Leather Plant Hanger
Introduction: Leather Plant Hanger
It seems I'm always in need of a place for my growing plant collection, & hanging them is a great option. This (my first, so apologies for the length!) tutorial is for a simple leather hanger using materials I already had on hand.
Supplies
Gather your materials:
1) Scrap leather...This leather is scrap deer skin. It's easy to cut & manipulate (a friend of mine gave me this, but check out thrift & fabric stores for some).
2) Leather cutting scissors. These I've had & they are SHARP! I've also had success with rotary cutters & box cutters with new blades.
3) Grommet accessories.
4) Sharpie
5) Rope
6) Hammer (not pictured - ooops!)
Step 1: Make a Circle
Since I already had a plant, I used the 8" saucer + 3/4" for my circle.
When this was done, I folded the leather in half & marked where to put my grommets, keeping in mind to leave a border so the grommet was not to close to the edge. I did this for 4 grommets.
Step 2: Grommets 101!
I just LOVE grommets! Once you get the hang of getting them right, they are SO useful!
For this project I used a kit previously purchased from Home Depot. The kits come with a hole punch, small mat or piece of wood, 1/2" grommets (2 pieces), setting tool & an anvil.
First, punch a hole in the leather using the tubular cutter where you marked the holes. 421
It takes about 5 or 6 good taps to cut all the way through the leather.
Second - While a little tight, push the larger of the 2 piece grommets through the holes, remembering that leather will stretch!
Third - Position the grommet circle over the other side of the hole, & then the whole piece over the anvil. The setting tool will fit over & inside the grommet on top. Several quick & firm hits with your hammer will set the grommet.
NOTE: Be sure to use hard surfaces for this step, such as bricks or a block of wood! I used bricks.
Step 3: Get Your Rope Ready & Assemble the Hanger!
Since I already had a plant hanger, I knew the approximate length of rope - in this case, it's Polypropylene - & cut a little bit longer.
Push the ends of the rope into the grommets. Knot the ends so they can't slip through. I had to double knot mine.
NOTE: The Polypropylene is synthetic, so I carefully burned the ends so they wouldn't fray. If you do this, dunk the ends in cold water....otherwise they will stay hot for quite awhile!
Step 4: All Done!
The time for this project was a little more than an hour, but keep in mind that I had all the tools at my disposal. Also, these can be easily modified - this one really needs to be longer! Enjoy!! 984