Tandy Francesca Handbag Pattern

[terrypen]

My wife keeps eyeballing this Tandy kit for the Francesca Handbag Kit. I can't seem to find a similar pattern on here, does anyone know if there is a similar pattern?

Thanks,

[NVLeatherWorx]

Not aware of a similar pattern running around in here it would be very easy to create this one from the dimensions listed on the Tandy site. I do know that the gusset that they include with the kit is a 3-piece gusset (bottom gusset plate with a side gusset plate that attaches via stitched line along the bottom gusset ends). Still, this should be very simple for you to kind of sketch one out on your own and it also gives you the opportunity to spice it up a bit for your wife as this has got to be the simplest bag (by design) that they have done in awhile.

[terrypen]

Yeah, I was thinking that I could probably figure out the sides and the handles and even the clasp... It's the gusset that I can't wrap my mind around..

In the picture on their May 2015 flyer, it looks like the blue one is just a flat panel gusset... but I can't imagine that would work very well... I very well could be wrong in all my newbiness!

Thanks

[NVLeatherWorx]

Here is the answer to the gusset question: the entire main body is one piece; the front, bottom, and back (if you can really tell the difference) is one solid piece of leather. The gusset (actually, gussets) are cut to wrap the body around (so to say) and there you have it. If you look real close at their image on their site you will notice that the stitching line runs around the entire edge of the purse and you see where it starts at one corner on the top of the bag and finishes on the other corner at the top of the bag. This has got to be the simplest design that they have ever done but it does follow one of Al Stohlman's designs from back in the 50's and he apparently made a ton of them.