After an initial success making a leather case for a Moleskin notebook, I’d been itching to work on something else. I’d been promising myself that I would start making pouches and accessories to go with my Ren Faire outfit, and this season seemed like a good time for it. I had the better part of a large piece of vegetable tanned shoulder, and a few of the basic tools to get started, just needed some buckles, a catch, rivets and a nice rich brown dye.
Knocked out a few designs in cardstock to get a feel for the size and style, and also to have a cutting template when I was done. Went for a more organic teardrop curved shape, simple but attractive. Finished, it looks well made (if I do say so myself), but not “modern made”, which is important for a period piece. The bag is approximately 6″ wide.
I have added, since its completion, a fleur de lis embossing which I think may become part of all my costume pieces. It would have been a little nicer and deeper had I done it before I had stained the leather, and if I could have done it in wet leather as well, but it’s not too bad as it is. I am heartily encouraged by this success, and see myself happily making more, and possibly more elaborate pieces before too long.