recycled leather

The rough pouches have been getting a very good response so I decided to dig into my box of upholstery leather and see what I could come up with.  Each pouch is one-of -a-kind with a zipper closing and an interior leather pocket large enough to hold your cards. The small pouches are ideal for carrying your phone and other essentials, fit easily into a larger bag or work well on their own. The larger pouches can hold a passport and boarding pass. Today’s colours espresso, walnut, mocha and teal.

I have been working on a tote made from two leather jackets, both wonderful leather–rugged brown and pebbly black. I have always liked the black, brown combination and it seems to really work here. This tote is a bit oversized, 16″ wide, 13″ high and a 7″ bottom, so it will hold lots of stuff including an ipad, or laptop.

This is just a peek because I haven’t worked it all out. But I think I am really going to like it. Next step, design sturdy straps and think about the lining–lots of pockets for sure.

This leather originated in a bomber jacket, circa 1982. I am calling it cobalt, but it is a bit more on the purple side than earlier clutches. Beautiful. I have been saving this leather which is soft and smooth for some time, but this week decided to make a clutch. This is a very useful size  (6 x 8.5 x 1.5″) as it holds all your essentials, so can stand on its own, or can be stowed in a larger bag. 

Inside is a small pocket which is a good size for your cards and a lining of sunshine yellow cotton print. The wristlet has a detachable clip for those days when you want to use it inside a bigger bag. You can find this pouch in the shop.

I have long had a romance with turquoise and magenta. I remember a hot mat I wove in Brownies on a box loom my father made for me. It was–turquoise and magenta–and I thought it was beautiful. At a recent workshop we talked a lot about emotional connection to colour–Deanne talked about her mother’s turquoise fridge and the memories it evoked. I think these rich colours evoke the excitement I felt as a little girl when the brown paper packages arrived from my Scottish grandmother containing hand-knitted sweaters in the most beautiful hues. Those packages spoke love to me.

I had a number of small zippers and some small pieces of my favourite leathers. I decided to make some small rough pouches–no lining but a little pocket for subway tokens or other small treasures. And I have fallen for them–the little ones for change and the larger ones to pop in your tote with phone, cash, cards etc. A perfect injection of colour!

Getting back into the studio. This version of the CB2 is made from the leather left over when a friend had her new skirt shortened. It is a beautiful buttery cocoa, lined with batik cotton. The CB2 pouch is designed to be carried alone or popped into a bigger bag. Small leather pocket inside and detachable wrist strap.  L 6″ x W 9″ x D 3″

I found a magenta skirt in a thrift shop some time ago. I knew it would make a great spring bag, such a bright, cheery colour. And here it is, lined with beautiful cotton from France, which, if you look carefully, tells you that summer is coming. The strap is long enough to wear across the body, but can be knotted to make it shorter. The bag is 13″ wide, 10.5″ tall, 3.5″ across the base, with a magnetic closure, four inside pockets and a front zip pocket for your keys.