The Crafting Supply That Will Inspire You to DIY Shelves, Drawer Pulls, and More

Though they might not seem like much in their raw form, an oddball hardware store find or crafting supply can turn into something great. See skewers and washers at work here:

It's a good reminder that starting with materials, rather than a fully formed end goal, will encourage some of the best creations. Our latest raw material infatuation for crafting is strips of leather a few inches wide, which you can purchase in 50-inch lengths for about $10 a piece.

Here are 7 home DIY's we love that don't require much more than a few of these. (If you need them longer, just punch a few holes using a leather punch and knot the ends together with hand-sewing thread.)

A Hanging Rack

By suspending a piece of driftwood (or a thick wooden dowel, or a copper rod) between two loops of leather and arranging a few S-hooks across it, you've created a very pretty, very technically-simple dish or clothing rack. (Via Heitenbaum.)

Drawer Pulls

Just a flip of leather strip, a dab of glue, and a screw come together to make these handy drawer pulls that are comfy loops for your finger to grab onto. (Via One Kings Lane.)

Captain's Mirror

Captain's mirrors—circular, and slung from a knob with a length of rope or leather—can be very pricey. But by making one yourself with the help of long leather strips, you won't have to worry about that. (Via House & Home.)

Magazine Rack

By folding a length of leather in half over a brass ring and securing the end with a snap, you've made a bookmark-style magazine holder that you can reuse over and over to display them on the wall. (Via A Pair & A Spare.)

Wall Shelf

Not a dissimilar construction from the dish rack, this DIY shelf is just two strips of leather, a long board, and some C-hooks to secure it to the wall. (Via Burkatron.)

Keychain

A few smart snips, folds, and one well-placed rivet turn a bit of leather into something you'll hold onto for a long while. (Via Homey Oh My.)

Headboard

For the truly intrepid DIY-er, a long body pillow can be secured to the wall with leather loops, creating a suspended headboard that you wouldn't actually mind bumping your head into. (Via Julies Kreahule.)

Do you DIY? Share your favorite raw materials to work with in the comments.