Here are two new totes for the Gallery 121 sale in early May. More details on the sale soon.
The first tote is made of waxed canvas from England, the second with waxed canvas from the USA. Both fabrics are water-resistant and durable. They bags have cross-body straps, are trimmed in leather and have lots of pockets inside and out. Great for travel or for everyday use. Drop me a note in the comment section if you have any questions.
Here are two new cross-body bags, the first made from a leather vest, the second from a leather jacket. So much depends on the weight of the leather and the number of seams in the garment and these two pieces scored well in both areas. The vest was long and the back had only one seam. I still have enough of this great leather to be part of a second bag. The black leather jacket had more seams, but there was still enough clear leather to make a smaller bag with an exterior pocket. The red bag is 12″x9″x2″ and the black is 10″x8.5×3″. Both bags are lined with a zipper pocket inside.
I enjoy giving a second life to cast-off garments. And I try to use every inch. I have plans to make pouches and small cases from the remaining pieces still left on the cutting table. 
Working with recycled leather is always a surprise. Before Christmas my friend, Margaret, offered me a leather sofa that her family no longer needed. I’ve used new upholstery remnants for bags before so I was eager to see this used upholstery. They kindly stripped the leather from its frame and Margaret delivered two large bags absolutely brimming with leather pieces. The sofa was a deep chocolate brown, but the back side of the leather was red. Where the leather was worn the red had come through giving the leather a beautiful burnished patina.
Below you can see the first Sofa Bag. It is a day bag 11″ x 8.5″ x 3″ with an adjustable leather strap. Inside it is lined with red denim from the Textile Museum sale with a zippered pocket–there is the last of that great striped upholstery sample–and a leather slip pocket. The zipper is durable metal and the low-key hardware matches. This is a unique bag, making ethical use of recycled leather and making a fashion statement at the same time. 
A while ago I found a pair of leather jeans in my favourite used clothing store. These are not just any leather jeans, but some that belonged to a large elegant man. The leather is excellent quality, made in Canada, and as you can see from the label, they are BIG!
I managed to get two bags from the one pair. The first bag has a double exterior pocket and the second, one patch pocket. The adjustable cross-body straps came from another piece of leather but everything else is from the jeans. Both bags have a zippered pocket inside as well as a double slip pocket. They close with a heavy duty metal zipper and have matching hardware. Each bag is approximately 12.5″ x 12.5″ x 4.5″. These bags will carry all you need for everyday of for travel.
I love to use recycled leather, especially when it is of this quality. And the lining is a remnant from the Textile Museum sale, the pockets, upholstery samples. There is so much waste in the fashion business. How great to give these jeans a second and third life!
