WIMade: A clutch! - YouLookFab Forum

Okay ya'll, I'm pretty proud of myself. I asked a few days ago in this thread about how to carry a clutch bag because I was slightly obsessed with a $200 leopard print bag I kept seeing.
http://youlookfab.com/welookfa.....y-a-clutch

So I got fab advice from all of you about how to wear a clutch and also sage wisdom on NOT SPENDING $200 on something that I wasn't sure would work for me. (thank you very much ladies!)

SO....a hobby of mine is leather work. Monday I visited my local leather shop and found an animal print piece of leather. It's metallic and not calf hair but it was all they had and I decided to make my own bag.

I'm so pleased with this. For about $20 I made my own version so I could audition a clutch to see if it fits my lifestyle. Finished it up yesterday, then last night I found a source for calf hair with a leopard print so I'm going to make another one. These will make great Christmas gifts I think. There are lots of great leathers available online, I was surprised to discover.

I added a tassel although you can't see it very well, but I think I will leave it off next time.

What do you think? Any suggestions? Now I need to find outfits to put this bag with. I thought this denim shirt/black distressed skinnies combo would work, but this shirt looks too big. Or something. I haven't been able to figure this top out!

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9 years ago

Sara L.

Veteran

Wow, your clutch looks great! You're so talented and how fun would it be to get a handmade clutch for Xmas. Your relatives/friends will love them. I like the patterned clutch with the distressed jeans.

viva

LOVE. This is seriously amazing. Are you taking orders?

texstyle

(website)

Great job! It looks perfect with the jeans and I agree it would make a really fun Xmas gift.

JenA

Wow, that is BEAUTIFUL. I'd order one too!! Great xmas gift idea.

Anonymous

Cute! You know, Claire Vivier made a very successful business out of this style of bag I love it - and how great that you have the talent to work with leather and to be able to do this !

p.s. your shirt doesn't look too big to me - it's looks very relaxed and comfy!

rachylou

Wow! Looks Tony-tiger great!

It's absolutely gorgeous! I sew, but have never worked with leather at all. I would love one like that. May I ask about the thickness of the leather, was it quite pliable and easy to work with?

rabbit

Awesome!! Ya know, calf hair looks lovely, but it also rubs off (especially if it is on the part of the bag that touches your body), I think this clutch is just lovely!! I think the size of the shirt looks just fine on you, the right kind of slouchy.

bella

You know how to work the leather like that!! It's amazing! I would never ever buy another leather bag if I were you. You are so good at this.

Kristin SF

One of my fave outfits you've shown so far, and the clutch is perfect with it!

Do you have instructions? Would love to try to duplicate on my own, it looks so cool!

Angie_T

Active Member

Thanks ya'll. I was so pleased with it. And so grateful I didn't spend $200!!

Dianne G, the leather is not as thin as glove leather and I'm not sure how it would sew on a machine. I got it at Tandy Leather and I have asked them before if I could sew it on a machine and they said "You can if I knew what you're doing" which I took as a no! I have heard of others hand turning a sewing machine wheel and using a heavy duty needle to sew leather. The ebay store where I found more leather lists it as 1.2 mm thick.http://stores.ebay.com/Tacoma-Glove
The leather is more expensive here than in my local store.

I hand stitched it but I have a tool that cuts the holes for me.
http://www.tandyleatherfactory.....0-551.aspx
They come in different sizes, but my tool cuts 4 holes per half inch, so I just pre-chisel the holes, then hand stitch with waxed thread. It doesn't take long at all.

After visiting a fabric store to buy a purse zipper, I must say I am wanting to pull out my sewing machine that my parents gave me about 30 years ago and see if I can remember how to use it! I might need to find an online refresher course on sewing.

Kristin, I just cut out squares to size (12" because I had an 11" zipper) and then started stitching! In my note above to Dianne I showd the tool I use to pre-cut my holes for stitching.

I did make a terribly dumb mistake by not sewing the zipper on first, so I had to remove one seam and re-do it after I stitched the zipper on both sides. I used a purse zipper but I think it would be easier to use a separating zipper because the leather is so bulky to work with.

I didn't line it, because I was already working with a lot of thickness and I was hand stitching. (I didn't even pin anything!) It's fine for me unlined, but I want to play around with lining if I make these for gifts.

I would love to find some cool zippers to work with. Something that has personality.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Great outfit, Angie, and I love your new bag! I'm so impressed! I like the tassel; it adds a professional touch and a little bit of interest.

Sharan, I actually thought about you a lot while I was doing this project. I was thinking "I bet she could whip this out in about an hour!"

Susie

Wow, that's beautiful! I am so impressed that you made it yourself. And what a great idea for a Christmas gift...and, uh, we will be best buds by then, right?

amiable

Terrific job on the bag! It looks great, and is more special that you put the effort in to it yourself!

Ornella

Keep the tassel. And quit your daily job. Make these instead.
Ok just kidding, but this is one fantastic piece and will make very, very special Christmas gift.

You look fab, btw.

Ooh, thanks for the details Angie! I actually have Tandy leathers on my favourites list. I was looking at leathers a while back. Fascinating. I'm really tempted to do one.

Karie

Fantastic clutch! I have never sewn with leather, but now I am tempted to give it a try.

catgirl

How fun! A DIY is always extra-fab!

bj1111

#gifted
#iwantit
#pleasesellit.

Aida

So fun!! The clutch turned out really nice, and I quite like the tassel with it. I've been toying with the idea of making some of my own clutches, this is great inspiration. I'll have to check out the chisel tools, I'd definitely need one.

Angie, I haven't ventured into sewing leather!

Jaime

My suggestion is to me add me to your order waiting list. What a brilliant solution! (I like the tassel.)

Marley

Wow - are you kidding me????? This is beautiful! LOVE it!

Sharon

This is fantastic. I'm so impressed that you know how to do leather work. My son's girlfriend is into sewing and fashion and she made a big clutch out of faux fur. It looked great and was such a fun piece.

Diana

Wow, I a so impressed that you made that! It looks fantastic!

Alexandra

That looks awesome! And hand-stitched too, I can't even imagine doing that.

Suzanne (ambergreen)

Fabulous DIY, and you look great. (I know my eye had a hard time with fluid fits on me.) Many people wear animal print as a neutral, too, so it can go with nearly anything. I think the metallic is really fun as an option.

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