Monday, January 9, 2012

BAG MAKING THOUGHTS


Hello - how are you all?

In my neck of the woods :-) every thing is fine. The day is cloudy and it is cold - yes for our local conditions it is cold, 10+ for us is chilly! :-) I know some of you will laugh at me!


I was down at my workroom all morning sewing, with the radiator on, warming my hands and feet. Now I went up for a coffee and a little posting. I started another bag yesterday. Some time ago I got leather remnants from a friend - she in turn has an acquaintance who owns a little bag factory and gave her the scraps. The really small pieces I sent to another friend, and the slightly bigger ones I kept. I never made a whole bag from leather, I had used it only for straps and embellishments. I was reluctant to try it out for weeks. 
Yesterday I got brave and started to think how I can patch the pieces so they will fit a simple tote bag pattern. I own a leather foot and I have leather sewing needles, without that it is nearly  impossible to sew leather on a household sewing machine. Most of the remnants are soft leather (some are not and I still will have to figure out what to do with them) and so far the sewing went good and easy.
Needles to hold the pieces together cannot be inserted in leather, so I glued some of the seams and let them dry before sewing, others I clamped. Mistakes can not be ripped out, because the holes of the sewing stitches will stay in the leather and can be seen after ripping, so accurate planning is necessary. 

The front and back pieces are ready and I stabilized the lining and cut it out. After I finish my coffee I'll go back down and start on the handles, I wish to patch them with checkerboard leather squares from the leftovers. I made some design failures, I appliqued too near to the opening of the bag and I have still no idea about the closure, there is no place for even a small flap with a magnetic snap. Okay, think think think! I plan to make a zippered pocket for the lining and of course the bag gets a key swivel and a cell phone pocket.  AND it will be embellished with a very pretty wooden button that I got as a gift from a beloved friend! :-)
M a y b e  I can finish it today. Sometimes when I try something completely new to me I have to talk to Lady Creativity and meditate with her and myself to get over the fear (will it be good, no it won't, yes it could, naaaa, yes, no, maybe...) and the procrastination. Mostly she listens to me and it works. I hope this time it does too!

9 comments:

mispapelicos said...

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh so cleverrrrrrrr.
I want to see the end product nOWWWWWWWW,AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Dawn of LaTouchables said...

I'm soooo excited to see what you come up with, Yael--it looks breath-taking already! :-)

rachel awes said...

i'm intrigued about what will be!
looove the pile!! xox

glazedOver Pottery said...

YOU are Lady Creativity, Yael! You will figure this out, I know it. And then, by extension, you will inspire all of the rest of us. You always do!!

Hilde said...

Oh! This is fascinating! I can't wait to see what it will be like :)
Loved reading your bag making thoughts, Yael :) And great photos!
Hugs.

Bob Bushell said...

Well, I think that it is a winner, and beautiful. The one with the butterfly on it, is superb. Get in there and don't forget that you are the artist.

Jill said...

I like what Bob said!

zsazsazsu said...

wawwwwwww ! It already looks amazing and it's not finished yet ...

rc cars said...

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