You don't need any prior knowledge to be able to make your own leather accessories with our DIY boxes! We want everyone, no matter how creative, handy or experienced, to be able to make their own leather accessories using our DIY boxes.

Why are we so sure about that? Our DIY boxes are designed in such a way that you sew the leather parts together, glue them together and finish the edges yourself, but you don't have to cut or punch any holes. This guarantees that all parts fit together with millimeter precision. The individual steps are explained in detail in the instructions, and since the individual parts are already prepared, no questions remain unanswered when it comes to assembling the individual parts.

We have listed all the steps from ordering your DIY box to the moment you hold your finished leather accessories in your hands on our "How it works" page.

Of course, the individual steps are different for each leather accessory - how exactly and in which order you have to proceed is explained in detail in our step-by-step instructions, which we will send you when you place your order. Our basic videos will help you with the instructions.

Practical: Everything you need to make your leather accessories, including all the tools, is included in your box.

Saddle stitching is the traditional way of sewing leather that is still used today by fine bag makers and luxury leather goods manufacturers around the world. Even in a large traditional French house with the well-known orange bags, the expensive models are still sewn by hand.

This not only has ideal reasons, but is also reflected in the longevity of your leather accessory: While the threads of the backstitch of the sewing machine are only looped over one another, the threads of the saddle stitch are intertwined, which is why the seam, even if a thread comes loose, not fully open.

In order to guarantee the longevity of your leather accessories and to enable all DIY enthusiasts to be able to produce their leather accessories, we have designed all our DIY boxes using the principle of saddle stitching. Although this takes much longer than sewing with a sewing machine, it is more durable and in the end you can claim with full confidence that this accessory is 100% handmade. Also, once you sew a few stitches of saddle stitching, you'll find how relaxing it is to use your hands instead of letting the sewing machine do the work. A true #slowsewing project!

The accessories CANNOT be sewn with the sewing machine. Since the holes are already in the leather, it is impossible to hit the holes with the sewing machine with every stitch. This is only possible through good old manual work. The handiwork makes your leather accessory unique and particularly durable.

With our detailed step-by-step instructions and our explanatory videos, we accompany you throughout the entire manufacturing process.

Thanks to the prepared individual parts, the steps in the instructions are easy to follow and understand, so that you can have fun getting creative and don't have to keep asking yourself "Did I understand that correctly?".

Since our leather parts arrive already cut out and with holes, you cannot, for example, "sew" them together, because the parts fit together exactly and there is only one way to sew them together.

And what happens if you make a mistake?

Many of the individual steps, such as the sewing of the individual parts, can also be undone by "sewing backwards" or separating the parts again. Even our special leather glue does not stick from the first second, but only after you have exerted some pressure on the surfaces. So if you've slipped or glued parts together incorrectly, you can often "save" it again before it's final.

Of course, there are also moments when nothing can be saved and mistakes just happen. That's not a problem either, and we're happy to help you get your new favorite accessory in the end!

If you don't know what to do, or if a certain part can no longer be used, send us an email to hello@bagsandpieces.co and we will find a solution together, for example by sending you a new part for a small logistics fee.

You can find our step-by-step instructions and the explanation videos on the basics after you have placed your order on the order confirmation page and in your order confirmation as a download link.

The time you need to make your own leather accessories depends a lot on the individual DIY boxes and your wishes. Larger items like bags will take more time than smaller leather accessories like planners or belts because the stitching lines are longer, increasing the amount of time you need to sew. Since everything is sewn by hand, sewing itself is the biggest time factor - but also the most fun!

Another aspect that affects the manufacturing time of your leather accessories is how many coats of edge paint you apply to the leather edges. After only two coats of paint you will achieve a beautiful and long-lasting result. However, if you want a perfectly uniform edge with no bumps, you can also apply four or five coats of edge paint. Both the application and the drying times in between increase the time it takes to produce your leather accessories.

The base coat and edge color ensure a long-lasting finish on your leather accessories. After the leather parts have been sewn together, the edge color serves as an additional fixation to hold the edges together.

But the most important thing: the edge color seals the leather edges, so that your leather is not only water-repellent from above, but also no moisture can penetrate the leather through the edges. Even if the leather itself is not affected by moisture, nobody wants a damp handbag, right?

Furthermore, the edge color rounds off your leather accessory perfectly, giving it the finishing touch, so to speak. Many fine bag makers say that you can see exactly how much time was invested in the production of the leather accessory by the accuracy and evenness of the edges.