New Purse

New purse I made using some older leather I had from Tandy. I think I would design it differently if I was doing it again. The leather is cut straight across on the top but swoops down when loaded. Not a real problem but not the look I was after.

I also have to find a better way of sewing the ends of the zipper in so that it recesses into the purse better.



I thought this cotton made a pretty cute liner.

Long Leather Wallet

The Leatherworker.net group has a challenge going on this year to keep us all motivated and to try new things. The pattern for this month was for a long wallet. (Although I did one before for my DH which is somewhat similar, I made my own pattern for that one based on his old wallet.) This style of wallet is not normally my cup of tea but it gave me a chance to use  one of the designer sheets that I got on sale at Tandy. I modified the pattern to include a flap for security. The goat I used for the interior was a little too soft and squishy. It should have been a firmer temper. It was a pain to sew when it got to the multiple layers of the card pockets. Overall, I think it turned out fairly well. I think if I was doing it again, I would bind the edge of the card pockets where it becomes the bill holder.

Passport Wallet

I am really happy with the way this turned out. The outer part is made with an embossed croc print from Tandy, lined with goatskin. The pockets are also of goatskin. I'm hoping the recipient likes it.

Orange purse

This purse was made from lambskin leather I purchased at Tandy just for the colour. The handles and the basic pattern were from a Value Village purse find. I still have issues with expecting leather to behave exactly like fabric and had to do some modifications in progress to make it work. Not my best stitching for sure but it is usable and with the popularity of orange at the moment, timely as well.

Purse for grandaughter

This was one of the fastest leather projects I have done. We had about 2 hours to get the purse and bracelet done before her sister woke from her nap. Obviously I would have normally done things a little differently but she loves it. Purple is her favourite colour and the only leather I had was the faux crocodile, so she ended up with a pretty stylish purse and bracelet for a 7 year old :-).

Embossed Card Wallet

This card wallet is made of 2-3 oz vegetable tanned leather,embossed with a Cuttlebug folder using my Wizard. I combined it with some black goatskin.

I really like the depth of the embossed texture.

The small pockets are for the small key fob tags that some of the stores use for their loyalty programs.

Sandals

I decided to try and make some sandals to match my new purse. I bought a cheapy pair of sandals from Winners and cut off the upper so I could  use  the base as my outer sole.  I used veg tan leather as the inner sole. It was an interesting and fun experiment. Now to see how well they hold up....

Messenger bag

I wanted to try a messenger style bag and had some upholestry leather that I thought would work for one for the warmer weather.   I used Arther Porter's you tube videos on how to make a messenger bag as a starting point.  This bag is unlined.

Parts of the bag in progress.

Completed bag.

Front of bag with pocket.

Back of bag with pocket.

I used a belt buckle without the tongue for my closure. The other buckles I got from a thrift store purse.

I have to be more careful with my stitching but I am really pleased with how this came together.

New E-Reader Cover

I wanted a new cover for my e-reader so decided to play with some leather I bought a while back at Tandy. I really liked the textured look of the designer lamb and it paired nicely with some tan upholstery leather I bought on sale. I used the Tandy Professional Edge paint in Ebony to finish the edges.

More Card Wallets

The flash is a bit off putting in this picture, but I think you get the idea. I think I prefer this 2 colour version to the all black one. Hopefully the recipients will enjoy them.

Prototype Purse, Coin Purses and Card Wallets

This was a real learning experience. This leather was not the best choice for the design and there were many adjustments made on the fly. The stiffness of the faux alligator also caused a lot of issues in the sewing of this. Plus I am learning the quirks of my industrial sewing machine. I do have a list of things to watch for in designing and sewing my next one.

These card wallets were part of a group of ones I made out of goatskin for Christmas gifts. I am happy with how they turned out. I think they would be great as a thin wallet for a hotel key, credit card, a couple of bills while on vacation.

These were also part of a group sewn as gifts. They are made of lambskin with a patent type finish.

Have a wonderful Christmas.

Steampunk style

I seem to be on a watch band kick. Watches are so inexpensive these days, that making a whole wardrobe of them doesn't break the bank. They are fun and quick to do projects that don't use a lot of leather. There are many things I would do differently if I did this one again, but it is wearable. I used my Osborne hand press with the Tandy rams foot to do the 3d stamps and was really pleased with the definition that I got.

Antique effect watch band

Another watch band. I decided to do the traditional buckle thing but I am not sure I like it better than the ones done with snaps.

I used the Ecoflo Gel Antique to colour the leather. I wasn't really happy with it but the issues did give it a worn antique appearane that seems to work.

By the time you account for the tabs to mount the watch and the mounting of the strap sections, there isn't much space left to showcase any tooling.

All in all, it is wearable and the issues did lead to a look that seems vintage, so I am happy with it.

New Watch Cuff

I was getting tired of my old watch and wanted a new look. This is what I came up with. As always, there are things I would do differently another time, but it was a fun project.

I think there will be more of these in my future, different colours, textures.......