Decorative Leather Mason Jar Sleeves

If you’re looking for an easy DIY fall decoration or table centerpiece, check out the step-by-step instructions below! I used a natural veg tanned leather in 2/3 oz. and dyed it black, but you can use pre-dyed leather in veg tanned or chrome tanned. You really can’t go wrong with the leather you choose. I just would not recommend using anything over 5/6 oz. in weight.

These fall jars are so pretty and they can be as simple or as elaborate as you want them to be depending on how you decorate them. Here is how I made mine:

Step 1: Cutting the Leather

Cut your leather pieces into roughly 10-1/4” x 2-3/4” rectangles. I needed four pieces for this project.

Step 2: Add Stitching Line

Use your wing divider and make a stitch line down the short sides of each leather piece. I set my width at approx. 3/16”. Use your stitching chisels and punch your stitch holes using the stitch line you just created as a guide. Make sure you have the same amount of stitches on each side.

Step 3: Dye Your Leather (You can skip this step if you have pre-dyed leather)

For a more professional look, I would recommend dip dyeing the leather so the back is dyed also. I did not have a container close by so I used a wool dauber and Fiebing’s Pro-Dye in Black. To minimize spills, lay out a plastic bag or a piece of plastic and layer it with either a paper bag or a sheet of packing paper. I put about three generous coats of dye on each piece of leather for maximum coverage.

Step 4: Let Dye Dry Completely

Step 5: Add Lettering

I wanted black and white as my colors so I used the Angelus® Paint Marker Set in 3 mm and according to the directions that came with the markers, I put equal parts Angelus® Acrylic Leather Paint in White and Angelus® 2-Thin into an empty paint marker and shook it to mix well. I then wrote out the letters I wanted onto my dried leather pieces. I went with FALL for mine. It took several coats of white since we thinned it down for the marker but it dries pretty quickly so by the time I was done with the last letter I could go back over the first one.

You can do any letters you want in the color of your choice — there are so many options for this!

Step 6: Apply a Top Coat

Apply your favorite leather top coat, making sure the paint is completely dry for this step so the black and white colors don’t start running together.

A few options:

Angelus® Matte Acrylic Finisher, 4 oz.

Angelus® Satin Acrylic Finisher, 4 oz.

Fiebing’s Leather Balm with Atom Wax

Step 7: Stitching

The easiest way for me to stitch this was to wrap a rubber band around the leather to keep it in a circular form and stitch it while it was not on the jar. I used a baseball stitch for this project. For in-depth instructions for this stitch and many more, I would highly recommend this book. It has step-by-step instructions for leather techniques, stitching, and projects. It is a great book!

Cut your thread approx. eight times the length of the span you will be stitching. I used 16”.

Take your cut piece of thread and attach a needle to either end so you will have one piece of thread with a needle at each end.

Pull the threaded needles from front to back on the first set of stitching holes making sure to have equal length thread on each side. Then, take one needle and loop it around to the other side, pull it through to the front and continue looping it back around and down the original hole, this will give you a double loop and anchor your stitching.

Pull one of the needles up through the center seam of your leather from back to front and go through the next stitch hole on the opposite side from front to back. Repeat with the opposite side of the leather to create your first row: pull the other needle up through the center seam from back to front and through the next stitch hole on the opposite side from front to back.

Continue this pattern all the down to the last stitch hole. Once you’re at the end, take each needle, loop it around to the other side pulling them from back to front, and then continue looping them around from front to back. Both needles should now be on the backside of the leather. This will anchor your ends in place. If your stitches are loose, you go back through and tighten them using an awl. Once your stitches are tight, tie a double knot and trim off your thread.

Repeat the stitching for all four sleeves.

Once your stitching is finished, slide the leather sleeves onto your pint jars and you are all done!

This project was inspired by the Mason Jar Sleeve tutorial found in this Leather Crafts Book. If you are looking for a leather wrap pattern that can be used as a beverage sleeve on a wide mouth jar this is a great tutorial! There are so many neat projects in this book along with stitching instructions and tool how-to’s. The one pictured below is made according to the pattern in the book, but instead of stitching it I wanted to add button studs. Just add ½” length to either side when you are cutting the pattern and attach three button studs! Super cute with a latte in it!