Getting started: first handbag

[motocouture]

Figured since I made something for hubby, time for a project for myself  . Using some scrap Horween Essex (thanks @nstarleather!) to make a prototype handbag, before using my nice Parisian Blue Horween. Hand stitched in 0.6mm Colonial Tan tiger thread, and paracord core in the handles, hardware from the Buckleguy. Will post pictures as I (slowly) progress. Aim is to stab myself less than @YinTx 

[YinTx]

  On 8/18/2017 at 2:57 AM, motocouture said:

Figured since I made something for hubby, time for a project for myself  . Using some scrap Horween Essex (thanks @nstarleather!) to make a prototype handbag, before using my nice Parisian Blue Horween. Hand stitched in 0.6mm Colonial Tan tiger thread, and paracord core in the handles, hardware from the Buckleguy. Will post pictures as I (slowly) progress. Aim is to stab myself less than @YinTx 

 

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Looking nice so far!  And shouldn't be too hard to stay below my current thumb puncture record  

YinTx

[GeorgiaK]

Love it! I like the way you hide the strap connectors with the straps. Great idea!

[RockyAussie]

That is a very NICE start Regards Brian

[DJole]

Beautiful work!
Sure hard to tell that's just a "practice" bag!

[Leatherhips]

Love the way it's coming along, I look forward to seeing it develop

[motocouture]

  On 8/18/2017 at 3:19 AM, YinTx said:

Looking nice so far!  And shouldn't be too hard to stay below my current thumb puncture record  

YinTx

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Fingers crossed! 

  On 8/18/2017 at 6:16 AM, GeorgiaK said:

Love it! I like the way you hide the strap connectors with the straps. Great idea!

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Thanks! I'd love to take the credit, but that truly belongs to the designers of the luxury bag that I'm using as inspiration....I like the sleek look it gives. 

  On 8/18/2017 at 6:55 AM, RockyAussie said:

That is a very NICE start Regards Brian

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Thanks Brian! I have a dream of working in croc someday. If I ever do, I'm sure I'll be bugging you   then you can get out more 

[motocouture]

  On 8/18/2017 at 7:53 AM, DJole said:

Beautiful work!
Sure hard to tell that's just a "practice" bag!

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Thank you so much! Trying to use up my scrap leather in a productive way : )

 

  On 8/18/2017 at 8:05 AM, Leatherhips said:

Love the way it's coming along, I look forward to seeing it develop

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Appreciate the kind words, will be sure to post more pics...

[motocouture]

So, I think it's time to invest in one of those 12+ teeth stitching irons lol.

34" shoulder strap all punched ready for stitching. Had to add a 'decorative feature' in the middle since I didn't have any pieces long enough for a single run

[motocouture]

Making progress on the strap

[TxLeather]

Very nice. Love it!

[motocouture]

  On 8/20/2017 at 7:27 PM, TxLeather said:

Very nice. Love it!

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Thanks, much appreciated!

[motocouture]

Shaping the piping before gluing down. Going to be fun to stitch, I'm sure ...

[AZNightwolf]

Nice Work, Boy that is a LOT of stitching

[motocouture]

  On 8/21/2017 at 10:20 PM, AZNightwolf said:

Nice Work, Boy that is a LOT of stitching

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Thank you, and yup, and somehow at the start I always think it'll be less stitching than it actually is 

[Grey Drakkon]

Good goals   and this is the practice run?  Yikes.  Looks great so far!

[Stetson912]

Very interested in this. Especially how you will do the piping and liner. 

[motocouture]

  On 8/22/2017 at 2:24 PM, Grey Drakkon said:

Good goals   and this is the practice run?  Yikes.  Looks great so far!

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Thanks! Chipping away at it!

  On 8/26/2017 at 2:46 PM, Stetson912 said:

Very interested in this. Especially how you will do the piping and liner. 

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I'll try and post some more photos tomorrow; been out all week on business travel...will be good to get back to the bench : )

[Stetson912]

I tried a bag and it wasn't all that great. I'd like to see what you do for the lining. For some reason thats the hardest part for me haha. And I thought about welting/piping too but wasn't sure the best way to do it. Yours looks real nice so far

[motocouture]

  On 8/27/2017 at 5:15 AM, Stetson912 said:

I tried a bag and it wasn't all that great. I'd like to see what you do for the lining. For some reason thats the hardest part for me haha. And I thought about welting/piping too but wasn't sure the best way to do it. Yours looks real nice so far

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I'm sure you're being far too hard on yourself! Couple of pics below on the piping progress. I just took a 30mm wide strip, hand skived it down (splitter is looking more appealing by the day), glued and folded in half. No internal welt or cord. I cut slits in the corners so it could bend ok.  Was worried about having a clean width of piping showing (cos I was a bit off when I glued the piping to the base), so I figured if I punched the stitches now while I can see the piping, then glue the sides of the bag, I can use the holes on the back of the base as a guide for an awl.

Btw, the slight staining around the stitch holes is braiding soap (David Morgan's recipe). I use a small amount to lubricate the stitching iron, which makes it really easy to pull out, and also seems to make the thread go through the hole a little easier. 

[Stetson912]

Well that's a lot easier than I woulda thought (well easier said than done I'm sure) seems similar to Stohlman's way. So the bag is going to be turned right? I guess that makes sense now that I think of it, why else would you use piping haha. I'll probably steal your braiding soap idea too. I have the 8" heritage splitter. It works pretty well. They can be a bit pricey, but worth it. 

[motocouture]

I figure if I keep it simple I have less to mess up   I'll have to research the Stohlman way, sounds interesting. Yep, going to be turned (eventually) - pic below of the front and back of the bag. Trying to do as much on the flat as possible.  Experimented with using some 3M 45 spray adhesive to lightly coat one side to hold the overlaps while I punched the stitching holes down one side, then untacked and did the same on the other (to avoid using an awl too much once the sides are stitched into a 'cylinder'. 

I might have to start looking into a splitter....

[Stetson912]

Oh no gussets? The front back and sides are one piece?

A Splitter will prove most valuable. 

And the stohlman method of "welting"/piping is pretty much what you're doing. It's shown in one of his case making books. 

Bag is looking great so far. How do you measure the zipper tape? 

[motocouture]

Correct, no gussets, just lapped side seams for the front and back pieces. Was a little tricky to finesse the pattern so that the length and curve of the front / back lower edge matches the rectangular base, while giving the right 'lean' on the front / back (had to dig out some very rusty high school geometry & trig).

Thanks! For the zipper, I buy RiRi zipper tape by the yard, and then add the zipper pull. That way I don't have to worry about the exact length, and can use any offcuts for smaller projects. 

Also, below is a photo of the half lining and zip interior. Little messy at the moment, but will tidy up the zip end later (cover with grosgrain ribbon).  I'm not doing a full lining or pockets for this one, since it's a prototype, but it would probably be straightforward to add in pockets using the decorative stitching line. Thinking chèvre or kangaroo might make a nice lining for the 'real' one. 

[motocouture]

Finally starting to look like a bag!