Making a Flat Leather Lead with a Hand Loop

A lead has two ends that matter. One has the handle, and the other has the clip. Both take the dog's pull, so both get extra care.

What a lead looks like

A common design is a leather leash with a loop handle and a clip to attach to the collar.¹ One reference describes a short, soft braided one at about 4 feet, used in obedience training.¹ A nylon webbing lead for casual walks is usually 4 to 6 feet, also with a loop handle and clip.¹

This page covers a flat strap, not a braided one. The length you choose is up to you and your dog. Use the figures above as a starting point, not a rule.

Plan the two ends

Decide first how much strap goes into each end. The loop needs a length of strap folded back on itself. The clip end needs enough strap to wrap through the clip's eye and fold back. The sources used here don't give set lengths for either fold, so work it out on a scrap strip first. Then add that to the length of the lead.

The hand loop

The loop is a fold of the strap, held by a stitched seam. For the stitching itself, follow the hand stitching guide. Stitch the fold shut, then backstitch. Tandy says a backstitch can strengthen areas of stress.² Don't skip it. Its usual count is two or three.²

Where the leather doubles over, it gets thick. Tandy's collar pattern skives the marked areas on the back of the strap to about half the depth of the leather.³ The sources give no guidance on thinning the loop or the clip fold of a lead, so this page doesn't suggest it. Tandy also bevels the top and bottom of its collar strap.³ The maker must test the finished lead.

The clip end

One reference says the clip has to grip a metal ring on the collar firmly, so you keep good control of the dog.¹ The clip and the ring are a pair. Check they fit together before you buy either.

A D-ring is one example of hardware that sits on a strap end.⁴ Stitch the strap around your clip's eye as you did the loop. Add backstitches.² If you melt polyester thread to lock it, be careful not to burn your project.²

Test before use

Tandy's collar pattern leaves safety testing to the maker.³ A lead is no different. Check the loop, the stitching and the clip before each walk. It's a quick job.

The same reference says to check a lead every so often, and to look for wear or fraying.¹ When a stitch looks loose or a clip feels stiff or sloppy, repair or replace the part before the next outing.

Finish

Edges get the same treatment as a collar's, as set out in the edge finishing guide. Strap choice is on the leather page.