New-Old Bag

Today you may expect nothing as intense as Wednesday's blog post. I will not be attempting to uncover the truths of our modern day dilemmas. I will merely be showing you my new bag.

I didn't even make this bag, my boss did. We'd been working pretty damn hard for a few weeks in a row and she decided that we deserved something for ourselves (that, and I suspect she was fed up with seeing my mangy shoulder bag about the place) so whilst whipping up a batch of Lola bags for the range, she made an extra two.


I was allowed to pick my own fabric, so I found the remnant of red/white/blue tweed that was leftover from my highwaisted shorts, my thoughts being that the fabric would look awesome with the blue and red in my Winter coat and fit generally with my nautical colour scheme. The leather sections were harvested from an unwanted 80's brown leather coat. The other elements of these bags, the twill lining, the plasticised fabric interlining and even the zips, were also all donated from either individuals or companies. Basically the glue was the only thing that was bought new to create these bags, and possibly the belt buckle hardware which attaches the long straps to the sides of the bags, but I forgot to ask about those.


I'm massively in love with my new bag. Considering how many years I clung on to my last ratty shoulder bag before it was finally surpassed, I imagine I'll be rocking this for a very long time to come. It just feels so 'meaty', you know? Weighty and secure. Plus, I love the zip closer which means I no longer need to be quite so consciously paranoid about my possessions on public transport or in crowds. It's cool to be able to wear it either over my shoulder or across my body, which should be better for my ailing upper-back/shoulders.

I would love to be able to offer this creation up as something that most sewers and refashionistas could attempt themselves. But alas, I wouldn't recommend trying to stitch all these tough elements at home. My boss uses an industrial sewing machine which she's pimped so it can accommodate all but the thickest types of leather. I tried using it (this and this are the fruits of my swear-riddled attempts) and it was a pretty unpleasant and scary experience! Soft, thin leather can usually go through domestic machines (you made need some silicon spray or something to help the machine foot actually grip the leather), but I wouldn't recommend the heart-stopping clunks of breaking needles that you'll be inviting if attempting the thicker varieties!