Studding your own leather

Studding is one of the easiest ways to make a piece your own. We sell studs at $0.15 a piece — order what you need based on your design.

What you'll need

Make a punch tool

Place the two exacto knives side-by-side. The sharp tips should be almost exactly half an inch apart. If they aren't quite right, slip a thin spacer between them and tape them together. This is your custom slit-punch — perfect spacing for stud prongs every time.

Lay it out

Carefully measure and mark where each stud will go on the leather. Take your time here; this is the part that's hard to undo.

Punch and set

Lightly punch the slits — don't go through too far, or the slit will be wider than you need and visible after. Push the two prongs on the back of each stud through the slits. Bend the prongs down on the back of the leather, toward the center of the stud.

Use the taped jaw of needle-nose pliers to bend the prongs without scratching the shiny stud surface.

Step back, admire how nice it looks, and take pride that you did it yourself.