These easy-to-make business-card cases are great Christmas presents for your mother, sister, or best friend. Katie Hatch, fashion editor, made a set for the entire Blueprint staff last year.
Card Case How-To If you want to try making some, Katie promises you'll be shocked at just how easy it is.
1. Print out the template. The pattern is already sized to fit standard business cards. If you want something bigger (say, 3-by-5 photos), feel free to enlarge the template on a photocopier.
2. Cut out pattern and trace it onto leather. Kaufman Shoe Repair in New York (212-777-1700) has a great selection of kidskin hides in beautiful colors. Using a mini hole-punch (the kind scrapbookers like), make small holes at three of the tips, as shown on the pattern. The top hole will be slightly larger to accommodate the button stud front closure.
3. Fold the leather into an envelope shape: Bring the left and right flaps inward and line up the holes. Hold them together with a great little piece of hardware called a button-stud. Katie gets hers, the screw-back type, from Pacific Trimming (email: pacifictrimming@aol.com; fax 212-268-0531).
4. Insert the back piece of the button-stud up through the holes in the flaps. Finally, screw on the front piece of the button-stud, and push it through the hole on the top flap.
Decided to make these for office gifts this holiday, business card holders...what could be more appropriate? I also think a leather card holder feels much more luxurious than it will cost to make. I ordered the studs and leather on Etsy for great prices, these won't cost more than $6 each, including purchasing the punch from Michael's! I bought the button studs from TexHAs on Etsy and the seller was nice enough to put together a holder for me to test what size would work best, which was small.
I just made some of these out of vinyl and they turned out great! Also, it seemed button studs could only be found to buy from leather working vendors for $2 a piece - BUT, then I found a product made by craft supplier Tim Holtz called hitch fasteners, same thing. I bought mine from Amazon. You can get 12 for about $5.
http://www.timholtz.com/fasteners.htm
Note: I used 4 different vinyls, one of the styles was too thick for the fasteners to fit through 3 layers. Buy a swatch to test first.
This would also make a pretty presentation for a gift card using scrapbook papers.
Another option to change this project up a little is to use a line 24 (Baby Dot) snap on them. The pricing through Standing Bear's Trading Post is:
1261-01 Brass Plated 10PK $3.49, 1261-02 Nickel Plated 10PK $3.49, 1261-03, Black Plated (gunmetal Black) 10PK $3.49.
http://www.sbearstradingpost.com Become a fan on their facebook and take 10% off your order http://www.facebook.com/StandingBearsTradingPost
New 2011 Pricing on the Button Studs through Standing Bear's Trading Post is: 11310-01 BUTTON STUD ScrewBack SMALL Gilt EA $2.29 11310-02 BUTTON STUD ScrewBack SMALL Nickel EA $2.29 Most of the customers working on this Martha Stewart project have been ordering the small ones. http://www.sbearstradingpost.com Become a fan on their facebook and take 10% off your order http://www.facebook.com/StandingBearsTradingPost
Kaufmann Shoe Repair's website says wholesale only, any other ideas?
Pricing on the studs from Standing Bear's has changed. www.sbearstradingpost.com The new pricing is: 11310-01 BUTTON STUD ScrewBack SMALL Gilt EA $1.49 11310-02 BUTTON STUD ScrewBack SMALL Nickel EA $1.49 11311-01 BUTTON STUD ScrewBack LARGE Gilt EA $1.49 11311-02 BUTTON STUD ScrewBack LARGE Nickel EA $1.49 Most of the customers working on this Martha Stewart project have been ordering the small ones. Contact them at inquiry@sbearstradingpost.com or 818-342-9120
Standing Bear's Trading Post at www.standingbearstradingpost.com carries them.
11310-01 BUTTON STUD ScrewBack SMALL Gilt EA 99n n n n
11310-02 BUTTON STUD ScrewBack SMALL Nickel EA 99n n n n
11311-01 BUTTON STUD ScrewBack LARGE Gilt EA 99n n n n
11311-02 BUTTON STUD ScrewBack LARGE Nickel EA 99n n n n
Most of the customers who have been calling and working on this Martha Stewart project have been ordering the small ones.
Contact them at inquiry@sbearstradingpost.com or 818-342-9120
I faxed Pacific Trimming today regarding the button stud and there is a message on my machine tonight telling me they do have the stock and wanting a credit card number to pay for them, which I will do in the morning.
Hello did anyone find out where to get the button studs? I'd like to try this .
Does anyone ever get an answer to there Questions? I know I don't.!!!!!
Can anyone help me with a source for the button studs? I've tried both sources listed but after numerous phone calls, emails and faxes, still no response. I've got the leather all cut and ready to go with no hardware - yikes! Any leads greatly appreciated as this is the coolest little gift project I've come across in ages.
Standing Bear's Trading Post at www.standingbearstradingpost.com also carries the rotary punches or drove punches to punch the holes in leather.
A rotary or squeeze punch is more difficult to use with garment weight leather, but a drive punch is used with a mallet that is not metal and a poly plastic cutting board and is easier to use.
Contact them at inquiry@sbearstradingpost.com or 818-342-9120
You can also purchase this type punch at Joannes Fabric or Harbour Freight..
Standing Bear's Trading Post at www.standingbearstradingpost.com carries Them.
Screw Back 11310-01 BUTTON STUD ScrewBack SMALL Gilt EA $0.99 11310-02 BUTTON STUD ScrewBack SMALL Nickel EA $0.99
Shipping is $7.50 Contact them at inquiry@sbearstradingpost.com or 818-342-9120
Sam Browne and other Button studs are NOT Chicago Screws or Screw Posts, Chicago Screws and screw posts are for attaching leather semi permanently while a button stud is used as a closure.
Dear Sandib3,
You can find small colored dominoes from OrientalTrading.com
I found the button-studs at Tandy Leather (online) and they are called Chicago Screws. They come in silver, black and brass, and will run about $3.60 for 10 sets. I did experiment with a decorative brad (found in the scrapbook section of Hobby Lobby that can work too. You need to fold the sharp ends back against itself.
Judyc58
During the show that aired 12/12, Martha mentioned colored dominos and the place where you can get them. I can find white dominos with colored dots online but so far am unable to find the colored dominos with white dots. Does anyone know where I might order them?
The punch is called a Screw Punch and is available at Martha Stewart Crafts.com but is currently unavailable.
Where do I find the punch they used? It looked pretty easy to use. I've never made anything with leather before. Is it a M.S. product maybe found at Michael's? Thanks
These little holders work great for carrying credit cards and the like. You could also tuck a gift card inside to give as an additional gift.
Standing Bear's Trading Post at www.standingbearstradingpost.com carries Them.
Rivet Back:
1309-01 SAM BROWNE BUTTON/WASHER (Solid Brass) SET $1.29
1309-02 SAM BROWNE BUTTON/WASHER (NicPltBrass) SET $1.29
Screw Back
11310-01 BUTTON STUD ScrewBack SMALL Gilt EA $0.99
11310-02 BUTTON STUD ScrewBack SMALL Nickel EA $0.99
11311-01 BUTTON STUD ScrewBack LARGE Gilt EA $0.99
11311-02 BUTTON STUD ScrewBack LARGE Nickel EA $0.99
Shipping is $7.50 Contact them at inquiry@sbearstradingpost.com
I used vinyl as well as cute outdoor tablecloth material. Both worked great and I found them at home decor fabric stores. And instead of button studs, I used pearlized snaps, like you would find on an old western shirt and available at any fabric shop. The snaps are adorable, but will only go thru one layer of the vinyl so I just did a couple quick hand stitches to attach the sides to the bottom flap. Very easy and the stitches are hidden by the flap. Perfect for soon-to-be college grads!
That's dept=232 on that Tandy Leather link.
http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/products.asp?DEPT=232
This is what we want but I don't know what size to get! They come in 1/4", 1/2" and 3/8" posts. I would guess it depends on the thickness of the leather but I don't know that either. Does anyone know what size we need for this project?
I wasn't able to find button studs at any nearby stores, but I found that brads come in a variety of colors and work pretty well for this project.
Can anyone tell me what size button stud was used in the making of the business card holders? Need to know? Thanks!
Love that idea for gift card! So many great additions.
I'm wondering if this might also be good for giving gift cards in. Something more than just paper holder and adds a 'personal touch' to the gift. Just a thought.
love this project. i thought i would use the clear iron on vinyl in the craft store and use different cotton fabrics
Love this idea! I thought it would be nice to emboss the opposite side of the opening to personalize.
I saw this project on today's show and thought VINYL will do just as well. It comes in a wide variety of colors, plus its less expensive.
Try this site for button studs:
http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/products.asp?Dept=460
Has anyone been able to find "button-studs"? I went to my local craft store in MN and they had no clue what I was talking about. Am I looking in the right place or do they have a different name? Has anyone found an alternative type of fastener that would work if I can't find these allusive button-studs? Thanks!
Make from any fabric of choice. Use iron on fabric stiffner and cut out with pinking shears or not. You can then glue more fabric or even a fancy paper to create a lining.
I couldn't find any supplier online or in town to buy leather from. I actually ended up going to a thrift store and buying a leather purse I found there that was big enough to fit the template. It actually came out with an unexpected vintage feel!
Does anyone have good online resources for ordering leather? I can't seem to find an online suppliers that are easy to navigate or understand. Thanks!