This was for a family member – the deal? Use it and provide me with feedback (good & bad). One evaluator said he had a problem – the pockets stretched out. He also said it may have been his fault in that he put lots of cards in the pockets…
I used a textured cowhide, (about 3 oz or 1.2 mm thick) for the interior & extrior pockets and recycled garment leather for the pockets & ID flap. The test here? Can the garment grade leather hold up or will it stretch.
On the left and under the ID holder, I used two pockets and on the right side interior I used three pocket.
Inside the bill slot.
So far the feed back is it looks great and is sturdy. The flap and wallet close, but the carrier wants the overall profile to lay flatter. His feedback is it may come with time and use. It may be just the bulk since I lined the bill slot and added the hidden pockets – a little larger gap (middle fold area) may help with that too…
Someone asked about a slim wallet since they don’t carry cash. I created this little card carrier.
Recycled black napa garment leather is hand stitched for this simple piece. The front is an ID window and it opens like a book.The back is a funky slit pocket for gift or credit cards. I want to try and alter this to have RFID blocking.Two card slots on either side for this slim card carrier.Neon yellow edge paint to match the stitching. It seems to lay a little flatter with use/stretching…a few other tweaks and I think this can be a hit. A young woman at the grocery store complimented me on this yesterday. Yup, carrying this one too for test and evaluation.
Red edge paint all around adds a little pop of color to the black textured leather outside.Three interior pockets on either side are of red recycled garment leather; plus a little more depth for the bill holder.
I made this little guy in 2012 for a family member. The body is black recycled garment leather, shirt and pants of felt scraps, and a skull charm for fun.
The front & back of the wallet look the same – black weave imprinted leather.The four interior card slots are made of recycled black garment leather.This image is with the front & back of my new business cards. Similar to the brochures, the business card is a little version of the black suede wristlet I made.Dollar bill slot runs the full length of the wallet. Credit for this wallet pattern goes to “ducjes” a leather worker website user/member.
This fairy-themed bag was made with upcycled placemats.
This bag is a little larger than the other similarly styled ones. I used store-bought wooden handles, a hint of silver colored metal chain, and added the spring hook keychain with my logo.The back is exactly the same as the front; I used a magnetic snap on an interior tab so the image is fully visible.I made the back pocket a little larger and gave them more depth. I intentionally turned the eyelets so the rims were inside the bag to keep the focus on the main character depicted on the outside front & back.A white shiny, textured vinyl on the sides and bottom detracted the least from the design. (Hmm perhaps traditionalists would consider this a spring/summer bag)
I made these for a family member’s new daughter. All but the thread and rivets are recycled materials.
I used hook & loop tape on the straps. The shoes are fully lined with scraps from a dress shirt; I hand-cut and edge painted the flowers for a little more color.
Well, the faux crox purple and black bag was not as fun to carry as expected, but a grand opportunity to determine flaws. Perhaps I will re-visit the design and try again in the future.
I made this little ditty instead and am carrying it now – a good way to advertise…comments while shopping – even men stop to read the comics, but no orders yet!
Front view with logo tag.Back view – this time I used black chain for repetition with the black leather napa sides and bottom.I changed up the back interior pocket to a split pleated pocket in that grand shade of green for a “pop” of color. The interior tabbed closure has a magnetic snap so the outside comics are fully visible.This side view shows the bag can open to a 4″ depth.
This is my take on a commercially available handbag made by one of the big name, mass-producers.
(Approximate dimensions: 13″ x 8.5″x 4″ 8.75″ drop)
Black upcycled napa leather with purple faux crocodile vinyl and my new logo on the front. I considered putting the logo on the back, but I opted to show it off!This is the back side of the bag. I tried using different internal components and will carry the bag to see how the materials hold up to daily wear and tear.The side is upcycled garment grade leather; I am not sure I like the way it lays. The straps were a new technique too; I like the way they look and will test them for length and durability.This was an experiment in that it is a flat-bottom bag and stitched differently than my “theme” bags. This being the case, feet were a must!Back interior zip pocket – this individual pocket was no big deal to make, but the whole lining! Lots of work – not sure if I will attempt this type of divided lining again…This is the front inside pocket; I like the “pleat” of this divided patch pocket. My stuff is more accessible.Center divider zippered pocket. Just loading my junk into this bag, I can see how much I do like the pockets and space…now how to morph this pattern so it is less labor intensive and more forgiving of my “engineering” skills!
