Leather Template for Wine Caddy Handle

Instructions

I described this project as 'intermediate' because it requires a modest amount of leather and wood working tools. You can make the box out of your favorite wood, dimensions are obviously tuned for holding a bottle of wine or any libation you bring to the party. This design is somewhat unique so I prototyped the caddy before the final build. That ensured the strap is short enough to hold the bottle in transit and long enough to remove the bottle. The LOXX snap also adds an option to remove the handle in case the bottle is a bit taller than an average wine bottle. Balance when carried was also a factor. Use your Origin to cut the handle template out of a 1/8" thick piece of hardboard. Use the template and your awl to score the pattern onto the leather and then cut the leather with a sharp pen knife. Use different grades of sandpaper to smooth the edge (remove any imperfections) of the leather. I hand stitched the outside border using waxed thread, but you don't necessarily have to do this step ... it's just for appearance. Ditto for burnishing the leather's edge, totally optional. Seal the leather using Satin Sheen or your favorite leather finishing solution. For some uniqueness and challenge, I made the box 5-sided using Ash wood and the approximate dimension of the individual pieces is 3.5" wide x 7" tall. The side of each piece is cut 54 degrees on a table saw. Cut the slot across the bottom of the five pieces also on your table saw, to the thickness of the bottom. The only important factor here is making a box large enough for the bottle, and tall enough to provide some balance. Before gluing the pieces together, drill the hole for the LOXX snap fastener approximately 1.5" above the bottom. Suggest personalizing the box with a #shapermade monogram or some other mark to signify who keeps the caddy when the party's over. Glue the five sides together and hold them in place using two large worm drive clamps. The angled cut on each side should provide a nice seam with no gaps. After a modest amount of sanding, finish coat the box with spray polyurethane which should provide some durability. The final step is attaching the LOXX snap and leather strap, and then screwing the footman's strap onto the box.