After 3 years: gone full-time and moved to Siberia. Here's my progress!

[karlova]

Hi everyone once again! 3 years ago I posted some of my works here (topic "Are Girls Allowed" - https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/80887-are-girls-allowed-p/)

Since then, I continued with my leatherworking experiments, and made it my main occupation - I am now designing patterns for sale and doing quite well, actually I feel like I found my calling and I really love and enjoy my job now

I would like to show what I am making lately and what had been made in those 3 years since my first post, I hope you like my creatures Oh, and I decided not to sell any prototypes - as I have found out, there is really no limit to how many bags a person can have, so I have and use them all, they are my precioussssss  

Here is the latest pattern that I released just yesterday:

 

[chrisash]

Very nice love the blue colour

Are you selling the patterns or the finished items?

Maybe you should advertise your site in your signature

[PastorBob]

WOW!!!!!!!  What craftswomanship!  Maybe one day, i will be that good.  Thanks for sharing.

[Sheilajeanne]

2 hours ago, chrisash said:

Very nice love the blue colour

Are you selling the patterns or the finished items?

Maybe you should advertise your site in your signature

Yes - THIS! Would like to see more!

[karlova]

5 hours ago, chrisash said:

Very nice love the blue colour

Are you selling the patterns or the finished items?

Maybe you should advertise your site in your signature

For now only patterns but I have started a collaboration here and maybe we will also sell finished items as well, depends on how it goes.

Thanks for the idea about the signature, just did that

[karlova]

Thank you guys I am gonna show more of my designs  

Also after I moved back to Siberia I found all the other leatherworkers, it was hard in Guatemala as it's not very popular there, only 6-7 hours away there was a town where they had some leather shops but no one is doing hand stitching there.  So, when I came here first thing I did (after emptying local leather suppliers' supplies) I took a short shoemaking course, I made a pair of sneakers for myself using the lasts; I didn't bring any shoes with me because in Guatemala I only needed flip flops and had to do something about it

 

 

 

[karlova]

Then I thought I could make some shoes without using the lasts and made a pattern for loafers, right now I am finishing a pair of summer boots with similar lines, and the pattern will also be available. With shoes there is a big headache because I have to make all the different sizes and that is a looooot of work so I can say I like making bag patterns better LOL one size fits all.

 

 

[karlova]

That was the second pair made with QTan Bridle, first one was made with darker crazy horse, but I like the shiny ones better 

 

Then I thought I wanted a keyring and made a cute little shoe which is only 3" long but has the same proportions as the big ones that I am currently making (those will be pink and I just don't have time to glue the sole on them)

 

 

[karlova]

Bonny the Dawg moved with me to Siberia and I bet she is also enjoying her life here As it's slightly colder than in Guatemala (even in the summer time) I made her a bed, she seems to like it very much, she probably has the classiest bed in our whole barrio:

[PastorBob]

lovely designs.  Great work.  How refreshing it is to see someone learn a new skill, then put it into practice.  Thanks for sharing.

[karlova]

46 minutes ago, PastorBob said:

lovely designs.  Great work.  How refreshing it is to see someone learn a new skill, then put it into practice.  Thanks for sharing.

thank you Bob  

I am gonna continue my exhibition, next I would like to show some more bags:

 

 

[karlova]

This is one of my favorite bags that I use a lot, I am gonna make a compact version of it soon.

This is one of the bestsellers, pretty popular pattern 

[spacedog]

Wow. Very nice work.

[HaloJones]

Greetings, that’s so spooky: I purchased your hybrid bag pattern 2 weeks ago, currently creating it in a veg tan & suede combination (black & grey) 

Pattern has been good to follow so far

[karlova]

1 minute ago, HaloJones said:

Greetings, that’s so spooky: I purchased your hybrid bag pattern 2 weeks ago, currently creating it in a veg tan & suede combination (black & grey) 

Pattern has been good to follow so far

woo hoo hello there! Glad everything is going well, use Etsy messaging if you have any questions, and definitely I wanna see the pictures when you're done that is an interesting combination.

[Dilettante]

Really like your blue bag. Great design and color choices. Thanks for sharing. 

[Bel]

Your design work is stunning. I definitely want to try my hand at that pattern in your first post someday.

[Danne]

Nice work. And doggo <3

Edited November 20, 2021 by Danne

[karlova]

thank you guys

I made some new stuff!

 

By the way I got Cyber Week going on in my Etsy shop, if anyone wanted some patterns it's good time

 

Edited November 23, 2021 by karlova

[toxo]

Wonderful stuff. You certainly have an eye for design and you have learned well the value of excellent photography. Well done.

[YinTx]

Absolutely love your design aesthetics and color choices.  You are definitely and artist!  So glad you share your stuff with us, very inspirational.

YinTx

[karlova]

Thanks so much folks!!

 

[karlova]

Tried to update my signature but that didn't work, anyway if anyone wants to follow me on Instagram or watch on Youtube, here are links:

https://www.youtube.com/c/karlovadesign

https://www.instagram.com/karlovadesign/

I also have a FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/karlovadesign

Edited November 24, 2021 by karlova

[HenryDundalli]

great progress as an example to follow