DIY box: The Ultimate Crossbody
DIY box: The Ultimate Crossbody
💗 Our first design, now convertible with a swap flap
🪡 Suitable for beginners - including success guarantee
👜 Detailed instructions for your professional result
🫶🏼 Handmade for you: delivery time 2 - 14 days
🎁 Free shipping within DE for this product
🌟 Made of high-quality cowhide leather in a smooth or grained structure
Detailed information and variants
Detailed information and variants
size of the bag
The crossbody has the following dimensions: 26 cm wide, 16 cm high, 7 cm deep, with a 20 cm wide inner pocket. A 0.5l bottle, a large purse and a few small items (glasses, make-up, mobile phone) fit into the crossbody. Your ideal companion for on the go.
exchange flap
The flap of this bag is attached to the back of the bag with five binding screws and can be swapped out as you wish. So you can customize the bag even more and match it to your looks. Alternatively, you can sew the flap permanently to the bag.
carrying options
With the different wearing options such as chain, statement belt or leather belt, you can style your crossbody both chic and casual - so you can quickly adapt the look of your bag to any occasion.
Contents of the DIY box
Contents of the DIY box
In the DIY box you will find everything you need to make your bag:
Leather, reinforcement and lining
- Leather parts in the color and structure of your choice, cut out and provided with sewing holes
- Tailored bonded leather reinforcement pieces
- Tailored canvas linings in the color of your choice
Metal accessories in light gold or silver
- Magnet to close the bag
- D-rings for attaching your chosen carry style
- 5 binding screws for fastening the replacement flap
- The carrying variant(s) of your choice
Supplementary Materials & Tools
- Sewing thread in the matching leather color
- Saddlery needles with a blunt tip
- Document clips to hold the leather pieces together while sewing
- Leather glue for gluing lining and leather
- Brush to apply the glue
- Edge color in the color of the leather
- Basecoat as a primer before applying paint
- Edge roller pen for applying edge paint and base coat
- Abrasive sponge for edge processing
- Mini screwdriver with slot for tightening the flap screws
Step-by-step instructions & videos
- Download link to the detailed, illustrated step-by-step instructions for making your crossbody (DE, EN, FR)
- Download link to the detailed instructions for the basics of leather processing (DE, EN, FR)
- Access links to our three explanation videos for the basics of leather processing (DE, EN)
Personalization Options
Personalization Options
You can optionally apply different personalizations to the crossbody. Choose between embossing, the trapunto technique or use pocket patches and rivets to customize your bag.
embossing
The embossing is applied to the leather during production. Letters are clamped into our machine, heated and pressed onto the leather with or without foil. The letters/shapes are approximately 8mm high.
You can choose:
- Color of the embossing: Foil in silver, light gold or blind embossing without foil
- Position on the bag: bag body, inside pocket, statement strap
- Text or motif (e.g. made by me lettering, our logo or an individual monogram)
trapunto technique
Here, forms made of bonded leather are glued between the leather and the lining and shaped against a firm base with an edge former. The result is a raised 3D effect that is more striking than the embossing due to the letter height of 6 cm.
The technique is implemented by yourself (video tutorial available) and is best implemented with our smooth leather or another thinner leather.
Here you choose:
- Ready-made letters or motifs with a height of 6 cm
- Alternatively material in one piece to realize your own patterns and shapes
Patches, bag charms, rivets
We also offer other personalization options such as leather bag patches, bag charms and rivets. You can order these as separate products in our online shop.
difficulty level
difficulty level
Also great for beginners!
It doesn't matter whether you're a DIY professional or have never worked with leather before - with our step-by-step instructions and video tutorials on the basics of leatherworking, you'll get all the important information you need to make this bag by hand yourself manufacture.
Since the materials are already cut out and provided with seam holes, they fit together exactly. This way nothing can go wrong and you can start production as soon as you receive your DIY box. Here we go!
Payment & Shipping
Payment & Shipping
Payment options
- SOFORT transfer (login via your online banking)
- Payment via PayPal
- Payment with VISA, Mastercard or Maestro
- Payment via ApplePay or GooglePay
- prepayment via bank transfer
Shipping & delivery time
The delivery time is between two and twelve working days.
Sounds long? It is!
Since we produce most products manually to order with great attention to detail, we need this time. The production-to-order approach also allows us to offer you several products from the different leather colors instead of just one pre-produced model. Furthermore, we only produce what was actually bought - for responsible use of our resources.
What makes our DIY boxes so special
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Handmade by you
Imagine you create something with your own hands and you can proudly say: I made it myself! An indescribably beautiful feeling that makes you appreciate your favorite bag even more.
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Exactly your style
Choose from countless color and style options and put together your DIY box according to your wishes. Personalize your leather accessory and make it something very special that nobody else has.
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Quality matters
The DIY boxes are handmade in Germany after ordering. We pay particular attention to using high-quality materials to ensure that your unique piece has a long life.
More information about the production of your bag
How does it work?
Our DIY box is designed so that you can make your own bag without any previous knowledge of leather craftsmanship. All the materials you need are included in the DIY box, you don't have to buy anything else.
The highlight of our DIY boxes:
The parts are already cut and provided with holes for sewing. This way we can guarantee that everything fits together perfectly and that you can sew the bag by hand without any effort. When it comes to metal accessories, too, we make sure that we only use parts that can be attached without special machines and are still firmly fixed.
As soon as you have put together your DIY box, you will receive an e-mail from us with the order confirmation and access to the instructions and basic videos. You can then look at these in advance or when your DIY box arrives. And then you can get started!
Is the project suitable for beginners?
Our clear answer: YES!
Why are we so sure about that?
Because over 7,000 people have already sewn one of our DIY boxes and over 92% of our customers have never worked with leather before or have only done small handicraft projects. Because the leathercraft techniques of gluing , sewing and edge processing are repeated over and over again and because we have created detailed explanatory videos for all three topics, you will have learned everything you need to make your leather accessory in just a few minutes.
In addition, the leather parts are already cut and provided with sewing holes. So, technically, there's only one sensible way for the pieces to fit together. Of course, we have also explained this with photos and text in our step-by-step instructions.
If, contrary to expectations, you have any questions, our popular and highly rated customer support will be happy to help you. You can reach us Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. via email at hello@bagsandpieces.co.
An important clue:
This DIY project is perfect for you if you like trying new things and generally have a certain affinity for DIY and crafting. You don't need to be particularly handy, but you should still enjoy making your own and be willing to learn new techniques.
How long does production take?
As a rough guide, the crossbody takes about 8 to 10 hours to manufacture (including drying times for the edge paint). If you have never made a bag before and are looking at the instructions and videos for the first time, it may take a little longer.
Sounds long?
It is! In the end, however, this is what differentiates handmade things from fast fashion. Many of our customers say that they have a completely different appreciation for their handmade products and are incredibly proud to own a 100% individual and handmade handbag. And beware: addictive!
So if you want some me-time, a balance to your everyday life or some creative time with friends and you enjoy learning new techniques, then time flies by. You can also split the steps up. Another advantage: the production does not take up much space and you can pack and unpack your DIY box whenever you have time.
Where does the leather and the rest of the materials come from?
The leather in our standard collection comes from a Veneto tannery that has been working with leather for more than 20 years and supplies many well-known luxury leather goods labels. With innovative methods, especially in the area of water treatment and resource-saving techniques, the tannery combines traditional craftsmanship with modern expertise.
The leather in our special editions mostly comes from surplus sales in Tuscany or is our own production that we commissioned from Italian tanneries. Surplus sales are leftover stocks from major luxury leather goods labels who no longer want to use these leathers as they work in seasonal collections. The leather is carefully selected by us on site, so that we can also offer very good quality and great features here. Treasure hunt, next level!
The other materials such as metal accessories, straps and other supplementary items come from suppliers in the leather processing industry. We source these from all over the world but especially Italy, Spain, Portugal, China and France depending on where we can find the best product for your DIY box.
Discover our DIY boxes
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DIY box: The Modern Saddle
Regular price 144,00 €Regular priceUnit price / per -
DIY box: The Modern Saddle *EXCHANGE FLAP*
Regular price 64,00 €Regular priceUnit price / per -
DIY Box: The Timeless Mini
Regular price 159,00 €Regular priceUnit price / per