DIY Leather Woven Mini Wood Crate

I love to combine beautiful wood textures with other media! Wood and leather go particularly well together I think.  Varying thin leather straps woven through the slats of a Walnut Hollow Mini Crate creates a fun texture combination.  You can use your wood burner to add designs and more texture to your leather straps for an even cooler look.  Use your completed leather woven crate to store office supplies, kitchen utensils, or you can do what I did and add a small potted plant to your cute new crate!

 

Here’s what you’ll need to make your own leather woven mini crate:

• Walnut Hollow Mini Crate
• Walnut Hollow Creative Woodburner
• Leather straps in varying thickness and color
• Wood Stain
• Wood Glue
• Small clamps
• Scissors

 

 

Step one:

First, stain or paint your Mini Crate.  You can use any color to match your home decor, or try something new!  I used a wood stain for my crate.  Allow your mini crate to dry completely.

 

Step two:

Add color or additional texture to your leather straps.  Did you know that you can stain leather?  Use paints or stains to change the color of the leather and allow it to dry.  Use your wood burner to add designs or textures to the leather as well.  Wood burning on leather is very easy and super relaxing! I added some additional textured patterns to a few of my leather straps.

 

Step three:

Weave your leather straps into the slats of the wood crate.  Alternate the over and under pattern on the crate. Trim the leather straps to size. Use varying sizes of leather pieces to add a fun dimension to the crate. Fit as many straps as you can across the side.

 

Repeat on both sides of the Mini Crate.

 

Step four: 

Add wood glue under the flaps of the leather straps, and clamp them down on the wood crate to secure them in place.  Allow the glue to dry completely and remove the clamps.

 

Now you can add anything you want to your unique and interesting Mini Crate! Leather and wood together can make a more masculine way to store office supplies, or you can dye the leather fun colors and use your crate to hold whatever you wish!

 

I love the cute little plant I’ve put in mine.  The natural colors of the different leathers are so perfect with the gorgeous Walnut Hollow Wood Crate!

 

Have you ever tried using your wood burner on leather yet? If you have, I’d love to hear what you created in the comments below.  Leather is softer than wood and tends to burn much easier.  You can use a lower heat setting, and it flows so great.  Give it a try!