Handmade Leather Satchel - Pictish Pets!

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Dreadhead

Bushcrafter through and through
Hey all,

Here is this years Jule gift for SWMBO. A new handbag carved with our three animals in modern Pictish style :)

This was an absolute fiend to make. Made from 1.6-2mm veg tan with two inner compartments (and so two square gussets that had to be perfect) with a front pocket with zip (my worst enemy...) and a back pocket wet formed from split veg tan as it is course like suede it should give the back of the bag friction to stop it swinging around on the hip. I also wanted to try a different clasp method for this as it couldn't get in the way of the main design, and had to fit over/around the front pocket.

Have been playing around with gussets recently and figured out some techniques which really helped get them bang-on here. I dislike zips because they are always the weak point and I know this is going to have to be replaced at some point for which I'll have more time to source a better quality one. She also wants some additions such as keys clip, maybe a zip on one of the inner compartments, and some side pouches that will be added later. But for now, it is what it is :)

HalfGoat Pictish Pets Satchel 1 by Hamish Odinson, on Flickr

HalfGoat Pictish Pets Satchel 2 by Hamish Odinson, on Flickr

HalfGoat Pictish Pets Satchel 3 by Hamish Odinson, on Flickr

HalfGoat Pictish Pets Satchel 4 by Hamish Odinson, on Flickr

HalfGoat Pictish Pets Satchel 6 by Hamish Odinson, on Flickr

HalfGoat Pictish Pets Satchel 7 by Hamish Odinson, on Flickr

Thanks for looking :)
 
Another cracking project mate! Looks stunning! Blimey Charley you must have sore fingers after everything you've been making :D
 
Beautiful, and very much 'hers' and from 'you', and it will only become very much more so with time and use :D
Very practical too :D very useable, iimmc.

Nice one Hamish :approve:

M
 
Its a handsome bag, I hope she looks after it.

(As Im always chivvying my friend with the fancy boots to do so: They have ordered some Adsorbine `Horsemans one step` which I swear by)

I have a leather satchel I found at the car boot I use for Uni...Everyone is green with envy, and I have to keep a close eye on it lest they nick it, (Though to be fair they would nick it and leave folding money in return...but I cant carry my books in that, can I?)
 
thanks for all the kind words :) She is chuffed to bits with it and has taken it in to work at the vets today to show it off.

I wouldn't be surprised if leatherworkers got arthritis due to the stitching. I think in December alone I must have spent around 50-60 hours just saddle stitching!
 
I saw the bag elsewhere online but didn't really get time to look at all the fine work that went into it. Really is a beautiful piece of work, finely crafted yet built to last. I know that you've used a brass zipper but I'm sure I've seen heavier gauge ones like Barbour main zips somewhere, would certainly be tough enough as I don't think I've ever had a Barbour zipper go on me.
Really stunning carving, very convincing interpretations of modern animals as they would've been done by our forebears.
Fionn must be totally made up with it.
 
I saw the bag elsewhere online but didn't really get time to look at all the fine work that went into it. Really is a beautiful piece of work, finely crafted yet built to last. I know that you've used a brass zipper but I'm sure I've seen heavier gauge ones like Barbour main zips somewhere, would certainly be tough enough as I don't think I've ever had a Barbour zipper go on me.
Really stunning carving, very convincing interpretations of modern animals as they would've been done by our forebears.
Fionn must be totally made up with it.

Thanks mate :) In all honesty I was in a bit of a rush with this so the zipper was the only one I could source in time. She's happy with it, but we both know that the bag could last a lifetime but the zip certainly wont so when it does 'go' I'll source a more heavy duty brass one for it. Same goes if I end up having to install zips on the main compartments. Bloomin zips!
 
Stupendous work, as usual. You keep us amazed with your craftsmanship. Can I ask how, and what you used to get the leather that colour, and the way it has darkened on the edges? That combination is very comforting to the eyes.

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Stupendous work, as usual. You keep us amazed with your craftsmanship. Can I ask how, and what you used to get the leather that colour, and the way it has darkened on the edges? That combination is very comforting to the eyes.

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First i like to mix my own dyes to get the hues i want, and lately I've been experimenting with an airbrush which was what I used for this bag. Really loving the possibilities :)

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First i like to mix my own dyes to get the hues i want, and lately I've been experimenting with an airbrush which was what I used for this bag. Really loving the possibilities :)

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Ah, now I understand, the theory at least. The transition from hue to hue is magic.

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