My First Few Bags

[Feraud]

Very nicely done work.

[J Hayes]

Hopefully this looks ok. I have a paper template to mark the slots for the weave, I use 1 1/2" straps on mine.

Jeremy

[MonicaJacobson]

Thanks Jenny, and Feraud!

Jeremy, thanks for posting an actually usable template! Yes, I really should take the time to add pockets.. I always hesitate to start putting holes or grooving lines into leather so far away from the edge. It seems like an accident waiting to happen, even with a ruler.

[J Hayes]

If you can find some old Tandy adds, they had a small bag made just like your first one. I will have to find it and tell you what it was called. I seen it in some old Leather Crafters and Saddlers Journal.

Just wondering if you ever ran across thr ad yet.

[Buttons]

Incredibly beautiful work.

[MonicaJacobson]

Thanks!

[cjdevito]

Hi Monica. I've been playing around with the design of this and with your design and Jeremy's pattern for a basis I've laid out a pattern of my own, but I was wondering if you wouldn't mind answering a few further dimensional questions?

1. What width straps did you use on the sides, are they 1.5" or 2'?

2. What was the spacing you used between the slots on the side of the bag?

3. Last one... the flap strap. Do you have it running around the entire exterior of the bag, or does it terminate under the side straps? Do you remember what length you used for it?

Thanks for any answers you can provide, and thanks for showing off a piece that's really a great inspiration.

[MonicaJacobson]

Hi, and glad to be of help!

1. The straps on the side are the same as the shoulder strap: 1 3/4 ". Unfortunately, I can't remember how long they were. In fact, I had to keep cutting them short when I miscalculated.

2. I'm sure I could have done this better. But I measured every 1 1/2 inches, and then removed a little more than 1/8 " of leather right on that line. Which leaves a little over 1 1/4" between each slot.

3. No, I only have the flap strap on the front, but that's not to say you couldn't have it all the way around. Mine measures 18 1/2 inches. I wove it in with the side straps, but it might look better sewn on.

I'll be interested to see it when you get finished, if you plan to share!

[cjdevito]

Thanks very much, I appreciate it. Funny enough I'm actually transferring the pattern I drew up on paper onto a sheet of bontex right now.

3. No, I only have the flap strap on the front, but that's not to say you couldn't have it all the way around. Mine measures 18 1/2 inches. I wove it in with the side straps, but it might look better sewn on.

I keep going back between two idea. Either running a strap under the the side straps, but all the way around the bag and having an adjustable buckle in the front (and securing it to the bag with rivets under where the side straps go and possibly in back as well), or just terminating a strap without a buckle under the side straps and again going the rivet route at that point. Haven't made up my mind. It's definitely the weakest design element of the colson keane original design, aesthetically, and your solution looks much better than theirs does.

I'll probably be playing around a bontex mock up for a week or two before I actually get around to trying to build one out of leather, but I'll definitely post it up once I have it.

[AfroCrafter]

They look great. you can tell coz people are commenting. That means we genuinely like them

The dye job actually makes the bag stand out beautifully..

I did a book cover which i hashed up so badly, i nearly threw it away.

It was for an artist friend and when he saw it he loved it so much that it lives in his coffee table so he can look at it all the time. I have even gotten two other commissions for a similar "dye effect".

So believe me, what we think is a mess is often not seen as that by others.

cheers and God bless

Alex

[MonicaJacobson]

Heh heh, thanks, that's a very helpful thought. There are so many amazing leatherworkers on this forum that's it's difficult to find the balance between what you can do at the moment and what you want to do eventually.

CJ, I look forward to seeing your solution.

[bigorange]

who told you not to use a stiching awl and why? your work looks very nice. I might suggest easing the edges of straps curved of sort, but is square was what you were aiming for you nailed it ! All the very Best

[cjdevito]

I'm still playing with the pattern, but I knocked together a prototype with some 3oz leather I bought from Springfield for .99 cents/ft a while back.

Played around with using veg tan for all the straps and for a strap closure for the flap, complete with a pewter buckle, but it just didn't look right to me. So I went and just did it the same way CK does for now. Glad I knocked one together though.... now that I have one in my hands I definitely see a few things I want to change on the pattern for next time.

[MonicaJacobson]

Bigorange, I saw other conversations on this forum swearing that if you break a stitch when you use needles and saddle stitch, it will be broken but it won't unravel. They also thought that a lock-stitch with a sewing awl would unravel immediately all the way along the seam. Now, I haven't tried saddle stitch and needles yet (though I've bought the stuff), but I absolutely know for sure that the sewing from the lock stitch won't unravel as soon as it is cut. I had to take some out, and I ended up having to cut every stitch and wrestle the thread out. At least with veg tanned leather, lock stitch seems to be very sturdy.

However, that said, I'm still inclined to switch to saddle stitch, since it seems to be what everybody uses.

CJDevito,

Cool! I was curious about what it would look like in chrome tanned. Of course, the original CK is chrome tanned, but I think it's the oilskin (or whatever) that practically stands up by itself. I'll be curious to see what you change on the next go around!

[cjdevito]

CJDevito,

Cool! I was curious about what it would look like in chrome tanned. Of course, the original CK is chrome tanned, but I think it's the oilskin (or whatever) that practically stands up by itself. I'll be curious to see what you change on the next go around!

Near as I can tell he sometimes uses a heavy latigo but most often seems to stick with crazy horse oil tanned that, based on the colors, he's probably buying from Zack White. The latigo is pretty heavy weight, but the crazy horse tends to be about 5oz -ish, so mid weight. This leather I'm using is definitely lightweight with a medium hand, so it's got some body when it's empty but it definitely crumples up when it's not full. If I were going to use this weight on this bag again I'd probably put a piece of bontex covered by leather across the interior bottom to stiffen it up some and help it hold it's shape on it's own.

Next go round the top of the side pieces get extended a few inches, so they can fold inwards under the flap when it closes - help keep everything in the bag. The flaps coming off the sides of the bottom as I currently have them are only about 2.5" tall, with a slot cut into them.... when the strap runs into the bottom hole on the side, it goes through that slot and then is attached to the bottom of those side flaps with a pair of chicago screws on each side. Next time I'll make those flaps 4" tall and cut two slots in them, so the side strap runs through both before coming out and going around and through the bottom (I didn't do that on this one, I used two seperate straps that only run the lengths of the sides).. That will make it more secure, help the sides keep their shape some when the bag isn't full, and I can probably get away with using two fewer screws that way. If I can get the bottom stiff enough to hold it's shape I'll probably add bag feet in the corners.

[vhakra]

I really like all of the bags though the first really catches my eye. I too have read about how saddle stitching is where it's at though I haven't done it yet.

[Firdaus Hilmy]

nice bags! now you make me wanted to finish my 4-months-delayed bag..

[bigorange]

Bigorange, I saw other conversations on this forum swearing that if you break a stitch when you use needles and saddle stitch, it will be broken but it won't unravel. They also thought that a lock-stitch with a sewing awl would unravel immediately all the way along the seam. Now, I haven't tried saddle stitch and needles yet (though I've bought the stuff), but I absolutely know for sure that the sewing from the lock stitch won't unravel as soon as it is cut. I had to take some out, and I ended up having to cut every stitch and wrestle the thread out. At least with veg tanned leather, lock stitch seems to be very sturdy.

However, that said, I'm still inclined to switch to saddle stitch, since it seems to be what everybody uses.

CJDevito,

Cool! I was curious about what it would look like in chrome tanned. Of course, the original CK is chrome tanned, but I think it's the oilskin (or whatever) that practically stands up by itself. I'll be curious to see what you change on the next go around!

I understand you were refering to a awl that carries the thread as well I was thinking of an awl used to punch the hole while saddle stitching I am clear ! keep up the great work

[MonicaJacobson]

Near as I can tell he sometimes uses a heavy latigo but most often seems to stick with crazy horse oil tanned that, based on the colors, he's probably buying from Zack White. The latigo is pretty heavy weight, but the crazy horse tends to be about 5oz -ish, so mid weight. This leather I'm using is definitely lightweight with a medium hand, so it's got some body when it's empty but it definitely crumples up when it's not full. If I were going to use this weight on this bag again I'd probably put a piece of bontex covered by leather across the interior bottom to stiffen it up some and help it hold it's shape on it's own.

Next go round the top of the side pieces get extended a few inches, so they can fold inwards under the flap when it closes - help keep everything in the bag. The flaps coming off the sides of the bottom as I currently have them are only about 2.5" tall, with a slot cut into them.... when the strap runs into the bottom hole on the side, it goes through that slot and then is attached to the bottom of those side flaps with a pair of chicago screws on each side. Next time I'll make those flaps 4" tall and cut two slots in them, so the side strap runs through both before coming out and going around and through the bottom (I didn't do that on this one, I used two seperate straps that only run the lengths of the sides).. That will make it more secure, help the sides keep their shape some when the bag isn't full, and I can probably get away with using two fewer screws that way. If I can get the bottom stiff enough to hold it's shape I'll probably add bag feet in the corners.

I'll be interested to see how the bag feet at the corners work. I haven't tried that yet.

Thanks, Vhakra and Firdaus! My brother started a messenger bag this time last year when he came to visit us. At Thanksgiving I rescued it from him and brought it home to finish. It seemed like a shame for it to sit half-finished! Especially as it's that lovely oil-tanned leather.

[MonicaJacobson]

A customer liked the sewn chrome tanned bag, but wanted it in backpack form. I sewed it up over the last couple of weeks. In retrospect, I should have charged an extra hundred for the straps alone, but ah well. I've never made sewn straps, and now I know exactly how much work it is.

Edited December 5, 2013 by MonicaJacobson

[toolleather]

Love the first bag, I've had a bag that I was working on very similar to your first one, but wanted to know how did you finish the sides of the bag, did you weave the handle/strap through the bottom or use any type of glue to hold the sides together? I'm at a stopping point because I want to weave the straps in but don't want to mess up either because its a nice piece of leather.

Thanks in advance.