hello, i started this between christmas and new year, but took longer than i thought - especially the edges. i have a few designs i have been working up for bags, this is the first one which i have managed to make up.
its using 2 different thicknesses of dyed through shoulder - chestnut, with black edges and yellow thread.
there are a few things i learnt while doing this, have a thorough plan and stick to it. i made a mock up of the pocket and flap to see how it would work, as i wanted to make sure i could get my hand in, so that is why the gussets on the pockets are the way they are.
the main gusset doesnt really work with the tight corners of the bag.
dont do anything important late when you are starting to get tired - case in point the panels where the strap attach are 30mm lower than planned. still not sure how it happened.
when gluing, i found that cutting the cheap small spatulas to required shape works a treat. when gluing the pockets on, i cut one of the spatulas so it was only 3mm wide.
from an aesthetic point, i think the stitching on the straps is a bit big, maybe go up a size and down a thread size.
will get on with the other bags at some point, and also the laptop envelope i have plans for, although i used the black calf skin for something else, so will need to buy some more.
let me know what you think.
thanks
i think i am going to have to brush up on my photography skills.
@paul p It amazes me when I see people new to the craft with projects that show such a high degree of skill and creativity.
Starting a bag this early on is incredibly bold, and it's this boldness that is needed to master a craft.
Regarding the strap attachments, try the bag out and see how you like it first. If they are too low, you can redo them say 20mm longer so that they start higher up yet you can still use the existing stitch holes at the bottom of the attachments.
Bravo.
Here is a better pic of one of the pockets. Looking at the stitching on the straps, they just looks a bit heavy compared to the rest of the bag. Not sure if this is just an optical thing because the 2 rows of stitching are so close together. I have a pocket made up, so I might drop a strap on it and make the stitch Mark's 8spi instead of seven and make the thread .45 instead of .55.
Also when wearing it, wondering if it would be better to angle where the strap attaches by 10°? Wondering if anyone has tried this, as I think it might hang better? I might try that on another bag.
I Like the bag, very very very much.
For me, the straps are attached a bit too low on the side (is this what you were telling us about not working late at night?), and I honestly like the thread size you are using. The bag is a bit "rugged" in design and a finer thread would be a bit out of character in my opinion.
Great job overall my friend :)
hi, first bag, about 10th item, been doing leatherwork for about 9 months. mainly been wallets before this.
thanks
Hey Paul.
This is a great bag for the first attempt!
It's only your first bag, and not your your first leather project, isn't it?
Otherwise you'd be stunning talented for leathercraft!