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I know there are so many new folks here that I haven’t ‘met’ and it is so great to see Richard and Linda’s school growing. I am really happy for them. Besides those two, I learned so much from other students that were willing to share their do’s and don’ts, etc. Seems like I usually end up sharing the ‘don’t try this’. So as I was making this little bag for a client, I tried something new and it actually worked. So thought I would share.
After learning about how to use stays, Richard will tell you that you can use lots of different materials to create the effect you want. This flap had an inlay of the main leather color. If I just put a strip of leather under it, I had a big U shaped lump. So I cut the white leather as the entire stay. It got rid of the lump, but it also made a very stiff stay, which was needed to create the structured look she wanted. As you can see I wasn’t able to cut out the windows entirely, but they were enough to create the corners of the flap. You can also see the part not to do; I tried just not using glue in the window area and then had to cut them out so they are a bit sloppy. Would have been easier to just do it to begin with.
As for the bag itself, a simple U-shaped gusset, it is all handstitched and to the specs she asked for. Including the little blue bow – not my style, but the client is always right, or so they say. Also don’t care for the large slip pocket for a phone on the back, to me it looks out of proportion. However, it will be functional. Just has one slip pocket inside.
Ok, need to back up, sometimes the client is not right. When you get someone asking for something you know will not work, don’t let them talk you in to it. Even if it is their idea it will always be your name as the maker and that is the part they will tell everyone. More on that saga when I finish the next bag. If that ever happens.
Thank you Kathi for sharing.
I couldn’t agree with you more. Our expertise in making handbags is why we were hired to do the job even if the client has the “classroom” knowledge to make one themselves. Education does not stop inside the classroom. There is much to be learned in the outside world.
Being a designer yourself, you should tell your client when a design element is aesthetically unpleasant. I would concede to the bow but not with the exterior phone pocket. A pocket window would work better than a patch pocket in my opinion.
I agree Kathi! Sometimes there are technically flaws to a clients design, I think it behoves us to point those things out, the problem is how to do that without the critique becoming negative? Changes are always hard for the other designer to accept but because it’s a custom bag you own it to yourself as a form of protection against “that’s not what I wanted”.
A slip pocket would have been nicer.
Bontex has two new product one is called Bonflex and bubble, it’s almost like bonded leather. It’s made with latex and has a really nice flow, you can iron it, twist it, very nice flex to it.
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