Handmade - Ladies Summer Bag

Bag making is a daunting and mysterious task. However, I would like to take the mystery out of it and present to you a simple, yet customizable, bag that I fully believe anyone can make with very little know-how, and very little supplies. Please do not be intimidated to try this out, as I believe you will be pleasantly surprised at what you can achieve without any machinery. I will be sharing tips and tricks along the way to give you ideas on how to make your bag truly unique.

• Leather (Preferably softer in temper, and thick enough for daily wear)

• Ruler

• Cutting Tool (Knife, Shears, Etc...)

• Needles and Thread

• Stitching Chisels (Or an Awl, to make holes)

• Glue/Double Sided Tape

• Cutting Mat

• Nylon Mallet

Optional Supplies :

• Rope

• Heat Shrink Tubing

• Wing Dividers

• Fabric Lining

When you get a leather hide, typically its going to be an odd shape with no straight line to build a square from. As such, I suggest when you began this project you take a ruler / straight edge and cut a single straight line to use for all your projects.

• Lay your leather on your mat and with the help of your ruler, cut a square to 16 by 24 Inches

Tip - If you're having trouble cutting 90 degree angles, take a sheet of copy paper and line it up with your straight cut. From there you can use a marker or scratch a line to give you a guide of where to cut next.

In this guide I will be showing you how to make tubular handles. While it does add some flair to your bag it is not needed, and you can simply cut two strips of leather and have very simple straps.

• Cut TWO long pieces of leather measuring 25 by 3 Inches

Optional Styles :

As long as your straps are equal in length any design will work. As stated above you can leave them just as is. Other possibilities are folding them in half, cutting shapes into the ends where they connect to the bag, adding fabric to the back of them, or adding a decorative stitch along the edges. This is a perfect opportunity to customize to your liking.

A great way to make this bag your own is pockets. They're relatively simple to add, create extra storage, and most importantly, turn a plain bag into a fashion statement. A pocket can be any size but I decided to add a large one to my bag.

• Cut a square piece 11 by 7 Inches (11 by 7 3/4 Inches for a rolled edge)

Tip - I don't like to leave my pockets so plain if they are going to be on the outside of the bag. To counter this I like to round off my corners. Sadly drawing curves is no easy feat. An easy way to mark a guide line is to take a round object in your house, a plate, spool, tape roll, anything round really. Place it on your corner and line it up to the best of your ability, and trace the edge of the object. Perfect curves every time.

Lining your bag is yet another way to really add character to your bag. Colors, patterns, and textures can all amplify the character your bag has. For my lining I chose a navy blue jersey knit fabric I had. It was stretchy and thin which would make it seem hard to work with. However, I opt to use a little more fabric to save me a lot more trouble. There are two main ways you can cut out your fabric.

• Cut your fabric to the dimensions of your bag (16 by 24 Inches)

OR

• Place your leather square on-top of your fabric of choosing and cut around it, leaving plenty of excess (My way)

Optional Styles:

Lining is not only for the main body of your bag. While I did not do it on my bad you can also cut out a piece of fabric for your pockets. Better yet, use a different fabric than the main body to add some contrast to your bag.

• This next step is very important, so take your time. The goal here is to mark the bottom of your bag, as this will give it depth. The bigger the square, the larger the base you will have.

• Fold your leather in half horizontally, and mark the middle (You will be cutting this piece out so don't be worried about pen marks)

• Lay your leather flat and from your mark, measure 1 1/2 Inches on both sides

• You should have 3 marks. Your middle mark, and the two new marks both, 1 1/2 Inches from your middle mark. I use a different color for the end marks

• From each one of your marks, measure 1 1/2 inches into the center of the bag

• Take your ruler and connect the marks you made in a 1 1/2 by 3 Inches rectangle

• Carefully, cut out the rectangle you drew

• Repeat for the other side of the bag

Tip - After cutting out your first rectangle from the bag, if your leather is supple enough, you can fold your leather vertically this time. Align your edges, and simply mark out your second rectangle.

Before we do start shaping the bag we need to attach everything that is going to be sewn in. The reason for this? To hide the stitch lines of course. By adding the pocket before the lining we are able to cover any thread that would otherwise be shown on the inside of the bag.

• Place double sided tape / glue on 3 sides of your pocket

• Press firmly onto the middle of your bag (2 Inches from each side)

• Using a compass set at 1/4 inch, draw a line around 3 sides, leaving the top untouched

OR

• Using a ruler, measure 1/4 inch from each edge of your pocket and draw lines accordingly

• Take your leather stitching chisels and mallet and begin punching holes along the lines you created

• Stitch the pocket to the body using the holes you've made, as seen here - Saddle Stitch Leather

Tip - When punching your holes, you can place prongs in previously made holes to help guide you. This will keep your line straight and ensure equal spacing throughout the stitch.

I will admit making these handles is not as simple as it seems, but if you're up for a challenge it can add a lot to the overall look of your bag. I chose a 1/2 inch thickness for my rope as I liked the feel it had in my hands. This being said, you can use any thickness of rope you'd like and these same steps would apply.

• Cut the rope 3 inches shorter than your strap length (22 Inches if you're following my dimensions)

• Take your heat shrink tubing and cut it into small end caps

• Place the tubing on the ends of your rope and heat it until the tubing is nice and tight

OR

• Take tape to wrap around the frayed ends of your cut rope

With the dimensions I have given, wrapping the handles isn't an exact measurement. You have a lot of extra room for leeway when folding your leather over. The tighter you are able to wrap the rope, the nicer the final outcome will be, don't be afraid to squeeze and pull the leather where need be.

• Take your leather straps and fold them horizontally to find the midpoint and mark it

• Do the same to find the vertical midpoint of the straps

• Measure 1 1/2 Inch from each end of your strap and draw a line where your rope would end (this should leave you with some extra leather on each end)

• Glue within the lines of your leather, leaving the 1 1/2 Inch on each side dry

• Carefully place your rope down the middle line that you drew, making sure it is equal distance on each ends

• Fold the leather over the rope as tightly as possible, using your finger or anything else to crease the leather into the rope

Optional Styles:

The two ends you have created will be the parts you will stitch to the bag. You can use this as yet another way to make your bag your own by creating a shape appealing to you. Common shapes are, simple squares, a half circle, a diamond, and a spade.

This is one part I forgot to take pictures of, but hopefully after stitching the pocket you have confidence in this next step. Follow your crease line closely, and make sure to pull your thread tight.

• Starting from the ends of your rope, butt your stitching chisel into your handle using your crease mark, and the rope itself, as a guide

• Punch completely through to the other side (as close to the rope as you can)

• Stitch the holes you have just created

• Cut off as much excess as you wish from the handles. Use your judgement, and feel to determine how much leather you want to leave (be careful not to cut too close to your thread)

Tip - Do not be afraid of hitting your rope with your stitching tools, it will have no affect on the outcome of the product. It may make stitching tougher, but once completed, the closer the stitch is to the rope itself, the cleaner the handle looks.

The worst is over once you have made it this far. While it may not seem like it, your bag is nearly complete. The position of your handles takes some planning, so while you may be eager to finish, take into careful consideration where you want your handles. The further apart they are, the smaller the drop and vice versa. For my bag, I placed them over the ends of my pocket.

• Measure 2 inches from the ends of your bag and mark it

• Glue or tape the ends of your handles on-top of your marks, make sure they are laying flat (avoid placing them too high, as it prevents you from stitching the top of your bag if you want to do that)

• Use your compass to draw out a line, or carefully make your own guide line

• Punch and stitch

• Repeat these steps for the other half of your bag

Now its time to hide all the ugly thread that would otherwise be seen inside your bag. I used double sided tape as I feel glue seeps through most fabrics making a mess. The reason for only attaching the lining on the edges of the bag rather than the entire bag is it gives the fabric inside room to move making it feel softer.

• Outline the entire inside of your bag with double sided tape

• Take your over cut fabric and lay it on-top of the tape (do your best to avoid wrinkles)

• Flip your bag to the front and cut the excess lining off using the edges as ruler

• Fold top edges of your bag to hide frayed edges (I folded mine 3/4 Inch)

• Punch and stitch along the top

Optional Styles:

If your bag doesn't have a lining, you can choose not to fold the top. This will eliminate the need for extra stitching, and can give your bag a more rugged look. However, when using a fabric that will fray, I recommend sticking to folding the top over.

At this point you're at the final stretch. There is only 4 more stitching lines to do and your bag will be finished. These next lines are the major structure of the bag, so double check every stitch you do.

• Fold the bag in half, horizontally and inside out

• Take a ruler and measure 1/4 Inch on the two long vertical sides of your bag

• Mark, and draw a line 1/4 Inch in from the edge of your bag

• Punch all the way through and stitch

• Repeat for the other side

This part can be a little weird when you are first doing it, and it may seem like your cuts were off and your bag will be lopsided as a result. Don't fret. There will be extra leather that you can cut off if you choose to. After you're done stitching of course.

• Add glue INSIDE the "L" shaped holes, both top and bottom (yes it is the front of your leather but it will not be seen if you're careful)

• Press the two parts together down the center, adjacent to your previous stitch line, and let it dry. This should start to create dimension, taking it from flat to "puffed" up

• Punch and stitch through the corner you have created (go over the middle middle part, not between it. Do not go past your edges)

Tip - This will be a major stress point for the bag. I recommend doing this stitch line twice to ensure your bag will never give out on you

Congratulations, you have finished your bag. All that is left is flip it back inside out. There is no real method for this it's only a matter of forcing the bag the right way. I like to start with the corners, working my way inside, and then pulling the bag from the middle. As always, patience is key as you don't want to add any unnecessary tension to your stitches, potentially breaking them.