Eyelets in leather jewelry can be both decorative and functional. Whether you want to add an industrial punk look to a leather bracelet, explore a new way to finish a choker, or find new alternatives to add embellishments, eyelets offer a clean and finished look to jewelry! With Rings & Things new EXCLUSIVE Leather Embellishing Kit, some leather and a little creativity is all you’ll need!

Here are simple step-by-step instructions for setting eyelets in a leather bracelet…

Some things you will need for setting eyelets in leather…

Gather your supplies:

• Leather Bracelet or
• Leather Strips

Tools:

Rings & Things recently added an EXCLUSIVE Leather Embellishing Tool Kit that includes all of the tools you need, as well as the eyelets!

Rings & Things’ EXCLUSIVE Leather Embellishing Kit (with leather punch, eyelets, leather rivets, snaps, setting tools and a hammer).

If purchasing the tools and components separately, you will need:

• 3/16″ Eyelets
• Leather hole punch
• Eyelet setting tool with anvil
• Hammer

You will also need these readily available items:

• Ruler
• Sharpie® or other fine point marker

1. Measure and mark the holes on the
inside of the bracelet or un-finished side of the leather.

2. Punch holes with a leather punch. Use
the 3/16” punch marked “4” on the
leather rotary punch.

3. Push an eyelet through the hole. The finished flared end should be on the outside of the bracelet (the finished side of the leather).

4. Place the leather with the eyelet over the
divot in the anvil.

5. Position the setting tool over the hole of
the eyelet.

6. Strike the setting tool with a hammer
4-6 times.

7. The tube of the eyelet will now be set firm against the leather. Repeat the process for the other holes.

Behold, the Eye of the Orchid leather bracelet!

Oh, so that was too easy you say? It really is easy, so I tried to think of something a little more unusual… I asked myself, how can I turn these eyelets from a mere decoration into a functional finding? I found a way! Here’s how…

For this one we will need:

• Leather Strips
• Oval locking jump rings
• Classic TierraCast® “S” hook clasps
• Leather Embellishing Tool Kit (includes all the tools you need, plus the eyelets!)

If you don’t have our kit, you will also need the following tools and supplies:

• 3/16″ Eyelets
• Leather hole punch
• Eyelet setting tool with anvil
• Hammer

Gather the goods (leather strip, eyelets, locking jump ring, S clasp, eyelet setter, hammer, leather hole punch).

Determine the length you want the choker to be. Lay out your components next to a ruler or measuring tape to make sure they will end up the correct length. This project makes a 13″ choker. For a longer choker, you may need an extra strip of leather, or more jump rings to lengthen.

1. Cut a 10″ leather strip into 3 equal sections.

2. Punch a 3/16″ hole at each end of each strip.

3. Leave about 3/16″ of leather between the edge of the leather and the hole.

4. Insert the eyelets into the holes and set as shown above.

5. Add a locking jump ring to each end. Use non-serrated pliers to help manipulate the jump ring and pinch closed.

6. Slide an “S” hook onto each jump ring, connecting the leather pieces together.

Leather Linked Choker

More inspiration: add an eyelet to a leather cuff bracelet, and use the eyelet to embellish the bracelet with fun dangles!

Green Leather Wrap Bracelet with a SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS crystal rivoli stone in a 1-loop rivoli setting, a leaf charm and a freshwater pearl dangle.

Blue Leather Cuff Bracelet with a SWAROVSKI ELEMENTS crystal rivoli stone in a 1-loop rivoli setting, a TierraCast® feather charm and a blue pearl dangle.

I hope you’ve found this tutorial helpful and inspiring. Happy jewelry making!

~Val

www.rings-things.com