Canvas And Leather Tote

[Hi Im Joe]

Hello Everyone,

This is kind of a new one for me. This is the first bag I have made using zippers as well as the first bag I have used a lining in. There is some stuff I would change but overall I'm pretty happy with my first effort.

I would not do round handle's again or I would use a thinner cord and try to stitch closer to the cord. Every time I got close to the cord while sewing the machine would skip stitches or otherwise mess up.

I also didn't sew the lining corners when I should have. I left them open until the end. I should of sewn the corners before attaching the lining to the bag and just left the bottom open. Oh well live and learn.

Thanks for looking and let me know what you guys think!

Joe

[Fat Dog Leather]

Joe your bag looks great for your first go with a zipper.....they can be a b----! Your stitching looks good as well. I too learned the hard way on a rope/ round handle. However I now understand the wonders of a machine with a roller foot. Would you consider finishing the raw edges?

Take care!

[Tree Reaper]

It looks great, where do you buy your canvas?

[billybopp]

Looks really nice!

Bill

[thefanninator]

Looks good. I just made a couple pairs of rolled handles too. I'd give 'em some edge paint and next time trim them so the distance from edge to stitching is about half.

Did you glue the handles first or just stitch?

I saddle stitched mine and would like a larger cord inside to fill them out more.

[blue duck]

This is going to make someone a great tote. I am not sure what you have for a machine, but if you are going to do many, you might try finding a cording foot, it will let the cord ride close to the stitching line. Also when lining a bag, you might try making the lining complete, the bag complete, then drop the lining in and sew around the top edge. That will hide all of your seams on both the bag and the lining. But you have a great start!

[builderofstuff]

It always surprises me when I read someones post and they tell about all the things that are wrong with their work, then you see it and think, wow, that looks awesome. I think you did an excellent job!

Chris

[Hi Im Joe]

Joe your bag looks great for your first go with a zipper.....they can be a b----! Your stitching looks good as well. I too learned the hard way on a rope/ round handle. However I now understand the wonders of a machine with a roller foot. Would you consider finishing the raw edges?

Take care!

Thank you very much! Yeah a roller foot would be awesome. I do have a zipper foot which helped but a roller.....

It looks great, where do you buy your canvas?

Thank you very much! This is actually Duck Cotton from JoAnne...I'm not sure why I called it canvas...brain fart.

Looks really nice!

Bill

Thanks Bill!

Looks good. I just made a couple pairs of rolled handles too. I'd give 'em some edge paint and next time trim them so the distance from edge to stitching is about half.

Did you glue the handles first or just stitch?

I saddle stitched mine and would like a larger cord inside to fill them out more.

Yeah I skipped the edge finishing. To my defense I wanted a vintage and rustic feel. I definitely regret not trimming the edge closer to the stitching. I did glue the handles and then stitched.

This is going to make someone a great tote. I am not sure what you have for a machine, but if you are going to do many, you might try finding a cording foot, it will let the cord ride close to the stitching line. Also when lining a bag, you might try making the lining complete, the bag complete, then drop the lining in and sew around the top edge. That will hide all of your seams on both the bag and the lining. But you have a great start!

Thanks blue duck! I have an Adler 67. I don't have a cording foot but I do have a zipper foot that I used. I like your idea about completing both the lining and the bag and dropping it in but I haven't quite worked out how I would do the zipper tab. I like the idea though and will have to give it some thought. The way I did it was I glued the leather zipper tab face to face with the bag. Then I pulled the lining up on the outside of the bag and clipped it face in to the zipper tab. I left the bottom of the lining open so I could pull it over the bag and stuff if inside after I sewed it to the top of the bag.

It always surprises me when I read someones post and they tell about all the things that are wrong with their work, then you see it and think, wow, that looks awesome. I think you did an excellent job!

Chris

Thank you Chris I really appreciate your kind words. My goal with posting this stuff on forums like this is to hear people chime in on what they would do differently and how I could improve. It helps to point out what you think you did wrong because then people can zero in on that and help provide suggestions.

[Aurelie]

Joe your bag looks great for your first go with a zipper.....they can be a b----! Your stitching looks good as well. I too learned the hard way on a rope/ round handle. However I now understand the wonders of a machine with a roller foot. Would you consider finishing the raw edges?

Take care!

tell me more about it because yes those round handles are a pain in the butt to do

would take any comments and advices about it (what gone wrong for you what works for you (anybody i mean)

and that bag looks really great i would say (aside those B*T*HY handles to do )

[Hi Im Joe]

tell me more about it because yes those round handles are a pain in the butt to do

would take any comments and advices about it (what gone wrong for you what works for you (anybody i mean)

and that bag looks really great i would say (aside those B*T*HY handles to do )

Thank you Aurelie! I love your saddles by the way. Awesome work. I'll let someone else chime in on how to best get the rounded handles figured out.

[MonicaJacobson]

Hey Joe, it looks awesome! The canvas lining looks so awesome that you aaallmost convince me to dig out my pathetic little fabric sewing machine so I can do lining, too. Maybe soon. I feel you about the rolled handles. What kind of leather did you use?

[Hi Im Joe]

Thank you Monica!

The leather was Horween Crimson Vintage. I would NOT recommend this leather. I bought it sight unseen and it is a top grain leather (not full grain) and the finish rubs off pretty easily. I did not buy it "direct" from Horween so I'm not sure if this is normal for this tannage or I got a bum one.

[Aurelie]

Thank you Aurelie! I love your saddles by the way. Awesome work. I'll let someone else chime in on how to best get the rounded handles figured out.

thanks Joe

[blue duck]

Joe I went back and looked. I think I would make a "lining" for the leather extension on the zipper and add it to the lining. Could be leather or canvas. Then when you sew the zipper in, that would be joining the outside and inside. You would probably want to glue or tape the zipper on both sides so it stays straight. Then go back and top- stitch against the top edge. That would hold your lining against the side as well as finish the sides where the zipper doesn't attach to the bag.

Now that sounds perfectly logical in my own little world, but it may be really confusing. If so I will try again with a little more detail. But then again it may be more trouble than its worth for what you are trying to accomplish. Cheers!

[Hi Im Joe]

I like that idea too! For a complete and finished look.

[MonicaJacobson]

The leather was Horween Crimson Vintage. I would NOT recommend this leather. I bought it sight unseen and it is a top grain leather (not full grain) and the finish rubs off pretty easily. I did not buy it "direct" from Horween so I'm not sure if this is normal for this tannage or I got a bum one.

Okay, cool, good to know.