This is a bit of a random post, but I finally started and finished a project I had meant to do years ago! It was before I got really busy. I’m really proud how it turned out! It’s a new DIY Leather Bag!
I’m particular about my bags, I realized I don’t like totes or small hand bags. My perfect bags are drawstring backpack purses with pockets that are large enough to hold a medium to large sketchbook. The weight should be evenly distributed on my shoulders. I didn’t mind cross body bags but I kept switching it from side to side because of the weight. My mom made me a few of my perfect bags but one has already bit the dust and another is probably at its mid-life since I use it daily for my casual outings.
Since I knew what I liked I decided to try to make my own! This is a learning experiment since I don’t really sew and I’m making it from leather instead of fabric which have been what my mom used. I’m hoping that the leather will be more durable and last longer. I used hardware clips so that I can easily replace them if necessary. My unexpected struggle is hand stitching the whole bag and while I don’t mind it in general, when I was done I no longer wanted to hand stitch. lol That took the longest since it was tedious punching out holes. I also ran out of thread at the perfect time on the last piece. My fingers became sore after a while and I needed to spread that out through out the few days to give them a break.
(bag front)
I didn’t really use a pattern other than the bag my mom made for me and reference photos from a search. Sketched out a few ideas with what I wanted but changed it due to lack of experience and practicality. I also borrowed a bunch of materials from my mom since she had some things I needed for measuring and marking. She’s the best! I love her so much. Didn’t even bat an eye when I asked. haha
(bag back)
I cut the bag larger in case there were mistakes. lol No surprise there were some but none so bad that it rendered the bag unusable. I’m not going to point them out. Trying to be better about not pointing out the bad things first since others probably won’t notice unless I tell them. ^_~
I love pockets so I have a front pocket with one of my favorite fabric as a liner and an interior pocket.
I spent about 3-4 full days working on it instead of the other tasks I had planned for those days. It felt good to work on something tactile, I usually work on digital items so this was fun and exciting to see it come together! I did watch a ton of TV shows and movies as I sewed the pieces together. Good and bad. I wanted to get off the screen more but I didn’t want to sit in silence sewing. Not exactly the project which I planned to work on but it had been on my list for a long time. I should give myself a break about it.
I do have a few last things I want to add to the bag: an enclosure for the large main cover so that it’s more secure. I also want to add a cover for the outside pocket to secure it better so things don’t fall out either. Those are minor things but I’m planning on going ahead and using the bag!
I’m surprised at how heavy the leather was when I finished it. It makes sense because of the heavy hardware and the weight of the leather in general. I was a bit concerned it might be too much but after some time the weight is decent as long as I don’t carry a lot and I wear it as a backpack.
Overall, I’m satisfied at how it turned out considering my lack of experience. I’m excited to start using it too!
What do you guys think? Have you made your own bags before? Leather or fabric? How did it go?
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