What do you do with small leather scraps?

[2SSophie]

Hi everyone,

As the projects go, I get lots of small leather scraps. Very often, they end up in the trash can, which is a shame for such an expensive material :-(

So I was wondering: what do you do with your very small leather scraps, let's say a few inches long, less than an inch wide? Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,

Sophie

[cjartist]

There's not a whole lot you can do with pieces that small.  Sometimes I will use them to test shades of dye, then they hut the trash.  

What could you do with them?  Maybe key fobs, or rings.

[garypl]

1 hour ago, 2SSophie said:

Hi everyone,

As the projects go, I get lots of small leather scraps. Very often, they end up in the trash can, which is a shame for such an expensive material :-(

So I was wondering: what do you do with your very small leather scraps, let's say a few inches long, less than an inch wide? Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,

Sophie

Like cjartist, I use the small scraps to test dyes before I dye my projects.  

[alpha2]

Same here, test dye mixtures, or dye before applying to a larger piece. It has to be from the same hide, and area, though, to be accurate.

I USED to keep every scrap...that got out of hand rapidly.

[Wedgetail]

Couple of ideas... not that I bother woth some of them.

Use a large hole punch to turn them into leather washers for saddlers rivets on larger projects.

Use them for testing dye

Use them under your leather for hole punching into and save your tools and cutting mat.

Mix them in a blender, add epoxy, compress, and turn them into micarta... sounds like a fun experiment.

For slightly larger bits, make lacing from them.

Make name plates to sew onto finished products... you can use a little benchtop laser to etch them.

Create tags from them you can add your makers mark to, and attach them with lace for presentation of your finished products.

Wrap them around clamp jaws to protect your leather projects.

Key fobs

Test knife sharpness

Test skiving techniques

Practice stitching, and test new stitching chisel/thread combinations

Cut them into uniform shapes, add tarzans grip double sided tape, and stick to furniture legs to protect your flooring.

... that's all I could come up with on the spot.

[Wedgetail]

Oh, add glove snaps and make them into headphone (earbud) holders... same technique would work for cable ties to tidy up the cables at the back of your TV.

[smcconnell]

 My Two Cents worth.  Small scraps can be made into earings.  Use the many 3D stamps sold by Tandy for the outline.  Then add bead(s) and ear wires.  Maybe add some paint, as well.  Leaves, feathers, etc. can be made from scrap leather and painted.  I have given them as presents and people like them because they are unusual and light weight.  Best of luck.  Stan

[Wedgetail]

Nice, hair barrettes too.

Not first in my mind, since I am pretty much balding =p

Edited October 25, 2017 by Wedgetail

[2SSophie]

Thanks!

Lots of great ideas. I do use the scraps for testing (dyes, sharpness of the tools, etc.), practicing with the swivel knife and protecting the leather from clips.

But I had never thought of the hair barrettes, tags, earrings and many other suggestions. Thanks again for the very quick and smart ideas! All I have to do is getting the work done now :-)

[RockyAussie]

Here a few more ideas you might like.

[alpha2]

12 hours ago, Wedgetail said:

Oh, add glove snaps and make them into headphone (earbud) holders... same technique would work for cable ties to tidy up the cables at the back of your TV.

Been there, done that!

[cowboycolonel]

A restaurant here makes a bid deal about their napkin rings.  ...just punched and inserted the end of a strip of leather into the other side - looks like a "breast cancer" ribbon.  They want "all" my scraps.  Wait 'til I deliver a saddle box full!

[Willie0]

Scraps are nice for testing new stamping designs and for small odds and ends pieces that are needed in projects.  Since I am forever changing thread size and color for one at a time projects, I always do a test run with the same material before machine sewing the real project.