Lined Handbag With Webbing Strap

[Neillo]

Been a little while since I've dropped in with new content, been pretty busy with some other hobbies and trying to catch some fish in this hellish winter!

Did something a little different this time, lined the inside with cotton duck and used magnetic catches for a change; had a few minor hiccups with the pattern and this particular thick chrome tan is a very disobedient material to work with!

It's a little rough in some ways, but I learnt a fair bit from this one. Probably won't work with chrome tan much in the future if I can afford to, it sews poorly and doesn't sit right in the final product.

[needles]

looking good,

[MonicaJacobson]

What's the name of the leather, and did you hand sew it or machine sew it?

I don't think it turned out as badly as you think. The edges are a bit rough where the cotton fabric sticks up, but otherwise, it looks like a nice bag!

[Neillo]

Hi Monica,

The leather is just no name chrome tan i picked up on a trip, it has a really nice soft feel and grain, but is spongy and stretchy so is pretty tough to hand sew!

Everything was hand stitched, but the material frayed at the edges due to issues with gluing up. This leather has a very absorbent flesh side and it required 2 full coats of adhesive to stick at all!

Client is very happy with it, but i'm always very critical of my own work. The materials let me down more than anything this time, but i'll definitely be doing more lining in the future and searching for some decent quailty veg tan in my area!

[MonicaJacobson]

Honestly, I have avoided using fabric like the plague simply because of the dreadful fraying. If someone asks me to use it, I say, "sorry, I'm freaked out by fabric, it's scary, frustrating, and you have to iron it, of all things." Maybe someday I'll grow up and use it.

Looking forward to seeing what else you make! I haven't really seen anything in this style, so that's always fun.

[Wild Bill46]

Monica ____ I think, from someone who admittedly knows very little of this kind of bag, your the SuperHero of bags !

I see no flaws at all, and I would also think your clients would not see any either ! I followed tutorial and made Richards blacks bag from youtube. its Ok for my first, I guess ? But nothing like the quality I see in this great effort. Very nicely made !

[bethefawn]

Hi Monica,

The leather is just no name chrome tan i picked up on a trip, it has a really nice soft feel and grain, but is spongy and stretchy so is pretty tough to hand sew!

Everything was hand stitched, but the material frayed at the edges due to issues with gluing up. This leather has a very absorbent flesh side and it required 2 full coats of adhesive to stick at all!

Client is very happy with it, but i'm always very critical of my own work. The materials let me down more than anything this time, but i'll definitely be doing more lining in the future and searching for some decent quailty veg tan in my area!

Used some very similar leather for a project once and had all of the exact same problems, which incidentally is the only reason why I too can see the flaws. I assure you, most other people won't. For the same reason, I can also see the skill with which you handled the project, and it is ample indeed!

A poor craftsman blames his tools, but I think blaming the materials is fair enough game. Leather like this stuff is what made me only ever want to work with 187,465,658,384 oz vegetable tanned again, though I came to leather from woodworking, and I like my media utterly sessile and very forgiving.

[Hi Im Joe]

Honestly, I have avoided using fabric like the plague simply because of the dreadful fraying. If someone asks me to use it, I say, "sorry, I'm freaked out by fabric, it's scary, frustrating, and you have to iron it, of all things." Maybe someday I'll grow up and use it.

Looking forward to seeing what else you make! I haven't really seen anything in this style, so that's always fun.

The best way I have found is to fold over the edge of the fabric on itself. You can do this by covering up a 1/2 inch strip at the edge and then applying your glue. Then you can stick the fabric to the leather. Then you can trim the fabric to a 1 inch strip along the edge and fold it in half. This will then be glued to the 1/2 inch strip you left unglued.

I hope that makes sense. I have a picture of a lined wallet I did this way and it turned out quite nicely (I think).

[Neillo]

Thanks for your support guys, I haven't made much this winter due to the bitter cold but this came together pretty well all considered.

Weather is starting to warm up a little now and i've got myself a beautiful greasy kangaroo skin, so i'm gonna be making some wallets and phone pouches with material lining soon; I'll keep you all posted when I do!