Simple women's leather handbag

[Guest]

After my attempt on the simple leather tote and wearing it to bits (not literally, it's still in great shape), I noticed a lack of a smaller handbag that I can wear when going out to clubs etc. Since I had some leftover leather from my previous project, I decided to make one myself. The flap part was actually cut curvy like that at the leather supplier and as I liked the shape, I kept it as it is. The body is sewn with a sewing machine and the straps (one is wider than the other) by hand. The bag closure is made with a simple button clasp. I had the bag on a test drive last night in Berghain and it held up perfectly with all the essentials inside. Overall I'm very pleased with the finished product.













Fit pictures to follow...

[Oasis]

Minimalistic and very easy on the eye.

I like the 'curvy' shape of the covering flap; the fact it's slightly oversized in relation to the body of the bag is a nice touch too. I tend to worry about flap bags as they're easily accessible, generally lacking a closure mechanism. The press fastening adds further to the functionality and overall I really like it. Great job.

[gothified]

Lovely :) What kind of leather is it? It doesn't look very strong...

[tomatous]

Ah, the bug has bitten you :p Looks great flux. Leaving the curvy flap was a smart choice. I did the same thing when I made my "hide bag". Much more appealing imo to leave the flap.

[flux]

Thanks guys! I really like it myself a lot too and indeed the button clasp closure keeps unwanted hands out of the purse.

I bought the leather from Finland and to my understanding, it is brushed and waxed calf leather with a very nice feel to it. It's actually quite sturdy because in my tote bag I have held anything from heavy cameras to groceries with no problems or signs of wear or tear. The leather is about 2mm thick.

[gothified]

Ah I see.. from the pictures it looks more like 1mm or so. How did sewing with the sewing machine go? Was it a normal sewing machine (for clothes)? Also I assume you used special needles?

[flux]

Ah I see.. from the pictures it looks more like 1mm or so. How did sewing with the sewing machine go? Was it a normal sewing machine (for clothes)? Also I assume you used special needles?

Sewing leather with the machine was fine, it was much harder to do the hand stitching.

I used a my regular Husqvarna Viking sewing machine with a leather needle and special foot.

[gothified]

I wasn't sure if leather that strong could be sewn with a normal machine. I guess I'll give it a try on my next project :) Until now I did everything by hand but that takes a hell of a lot of time (and damages your skin :D)

[brad1981]

it is a really nice item, simple yet impressive
however,as a women's bag, it is a bit less "feminine" to me
prefer the leather tote which is truly amazing

[flux]

Gothified, I bought this specific sewing machine because of its stronger ability to work with leather goods.. It's not an industrial one but it is stronger than most of the "normal" ones. I know what you mean by saving your hands, hand sewing the straps required tears, sweat and blood. You should definitely give it a try with the machine, just get the right kind of foot and needle specifically made for sewing leather.

Brad, regarding the more masculine look of the bag, well, that's exactly why I like it and wanted it this way.. I am not into very feminine bags myself. Often the men's selection of bags is much more suitable and interesting for me than the regular women's bags. This is a personal preference of course.

[brad1981]

totally understandable.that is what i think, to me, it is a personal preference either. they are all well constructed and made of course

[seatech]

I think leather bags are more comfortable when we talk about quality. I bought my last bag a year ago and used it regularly. The material and sticking of a Louis Vuitton bag was up to the mark. It's good product to use and is very economical. A perfect women's bag that has all the qualities to carry with it. Buying a bag is easy but buying a good bag is tricky.