A leather cup jacket is a stylish and practical covering that is for your cup. It is often used when going out with a casual look but wanting a hot coffee with you. You will almost certainly find the one that is just right for your taste among the many distinct styles in which leather cup jackets come.

How to make leather cup jackets? To make the perfect leather cup jacket, start by measuring your favorite cup and listing all the needed sizes. Draw it to the leather and start the cutting process. Then, start smoothing the surface and edges before stitching. Afterward, stitch, and your cup jacket is now ready to use.

Many people are usually surprised to hear that wearing leather cup jackets can be very beneficial for your cup. This article is highly significant as some do not know about these benefits before hearing of them. 

Leather Cup Jacket: Your Go-To Buddy

We could not agree less with having errands, and you would rush out from your house without having any meal; it is always a cup of tea, milk, or coffee that we want to go with us. Some people would love cold drinks too, so a leather cup jacket is a must.

Having a leather cup jacket is the most convenient thing you can have when you are a dashing person. It would be better for those interested in making a leather cup jacket as this article will be discussing the process of making them.

Step 1: Grab Your Favorite Cup And Measure The Circumference

When you make a cup jacket, of course, you will need to choose your favorite cup or any random cup you want to use. Grab a measuring tape and start measuring the length of the cup.

Put the measuring tape around the cup and begin measuring the top circumference first, followed by the bottom circumference. Be sure to list the correct sizes so that you will not mess up your leather cup jacket.

After getting the length you want for your leather cup jacket and listing the circumferences, set aside your cup and start grabbing the tools and materials you will be using.

Step 2: Provide The Leather And The Needed Tools

To make a cup jacket, you need thick leather, possibly a cowhide, since it should prevent the heat from getting into your hands. It should be 2-4 mm thick and make sure that it has a soft surface, or you can soften the surface on your own using beeswax.

The most important tool that you will need is an x-acto knife or a utility knife. If you do not have a leather knife, you can use a precision knife or cutter for leather cutting. Assure that the blades are sharp enough to cut a thick leather with two passes only.

Provide also a metal ruler, because it will make your cutting easier and straight. Do not forget to include an edge beveler for having a round edge for your product. You will also need a burnisher to have a shiny edge.

The pricking irons and hammer or mallet assist with the stitching process and improve the efficiency of the stitching tools. Furthermore, you must provide a thick leather thread to have a durable finish product.

When you plan to decorate your leather cup jacket, you must provide a stitch groover or a compass if you do not have any. Make sure it is clean and sharp so that it will not yield a worn-out design.

Step 3: Draw A Rectangular Pattern In The Leather

In this step, you will need your list of sizes. Make a rectangular pattern with the circumferences and length you have listed. Most cups have a slimmer bottom circumference than the top. So, if your cup is like that, it should have a trapezoid pattern.

If your cup is straight, then it will have a rectangular pattern. After having a pattern, put it directly on top of the leather and start tracing using a metal ruler and a sharp tool. You can use a pencil or pen; be careful that it does not smudge.

Step 4: Cut Out Pattern You Draw

In this step, we will cut the leather with an x-acto knife or any other leather knife. Start by pressing the metal ruler to the leather firmly. Adjust the ruler as it should meet the marked areas that have been accomplished from the previous step.

Next, grab your knife and start slicing the leather with the guide of the metal ruler. Note that after the slicing method, you must have a finished product similar to your drawn pattern from step 3.

After cutting the leather, check the size of your cut leather. It should not have any excess so that your cup will not slip out of your leather cup jacket. Additionally, it should not be too tight; otherwise, you will not be able to use it with your favorite cup.

Use the cup you measured in testing the fitness of your leather cup jacket. When you wrap it around your cup, the other side should meet the other one without gaps and extra.

Step 5: Smoothen The Surface of The Leather

To smoothen the surface of the leather, beeswax is the best solution. Beeswax is still used among the first conditioning treatments today and can be used in many different ways. 

It aids in the finishing of leather edges, the waterproofing of leather, the formation of cord and thread, and the softening of lace to make stitching and lacing easier. Beeswax helps to keep leather smooth and supple by repelling water.

Using a circular rubbing motion, apply the beeswax to the leather and rub it into the leather until it is fully absorbed. Using a clean, soft cloth, lightly buff away any excess beeswax from the leather, leaving a thin layer of beeswax on the surface for softening, conditioning, and preservation of the leather grain and texture.

It is important not to let beeswax accumulate and pile in creases and folds, as this can degrade the leather’s natural luster.

Step 6: Do Not Forget To Round The Edges

It is necessary to utilize an edge beveler to round the corners and edges. All sides must be level and rounded to avoid an uncomfortable feeling while you are touching them.

Make a flat area for the piece of leather to rest on, or if you have a cutting mat, even better. Ensure that the leather does not come into contact with anything sharp to avoid developing a scarred surface.

Choose a corner where you want to start the beveling process and work from there. Begin by gently pushing the edge beveler against the sharp edges to scrape them away. Manage that you want to complete one pass of scraping when reaching the other corner. Assure that you have scraped all of the exposed edges.

Following that, flip the leather over and continue the process. Always check the beveled areas with your bare hands to ensure no sharp edges remain in the leather. Finally, burnish the edges to give it a wet appearance while also making it shine. By burnishing it, you are upgrading its sophistication while also increasing its smoothness.

Step 7: Use A Clean Sharp Tool For The Decoration

When you are making a leather cup jacket, the thought of decorating will always come into your head. The amount of design you choose to put into your leather cup jacket will determine how much time you spend on this phase. For starters, we shall proceed with a straightforward linear design.

To complete this stage, you will need a sharp tool to scrape the lines off of the leather. We recommend that you use a stitch groover to ensure that your lines are perfectly straight. For those who do not have a groover, you can make a design for your leather cup jacket with a compass or anything sharp.

This method is similar to beveling your leather cup jacket edges, except you will need to scrape the surface of the leather before doing so. When using a groover, you can immediately scrape a line into the leather, but you need to use a metal ruler to have guidelines if you use a compass.

If you do not have a groover or a compass, you can use any sharp tool that you can get your hands on. Make sure that the sharp instruments you use for creating designs are dirt-free. You certainly do not want to see any dark spots that are difficult to polish away on your leather cup jacket. Also, make sure when you scrape, it will not penetrate holes in your leather.

Step 8: Mark The Areas You Will Stitch

In this step, you will be using a creaser. When working with leather, a leather creaser is a tool used to create lines and creases. It is possible to utilize the lines as thread guides for purely aesthetic purposes and for creating folds in the leather. 

Creasers are little tools that are lightly held in hand. When marking the areas that you need to stitch, start by laying the leather on a flat surface or a cutting mat. You will only need to crease the sides that meet each other when stitching.

For beginners, start practicing on scrap leather or use a metal ruler for a straighter outcome. When you use an adjustable creaser, it will be much easier work, and it is hassle-free. A metal adjustable creaser is a professional’s choice for creating consistent, straight creases on leather goods, and it is greatly known for creating stitching lines.

The split-blade design with an easy adjustment screw to set the desired crease distance from the edge is the most convenient feature of a metal adjustable creaser. The adjustable creaser creates an attractive smooth crease, but the blades cannot be sharpened and are not designed to slash the leather.

Step 9: Punch Holes To Make Stitching Easier

It will be a nuisance when you stitch if you do not poke holes in the leather first. For this step, pricking irons and a mallet are what you will need. You mark your stitching with a pricking iron, which allows you to stitch straight, evenly spaced, and symmetrically slanted threads with a diamond-pointed awl as you stitch.

Flip both sides of the leather and start with a scrap piece. Then, position your pricking iron on the stitching line. Always keep your pricking irons perpendicular to the surface unless you plan to do a box stitch. Use enough force to break through the other side with your mallet on the iron’s top. 

Through the backside of the product, you should be able to see holes poking through. Consider easing up on the force if you are punching through the whole thing. You may also punch through the protective piece and blunt your tools if you are hitting it too hard, even though it should have been between the iron and your workpiece.

Move the stitching iron down the line; you want to put the top tooth in the last hole that you made. It will help you maintain a straight line and stitch spacing. Repeat this down to the end of your mark.

Step 10: Converge The Sides And Begin Stitching

You are now about to finish your leather cup jacket; the first thing to do in this step is to converge the sides gently, but make sure that you are not stretching it out when you bent the leather.

Since you have already made holes as a stitching mark, use thick leather thread when fastening the sides together. You can use a cross-stitch as it gives a more attractive appearance. You can also double the stitch to make it more durable. 

When you are done with the stitching stage, cut the excess leather thread using scissors. Then, grab a lighter and put a little flame on the excess leather thread. Assure that you do not burn the leather. After burning the excess thread, grab a damp cloth and press it firmly to the burned thread.

Start Using Your Leather Cup Jacket Now

A leather cup jacket may also be called an insulated coat because it provides both warmth and protection from water and other moisture sources while still being lightweight enough not to hinder movement during physical activity. There are cup jackets available in the market, but you can customize them to the way you want when you make them with your bare hands. It should protect your hands from too much heat and too much coolness of the drinks you want. You can always make another style and make other designs. Now that you have completed the process of making a leather cup jacket start using it now!