Sewing chalk or pencil
* A pair of fabric shears or a very sharp blade
*1" Ribbon Clasps (available on Etsy--or from me, since I have literally hundreds)
* Jump Rings (widely available at craft stores and online)
* Needle nose pliers or Super Strong Fingernails
* Old beads and pendants
* Flexible jewelry wire (we strip insulation from trashed lamp cords to get copper wire)

For this demonstration, let's use this silvery-coated leather Esprit micro-mini, which I bought for $3 at the genius St. Barnabas Church Clothing Sale in Irvington, New York. It's a size 13, so lots of leather to work with.

Found these monstrously heavy 80s Overkill
earrings in a $10 Jug-O-Jewelry from Goodwill.

Here we go!

1. Slice out the lining.
2. Lay flat. Mark out 1" x 9" strips, using ruler.
3. Cut. Be bold! Fear will show in wobbly edges.
4. Clamp ribbon clasp to one end of leather strip, using pliers.
5. Pick out a pendant or a couple beads. You may need to attach them to each other using jewelry wire.
6. Attach to ribbon clasp loop using a jump ring. TWIST open jump ring for easy re-closing.

 Recognize bits of 80s Overkill earrings?

You can use old velvet or fabric ribbons, too; just trim to desired length, clamp a ribbon clasp on both sides, and attach pendant or beads to both ends.

 

Check out the Etsy shop from Nyack's own Sew What's New--super selection of vintage fabrics and ribbons.

Um, that's it. A cute way to encourage reading!

These are also mine, available at A Nu Toy Store in Tarrytown.

Guess what you are all getting for Christmas this year?


Copyright 2013, Tanya Monier