New to leatherworking.Hobo bag I finally finished

[JeannieH]

Hello. This is my second leather bag. Third actually, but we won’t mention the first one  lol. Anyway, I would appreciate critique from you guys. It’s the first one in this pattern I made so I do have to make adjustments for the second one I make.

i hand stitched the haas barenia straps with reverse pricking irons..as well as the other trimmings. The underside has the slanted saddle stitch..but I like straight stitches since the rest of the bag was machine sewn. 

I’m  saving up for a fileteuse so once I get that hopefully my edge work will improve. I did use an edge beveler in the barenia but I’m not sure I did that right...once I painted I could still see where the leather was skinned off on the sides..maybe I didn’t paint down far enough?? I have no idea. Anyway, let me know how I can improve this bag. I want to make more and sell the !

one other thing I think I need to do is have the zipper deeper between the two layers. It’s a number 8 UCAN zipper...it just looks like too much tape is showing..any thoughts on that? Thanks!

Edited March 3, 2018 by JeannieH
Forgot to add something

[billybopp]

Well done!  You should be proud of that one!

- Bill

[JeannieH]

5 minutes ago, billybopp said:

Well done!  You should be proud of that one!

- Bill

Thank you! Do you know of any companies on here that laser cut patterns? Like if I provided the pattern and leather, they would cut it out for me?

[bikermutt07]

Black River Laser will do that for you.

That bag is awesome. How did you do that braid on the strap?

[battlemunky]

That is really clean and beautiful work Jeannie! You can't tell it isn't store bought.

[BruceGibson]

WOW!  Beautifully done!  Clean lines and excellent stitching--this one jumped out at me.  

I can only hope to do as well.  Need a student? 

[alpha2]

That's fantastic! Love the bleedknot.

[Mattsbagger]

Makesupply also with make custom templates for you.

[JeannieH]

4 hours ago, bikermutt07 said:

Black River Laser will do that for you.

That bag is awesome. How did you do that braid on the strap?

Ok thanks! I got the idea from dooney and Bourke. I cut slots and twisted it within itself.

2 hours ago, battlemunky said:

That is really clean and beautiful work Jeannie! You can't tell it isn't store bought.

Thank you very much! I am enjoying learning how to make them! 

[JeannieH]

2 hours ago, BruceGibson said:

WOW!  Beautifully done!  Clean lines and excellent stitching--this one jumped out at me.  

I can only hope to do as well.  Need a student? 

Thanks! I’m still learning myself but I will definitely help you any way I can! I find bags online made by the high end designers..I look at the bag for days and get the measurements from websites. Then I think some more days on what they had to do to make it..then I make a pattern from the measurements. I’ve done that with the first two leather bags. This one I made my own but used techniques I learned from the other two. The dooney and Bourke Sloan was my inspiration.

1 hour ago, alpha2 said:

That's fantastic! Love the bleedknot.

Thank you so much! That’s what that knot is called? Lol Dooney and Bourke does that with some of their straps. I fell in love with it and spent many nights in bed making it in my head until I figured it out lol!

[JeannieH]

10 minutes ago, Mattsbagger said:

Makesupply also with make custom templates for you.

Ok thanks I will look at their site!

[bikermutt07]

For the record, you'd have to be one high class hobo to carry that bag.

[alpha2]

27 minutes ago, JeannieH said:

Thanks! I’m still learning myself but I will definitely help you any way I can! I find bags online made by the high end designers..I look at the bag for days and get the measurements from websites. Then I think some more days on what they had to do to make it..then I make a pattern from the measurements. I’ve done that with the first two leather bags. This one I made my own but used techniques I learned from the other two. The dooney and Bourke Sloan was my inspiration.

Thank you so much! That’s what that knot is called? Lol Dooney and Bourke does that with some of their straps. I fell in love with it and spent many nights in bed making it in my head until I figured it out lol!

UKSADDLERY has a good video on making a dog leash with bleedknots at each end. I'm just finishing up two more right now.

[AdamPCain]

Very nice your work always looks great. Whenever my daughter and I go to the mall, she gets mad at me. In Macys or other stores I stop and pick up the purses and look at how it was made. I really like Micheal Kors designs they aren't over the top and clean looking. 

Do you skive any of your edges before you sew them?

[JeannieH]

59 minutes ago, bikermutt07 said:

For the record, you'd have to be one high class hobo to carry that bag.

Lmbo yes I imagine you would!

 

30 minutes ago, AdamPCain said:

Very nice your work always looks great. Whenever my daughter and I go to the mall, she gets mad at me. In Macys or other stores I stop and pick up the purses and look at how it was made. I really like Micheal Kors designs they aren't over the top and clean looking. 

Do you skive any of your edges before you sew them?

Thank you. Yes I just got a skiving machine a couple of weeks ago. I didn’t skive the fron and back, but I skived the gusset and the ring holder strap is one full piece with a thinly skived piece glued to it to cover the raw side. I’m loving that machine!

 

ps. Not sure if that comment was for me or alpha 2!

Edited March 3, 2018 by JeannieH

[AdamPCain]

What kind of skiving machine did you pick up. I am looking at the Highlead, I just picked up a Juki 1541s.

[Joseph1836]

I have not made one yet. So how much it cost to make and how much will you sell it for 

[JMcC]

Wow! Very nice work Jeannie! I am Impressed. I'll bet my daughter would LOVE that bag.

 

[JeannieH]

1 hour ago, JMcC said:

Wow! Very nice work Jeannie! I am Impressed. I'll bet my daughter would LOVE that bag.

 

Thank you JMcC! When I’m ready to start selling I will give you my info so she can see the bags and get one if she wants! 

[Jetdoctorbox]

Fantastic looking bag. Great job!

[Basically Bob]

Wow!  Great job!  

[JeannieH]

11 hours ago, Jetdoctorbox said:

Fantastic looking bag. Great job!

Thank you so much!

9 hours ago, Basically Bob said:

Wow!  Great job!  

Thank you! Working on a second one now!

[RedDun]

Bags are on my list of "I want to learn how to..." I have made one really rough one out of some very ugly leather which is discouraging, but yours is GORGEOUS! Love the bleed knot as well, really makes it stand out.

[JeannieH]

Thank you! Don’t give up! Each bag gets better because you learn what not to do on each one lol! I look at bags every time I go to the store..I take pictures of the high end bags and figure out what makes it so special. Mostly it is the name attached..but being very picky at how your stitching looks and other things that others wouldn’t know...makes for a well made bag. I’m a tomboy and never cared about purses lol..now I can’t keep my eyes off of them!  You set your mind to making bags like the luxury brands..and you will do it! I challenged myself to skip the baby steps and go for the mountain...only obstacle I have is not having the money to get the some tools I need and the fine leathers. Keep it up and you will get to where you want to be in no time!

[JeannieH]

Wanted to share this site with you guys. Mainly for the thread it sells from Japan. It’s called Vinymo Mbt. Google it, it’s awesome! You use for machine and handstitching. So for someone like me who does both on my bags, I don’t have to worry with mismatching threads. It doesn’t fray like every other thread I have used. It goes through the needle like butter lol! Just lightly wax and go! For machine just thread and go. The owner of the store, Bill is super friendly. He is based in Atlanta, Ga. He sells high end leather cuts, tools, supplies etc. here is a link for you to get 10% off your purchase!

http://i.refs.cc/i95g1PzD?u=1520691892201