bags and purses

I had a few small pieces left of the lovely leather in this red tote and decided to see what I could come up with.  If I combined it with some other pieces in my box of ends, there was just enough for a new tote, The Triad.  This tote is unlined with two green leather pockets inside and a roomy pocket on the outside.  It is 14″ wide, 12″ tall and has a depth of 4.5″ The apple green handles have a 13″ drop which means they fit comfortably over your shoulder no matter how full the tote. This is a great durable summer tote with a fun colour play.

This is the new quarry bag. It is made from sturdy leather in a stone/mineral colour–a great neutral. It has a front flap with a magnetic catch and is lined in turquoise suede from my friend Catherine’s once expensive shirt! The actual bag is lined with a polka dot cotton batik. Inside there is pocket for your phone and other small things and outside on the back is a zipper pouch, ideal for keys. W 12″ L 9″ D 3.5″ with a strap of 46″, perfect for carrying cross-body. In the on-line store with another new bag soon.

I have been in the studio this morning and have finished some things and made some new. I will be sharing soon–but for now, this great pouch–made of the best red leather with some fun accent colours. 7″ x 5″ x 2.5″ it is the perfect size to fit in your larger bag and carry your important gear. It is also big enough to do the main work on its own–phone, cards and other essentials fit easily. This beauty will be in the shop tonight.

I had just enough of this great purple leather to make a rough pouch. These rugged shots of colour are so useful both on their own and in a bigger tote. I’ve changed the pocket this time–it’s firmly affixed inside and gives a nice geometric line on the outside. 8″x 5″ x 2.5″ — will be in the on-line store today.

I had enough of this red leather to make two Delta totes and this final Keller Bucket. The first three Delta totes (green, red and toffee) have all sold which is fabulous and I thank you all for your support. It was so great to see birdbrain leather bags on the arms of rug hookers at the show last weekend! The last red Delta will be in the shop tomorrow with this Keller Bucket soon after.

This lastest bag is 11.5″ wide and 13″ high with a four inch double leather base, an adjustable shoulder strap and the Keller zip pocket on the front. Inside it has a leather phone pocket and a canvas double pocket, zipper and slip. This flash of red is a great g0-to bag–throw it over your shoulder and carry all you need.

Another Delta tote is finished. I posted close-up pictures here which better show the grain of the leather. But these pictures show the size and usefulness of the tote. It is 17″ wide, 14″ tall with a 5″ reinforced bottom with metal studs to protect it from scrapes. There are two carry options, a long adjustable shoulder strap which you can remove or two handles which also fit easily on your shoulders. As I’ve said before, I think it’s great to have options when you are carrying lots.  On the front is a big pocket which closes with a strong magnetic fastener and inside is a phone pocket and a screen-printed canvas pocket with both zipper section and slip section behind. The zipper is a bronze metalic one and the other fastenings match. All in all, this is a sturdy, roomy tote which is great for travel or just for carrying lots of stuff. And I shouldn’t forget to mention the stunning wax print lining–the colours of Africa.

A new red Delta tote is under construction. I like the wax print from Nigeria that I am using for lining. I’ve been doing some research on these wax prints and they have a complicated heritage, beginning in Indonesia. You can read about their connection with Africa and their emergence in modern fashion  here and here. I bought this particular wax print–they come in three yard pieces–last year at the market in Kisumu. The bold graphics are so appealing and the colours work well inside the red Delta. This fabric is printed on both sides–an indication of its quality. Some of the imitations are printed on only one side.

Here are some other glimpses of the new tote. It has the ‘delta’ features but is also unique–this one has brass fittings. It should be finished by the end of the week.