Leather Messenger Bag Project

This past week I created a bag for a former coworker of mine. It is very similar to the one that I made for myself, though I added an interior pocket and buckles to the front. It was very rewarding to add in the zipper, since when you hand stitch everything anyway, zippers are much less a nightmare than when using a sewing machine.

I have been using Eco Flo brand Leathercraft Cement to hold everything together while I stitch on this project and have found that it works quite well for this. It doesn't seem to be the strongest of glues, so I don't think I would use it by itself, but it acts splendidly for keeping things nice and flat and smooth while stitching.


Here are some pictures mid-process.

I also made this graphic to add to my Etsy listing, so hopefully this will help folks to see the pockets and components of the bag a bit better than a photograph might. I am quite proud of this little graphic I came up with, though I probably wasted too much time creating it. I think it looks like the line drawings they show on the back of pattern envelops that indicate the structural components of the assembled pattern, such as seam lines and pocket placements.

Available online CLICK HERE!

My second project this week is to finish up an abandoned project for my good friend Chelsea. She had asked for some moccasins way back in January but I kept postponing this project because I was agonizing over the sole type to use. Her two previous pairs had soft soles, but I was worried that the deerskin that I use might not last as long as the thicker cowhide her previous pairs were made of. I settled on a compromise of a single veg-tanned sole layer instead of one with an additional rubber layer like I usually do. I think this will give her a bit more life on these while still allowing for a a good feeling of the ground through the soles.

I also went for a simple back leaving the seam facing outward for structure like I did with the moccasin boots but keeping the traditional tab in place. Not sure if I would do it exactly like this again, but this method seems to have avoided the goofy bump I sometimes get at the heel tab in other shoes I have made. Now I just have a different bump where the center seam continues down behind the tab.

Still need to glue shut the stitching channel in the sole, but otherwise these are finally ready to go.