Book for Bag Making?

[MtlBiker]

Is there a recommended book on general bag making techniques?  Leather and/or other materials?  I'm looking to learn techniques and get ideas about general bag construction and patterns.  Looking on Amazon there are a gazillion books, but the reviews seem all over the map.

I'm just ordering Nigel Armitage's "Leathercraft: Traditional Handcrafted Leatherwork Skills and Projects", Valeria Michael's "Leatherworking Handbook: A Practical Illustrated Sourcebook of Techniques and Projects" and Kasia Ehrhardt's "Leather Bags: 14 Stylish Designs to Sew for any Occasion."

Before moving into expensive leather, I want to practice and experiment with Cordura and faux-leather, so a general bag making book would be most helpful to me at this point.

Thanks!

 

[chrisash]

I have Valeria Michael's "Leatherworking Handbook and found it useful though the plans are rather difficult to understand as more than one design on a page. good starter book

[mike02130]

The only book you mentioned that I'd recommend is Nigel's.  Ellen Valentine has an excellent book with patterns and detailed how-to information and she is willing to answer questions.  RML offers free shipping.  It ain't cheap but eliminate two of the three books you mentioned and put the money toward Ellen's.  Al Stohlman has an excellent book on bag and case making.  It is great for showing you how to make straps and handles.

[MtlBiker]

5 minutes ago, mike02130 said:

The only book you mentioned that I'd recommend is Nigel's.  Ellen Valentine has an excellent book with patterns and detailed how-to information and she is willing to answer questions.  RML offers free shipping.  It ain't cheap but eliminate two of the three books you mentioned and put the money toward Ellen's.  Al Stohlman has an excellent book on bag and case making.  It is great for showing you how to make straps and handles.

I've seen Nigel's book recommended before, even though it's just come out (in most places).  And Kasia Ehrharadt's book looked good and was recommended to me by @Hardrada in another thread about linings.  Anyway, I've ordered the three I mentioned.

What is "RML"? 

I just searched Ellen Valentine and that book does indeed look like a good one.  But I couldn't find anywhere what currency the price is... if it's in US dollars then it's over $100 Canadian, which is really a lot.  Plus shipping!  (Guessing from Europe?)  I'll wait until I get the books I ordered and then maybe I'll treat myself to this one.

[mike02130]

Yeah, expensive at 80 bucks.  It goes into a lot of detail and she has the patterns which you can download and she will answer questions.  Rocky Mountain Leather has free shipping in USA.  Maybe discount to Canada?  YouTube and cheap leather for prototypes should be your best friends.  Good luck.

[chrisash]

The designs in Valeria Michael's "Leatherworking Handbook which you can see on her website, do appear quite basic, but not having seen the book its hard to give a real appraisal, but at that price i would expect more

https://leatherworkschool.com/

[MtlBiker]

57 minutes ago, mike02130 said:

Yeah, expensive at 80 bucks.  It goes into a lot of detail and she has the patterns which you can download and she will answer questions.  Rocky Mountain Leather has free shipping in USA.  Maybe discount to Canada?  YouTube and cheap leather for prototypes should be your best friends.  Good luck.

I've been looking for sources of cheap leather, but again, since I'm in Canada, buying from a US supplier and paying the (usually exorbitant) shipping to Canada, often brokerage, allowing for the exchange rate, etc. just makes that less than ideal.  I've been searching for a source (I'm in a big city and there should be a place) and have a lead on a possible supplier.  I hope to confirm that in the next couple of days.  In the meanwhile I am sure I can buy some faux leather... do you think that would be good to experiment with and prototype?

 

[MtlBiker]

3 minutes ago, chrisash said:

The designs in Valeria Michael's "Leatherworking Handbook which you can see on her website, do appear quite basic, but not having seen the book its hard to give a real appraisal, but at that price i would expect more

https://leatherworkschool.com/

I'm not quite sure I follow you... You talk about Valeria Michael's book, but the link you included was for the expensive Ellen Valentine book.  Was your comment about that book or the Valeria Michael one?

 

[Hardrada]

Those books should get you started. I don't think you need to saturate yourself with more reference materials at this time. I haven't read Mr. Armitage's book but I have Ms. Michael's and Ms. Erhardt's books: the one is about traditional methods (i.e. hand stitching), and the other is geared towards machine sewing (though one could also stitch by hand) and it comes with all the patterns for all the projects depicted there, which is a bonus. Michael's book also has 'patterns' but they're more like reference schematics on the book itself and you'd have to draw them by hand by yourself.

Leather is expensive. I've been ordering from Rocky Mountain Leather Supply (RML) because they split to any weight I want or need. I've also purchased from Lonsdale Leather in Vancouver but they don't offer splitting and their weights can sometimes be thicker than I'd like.

Edited December 9, 2020 by Hardrada

[mike02130]

It may help more if you were to give specifics and show a picture of what you would like to make.  "General bag making techniques" is a wide ranging subject.  I make classic style handbags which are much different from totes and hobo bags and other "inside out" bags.  Will you be saddle stitching, bonding leather or using structure, padding or lining?  There are handle and strap styles.