As a going away present, I made some luggage tags for a friend some weeks ago. They struck me as good holiday gifts that you can whip up in no time, so I’m putting it out there. My friend was very sweet and complimentary about them, and I think they’re quite pretty myself. And did I mention easy to make?

The ones I made are about 3.5in x 5.5 inches. I tried out a couple of different methods, and there’s a wealth of customization opportunities with these. I liked using ribbon from my stash for the tag ties, but leather cording, and even cutting strips from the same faux leather would be fetching.

I need to work on my cutting skills, obviously, but I got pretty excited about my luggage tags. I used my beautiful silver pleather of which I have an ample amount, and my mom just brought me a boat-load of leather scraps, so I have all sorts of leather projects whirling about in my mind (so much for my fabric fast; I have doubled my knit stash and leather stash with the arrival of my mama).

The steps are so simple, they don’t even warrant an illustration.

1. Measure out the size you want.

2. Cut out two pieces of pleather or leather.

3. Make any cutouts necessary for the ties and flap. Pleather and leather don’t fray, so no need to worry about finishing raw edges.

4. Sew, if desired. It’s a good idea to use leather needles like these, but I used my regular universal needle and just went very, very slowly because this material stretches as you sew. If you have a walking foot, definitely consider using it. Using an adhesive like tacky glue to bind the two pieces before sewing is also helpful, but keep in mind that your needle may get gunked up.

5. Insert a handmade info card and slip on a ribbon or ties, and voila! Luggage tags in less than 30 minutes (if you don’t use any glue).

Love ’em.