Mandy Detachable Card Holder

The Mandy Card Holder is the fourth in the "adventurous beginner“ leather pattern series. This pattern was designed to help use up some of the smaller scraps leftover from our previous projects - and so we can add a cute accessory to those bags we made.😉 It only takes a few small cuts of leather and minimal time to put the card holder together. In the end, you will have a very practical card holder you are sure to love.

So, what is so great about the Mandy Card Holder? This little gem holds several cards and it is detachable, so you can clip it anywhere from your keys, a bag, a wrist strap, to a lanyard. Can you say super practical? I love my Mandy and I hope you will love yours, too!

***Click here to download the pattern.***

Materials:

Leather

1/2" Swivel Clasps

10mm Spring Snap

Tools:

*Snap Setter *Rotary Cutter/Precision Craft Knife *Cutting Mat *Leather Glue/ 1/8" Double-Sided Tape

Leather: The Mandy can be made with various weights, but we cover 2-3 oz, 3-4 oz, 4-5 oz. and 5-6 oz in the pattern. You can use many different weights and types, but if your leather is really soft, or thin, you might need to double your pieces. Either way, you will be on your way to using those scraps for a super cute and fun project!

Domestic Machine or Industrial? Depending on the leather used, you might need an industrial machine for this card holder. Test your machine using a few small scraps of the leather you would like to use (if using a domestic, I recommend increasing your stitch length, using a new leather needle, and maybe a Teflon foot if your leather sticks).

Needles & Thread: This can vary for different types of machines, but if sewing your card holder on a domestic machine, consider using heavy duty polyester thread and a new leather sewing machine needle. You should also use a longer stitch length than is typically used when sewing fabrics. We sew our card wallets on an industrial machine with a size 125/20 needle and size 92 thread (I believe this is the Tex 90 equivalent). You can use other thread and needle sizes, but check the specs for your specific machine to see what is recommended.

Burnishing Edges: Finishing the edges of your leather can really enhance the overall look of your project. Burnishing will leave your project with smooth and glossy edges and it can be done pretty quickly and easily. We will talk about that a bit, but first I should mention not all types of leather can be burnished. There are tons of videos out there on how to burnish various types of leather, but the best and easiest burnish typically happens on veg-tanned leather. So, what do you need to burnish your edges? There are countless methods and all sorts of gadgets to aid in this task, but it doesn't have to be expensive or complicated. You can use a wood slicker, or simply using a a small piece of canvas, a burnishing agent (we like to use Tokonole and/or beeswax), and good old-fashioned elbow grease can produce beautiful results. With a leather that takes burnishing well, you would be amazed how quickly your project transforms. Take a peek at the short video below showing one method we like to use (the video has been sped up a bit).