Sewing with leather

Well, I finally tried it. I came across the perfect large white leather coat at the Goodwill and figured it was time to see if my machine could handle it. In order to minimize waste I used the coat design elements in my bag design. For example, I took apart the lapels on each side of the front opening to make the purse straps. I took a pocket off the front and made use of a nice stretch of clean hide for the front and back and used the under arm and part of the sleeve (where the leather seemed a bit softer and weaker) for the inside top where the magnetic closures were placed. I used a walking foot and regular thread. My walking foot is noticeably lower quality than the other attachments I have. The foot's metal is actually bendable when I have to wrangle a thick chunk under it and it doesn't lift up as high as I'd like in the first place. I think for top stitching I should have used a heavier-weight thread, too. Where the straps attach to the bag was too thick to machine sew so I hand stitched those parts using a tapestry needle and DMC thread and pliers. Not much fun, and we'll see how long they hold up before I have to reinforce them. Sometimes the hand stitching is the strongest part -- you never know. Anyway, the result is pictured above.

I guess on one side of my brain I'd like to see cleaner sewing and fewer stitch marks. However I realize I'd need to get my hands on a real industrial machine to get several layers of leather PLUS the thick foam interfacing I use under the needle. Also, I'd need to purchase clean hides which haven't been used before. From the old waste-not-want-not mentality there's something really satisfying about using secondhand garments in making new purses. If you're like me you really love the stitch marks left from removing pockets and from previous stitching on the coat. It's the patina of a recycler's new creation and a-okay with me. In all, I'm pretty pleased with my new bag. I own a nice "pleather" white bag, but I've been wanting a white leather bag made from real skin (sorry PETA). Every time one of those "IT" bags catches my eye the price tag shoots a little hole in my heart. So this one's mine.

I have three more leather coats to play with: one great soft black leather coat, a sort of pebbly brown leather coat and a dark plum colored leather coat. Yippee. I'm thinking next time I'll use a different interfacing. While I love the structure of the white one, I may ease up on the machine (and save some needles) and use a thinner interfacing. Maybe a slouchier design will accommodate that. This is gonna be fun.

Costume Jewelry!

I've been playing with these things all day. My neighbor Lynda's aunt passed away and left several large boxes of costume jewelry, one of which Lynda has been storing for months. She invited me to take what I wanted from the large extravagant cache this morning!! Can you believe this magnificent booty? A gorgeous collection of strands of plastic, crystal, silver, shell, etc, as well as many matching sets of brooches and earrings, necklaces and earrings, odd lone pins, and mismatched earrings. I swear (even though it looks like I was a pig taking all this lovely stuff of her hands) Lynda pushed it on me. And when I said "No more, I can't!", there were still just as many beautiful things left. The truth is I scored in a royal way. Oh, yeah!

The Good Life

After a couple of weeks in Nebraska seeing family and old friends, we came back home and immediately started preparing for school. If I haven't said it before, we've been really lazy this summer, staying up late, sleeping late, playing way too many video games and watching too many reruns of Spongebob. The trip to NE was nice, since the kids met up with lots of cousins and played together for days. Mom's house turned 100 years old, so she threw a big party (in 90 degree heat), complete with a giant potluck dinner. We canoed, fished, went to a family reunion, stayed up half the night with college friends --the things you do when you go "home". I admit I do my share of grumbling that our vacations always seem to be spent in the midwest with family, but really, there's no better way to re-discover the simple blessings I take for granted.

Jenny's Heroes

Last Christmas, while in Barnes and Noble in Lincoln NE, my college stomping grounds, I ran into an old acquaintance. Jenny and I exchanged addresses and agreed to keep in touch. Rather than the usual email, I was surprised to receive a handwritten letter from her. I immediately sent her one back, along with some doodles and watercolors, and we became regular pen pals. (It really does happen in the 21st century.) Jenny is a very smart and creative woman, and frequently sends small gifts along with her letters. Here is a tea towel she embroidered for me with some of her favorite famous women. These excellent women are: Lucille Ball, Catwoman, Anna Axmatova, Lily Tomlin, Marie Curie, Julia Childs, Cleopatra, Frida Kahlo, Guinevere, Colette, Phyllis Diller, Santa Rita, Nefertiti, Lady Godiva, Emily Dickinson, Camille Claudel, Elizabeth I, Mae West, Jeanne d'Arc, Rosa Parks, Eleanor Roosevelt, Jane Austen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Greta Garbo, Zelda Fitzgerald. You see why I love Jenny?