Just the handles One handle, inside This was a fast fashion fabric Baby Gap bag given to my kid years ago, the red on the bottom faded in the sun a bit, and the plastic handle started to crack and...
This was a fast fashion fabric Baby Gap bag given to my kid years ago, the red on the bottom faded in the sun a bit, and the plastic handle started to crack and peel and be all gross. So I bought a brown leather jacket from a thrift store to repair the handles.
I'm going to do the Herschel backpack next because it also came with garbage plastic that cracked and flaked almost immediately. I reach out to them it wasn't even a year old and started flaking the very first outing. They did nothing and just said "it's only cosmetic". Then don't sell things that cosmetically look awful within just one outing! I will always advise against buying anything from them. To them: đź”” Shame shame shame đź””
Anyway I'm quite pleased with my first attempt at leather crafting. In the future I will use the sewing machine to pre-poke all the regularly spaced holes first and then hand sew the straps on. I will probably leave the backpack straps raw edged because (mockingly) it's only cosmetic, but also because I don't know how to do it properly.
Question: fashion folk what is this kind of tiny bag called? Is there a sort of identification dichotomous key for bag names?
Second question: anyone else worked with leather before and have advice about the backpack project or how to do up edges? [Edit: oh looks like edge burnishing gum!]
I bought a leather sewing kit as it was too hard to poke holes into leather with regular needle and thread, and I didn’t want to risk a needle snapping in my hand..
I bought a leather sewing kit as it was too hard to poke holes into leather with regular needle and thread, and I didn’t want to risk a needle snapping in my hand..
I hadn't even thought of that danger, thanks for the caution. :P definitely unsuitable for anything other than decorative elements on this very thin material.
I hadn't even thought of that danger, thanks for the caution. :P definitely unsuitable for anything other than decorative elements on this very thin material.
Just don't do it a TON on a regular machine and get a leather needle because they have slicey bits kind of like a spade shovel. My wife's machine is definitely tough enough to do a bit of leather,...
In the future I will use the sewing machine to pre-poke all the regularly spaced holes first and then hand sew the straps on.
Just don't do it a TON on a regular machine and get a leather needle because they have slicey bits kind of like a spade shovel. My wife's machine is definitely tough enough to do a bit of leather, but it did not sound happy and I don't mean the motor.
My current ADHD hobby is making backpacks and stuff kind of like that so I ended up spending way too much on an industrial machine... absolute game changer but it of course doesn't replicate how a good hand stitch like yours looks.
Second question: anyone else worked with leather before and have advice about the backpack project or how to do up edges? [Edit: oh looks like edge burnishing gum!]
I've seen some other people also paint it with some sort of special paint just for that.
Also, I don't know how well that leather jacket will work for the backpack strap since jackets are relatively soft and tend to have some give.
Yeah this is very very thin material less than 1mm thick even before squishing down further. Decorative straps only, I'd say. Maybe I should wrap it around some nylon strapping hmmm... I also had...
Yeah this is very very thin material less than 1mm thick even before squishing down further. Decorative straps only, I'd say. Maybe I should wrap it around some nylon strapping hmmm...
I also had not thought about the machine not liking it very much, thank you, I'll be on the lookout for leather machine needle next time I'm at the craft store
Fantastic! I absolutely love any sort of repair, and making an improvement at the same time makes it even better. I swear being able to sew is a god damned super power. I haven’t done leather...
Fantastic! I absolutely love any sort of repair, and making an improvement at the same time makes it even better. I swear being able to sew is a god damned super power. I haven’t done leather before, but I do want to sometime in the future.
It is probably one of the more useful mundane superpowers, right behind cooking. Back in grade 8, the highschool made all the kids take a rotation of skills including cooking, sewing (machines),...
It is probably one of the more useful mundane superpowers, right behind cooking. Back in grade 8, the highschool made all the kids take a rotation of skills including cooking, sewing (machines), drafting (CAD), electronics, woodworking and.... Maybe a forgotten 6th one. It wasn't accounting / budgeting but it should have been. So useful. I heard from kids in my current school district they don't do this here.
That program sounds insanely useful. I wish I had something like that at my school. I am okay ish at CAD but that’s probably my weakest link. I am entirely self taught and haven’t put much time...
That program sounds insanely useful. I wish I had something like that at my school. I am okay ish at CAD but that’s probably my weakest link. I am entirely self taught and haven’t put much time into it.
It always astounds me when people loose a button on a shirt or have a small seam come out and immediately assume it’s destined for the trash. Hand sewing isn’t even particularly difficult. Just spending an hour learning to sew a button and make a relatively straight hand stitch changes so much. I have replaced buttons and fixed torn seams while at work to save a lengthy drive home.
Yeah, last week I was with a friend and she was wearing this gorgeous flowy dress that looked so good on her. She said the straps of her dress was too loose, so I fixed it over a half hour of...
Yeah, last week I was with a friend and she was wearing this gorgeous flowy dress that looked so good on her. She said the straps of her dress was too loose, so I fixed it over a half hour of chatting (happened to be carrying tiny kit).
My dad used to do his own basic things like that until he got too shaky hand, so when I visit I go the basic buttons and hems and such. They even make hem tapes now.
I think without early low stake entry points it's all magic and professional only for a lot of things. For example, I know theoretically I can try to repair the heating element of my dehydrator but it's been sitting there for couple years now. Just kinda feel too foreign even though I theoretically know what to do and there are guides ; can't imagine how much more intimidated someone with 0 soldering or electronics experience might be
Looks nice! I like the darker brown color of the new handle and how it contrasts with the lighter bag body + bottom section. For the raw edges, wouldn't it be possible to fold those edges...
Looks nice! I like the darker brown color of the new handle and how it contrasts with the lighter bag body + bottom section. For the raw edges, wouldn't it be possible to fold those edges underneath and have them stitched under the strap, held with the same capital I shape stitches that hold the handle onto the bag itself? I'm not a craftsman though so I could be wrong on that.
I don't have any advice on either of your questions unfortunately. I'm kinda stunned that the backpack is only a year old, it looks like it’s been battle-tested for a while, shame on Herschel for that cheap strap. To sort of hijack your thread, does anyone have any recommendations on backpacks in general? I've currently got a North Face Surge 2 Transit that I've used for almost 15 years now. It has followed me around the world and through various stages of life. I've repaired what I could over the years but I'm kind of curious about where I could from here.
I don't have any real advice, I'll just pitch in that I recently bought a bag from Frost River, which is basically the local competitor to the more well known Duluth Pack. Frost River is also in...
I don't have any real advice, I'll just pitch in that I recently bought a bag from Frost River, which is basically the local competitor to the more well known Duluth Pack. Frost River is also in Duluth, and makes all of their bags in the basement and upstairs of their flagship retail store. I got the Arrowhead Day Pack. For my purposes it's not actually a very good bag, but I got it as a momento before I move abroad. Quality is good (so far) but I just have to wait until I'm camping again or really commuting with it to match the bag's qualities with my actual needs (I pretty much use it as a diaper bag).
Appreciate it! There are a few well-known brands local to me which I'll have to check out, think I'm just experiencing some mild sticker shock. My current backpack was "only" ~$125 brand new so...
Arrowhead Day Pack
Appreciate it! There are a few well-known brands local to me which I'll have to check out, think I'm just experiencing some mild sticker shock. My current backpack was "only" ~$125 brand new so seeing newer bags for $250-$350 just caught me by surprise. I think I'll need to evaluate my needs in a bag since my backpack is only really used when I travel nowadays. My commute is limited to a 15 minute walk and I have a smaller company-provided backpack I can use instead.
Thanks for sharing! I have 2 bags by the same company that i quite like, but that have plastic fake leather handles. In my opinion the material is holding up remarkably well, but i do see one fine...
Thanks for sharing! I have 2 bags by the same company that i quite like, but that have plastic fake leather handles. In my opinion the material is holding up remarkably well, but i do see one fine crack appearing on the older bag (after about 5 years), and at some point i know I'll want to replace them. Side note: If anyone's looking for canadian everyday backpacks/bags, the brand is PKG.
I had the same idea that I'll replace with leather handles when the time comes, so it's nice to see how approachable a project it is.
Another option I thought about for a laptop bag plastic handle falling apart was wrapping it in cute fabric to cover up. Luckily that plastic layer just cuts off to reveal nylon so I didn't end up...
Another option I thought about for a laptop bag plastic handle falling apart was wrapping it in cute fabric to cover up. Luckily that plastic layer just cuts off to reveal nylon so I didn't end up doing that, but could be an option for visible repair for just a crack
Nice work! I have a leather iPad case that is 15 years old and it has some terribly cracked vinyl. I would love to replace the vinyl with felt or canvas but I really know nothing. This gives me a...
Nice work! I have a leather iPad case that is 15 years old and it has some terribly cracked vinyl. I would love to replace the vinyl with felt or canvas but I really know nothing. This gives me a little inspiration.
:D hurray! Post here if you decide to tackle it. Beginner leather working books suggested a bunch of tools, and Lee Valley has a kit for $70 CAD, but I went the cheap route and used home sewing...
:D hurray! Post here if you decide to tackle it.
Beginner leather working books suggested a bunch of tools, and Lee Valley has a kit for $70 CAD, but I went the cheap route and used home sewing stuff. While I'm not sure how long this would hold up, it already looks better and I got a lot of experience from it. Might as well try!
Just the handles
One handle, inside
This was a fast fashion fabric Baby Gap bag given to my kid years ago, the red on the bottom faded in the sun a bit, and the plastic handle started to crack and peel and be all gross. So I bought a brown leather jacket from a thrift store to repair the handles.
I'm going to do the Herschel backpack next because it also came with garbage plastic that cracked and flaked almost immediately. I reach out to them it wasn't even a year old and started flaking the very first outing. They did nothing and just said "it's only cosmetic". Then don't sell things that cosmetically look awful within just one outing! I will always advise against buying anything from them. To them: đź”” Shame shame shame đź””
Anyway I'm quite pleased with my first attempt at leather crafting. In the future I will use the sewing machine to pre-poke all the regularly spaced holes first and then hand sew the straps on. I will probably leave the backpack straps raw edged because (mockingly) it's only cosmetic, but also because I don't know how to do it properly.
Question: fashion folk what is this kind of tiny bag called? Is there a sort of identification dichotomous key for bag names?
Second question: anyone else worked with leather before and have advice about the backpack project or how to do up edges? [Edit: oh looks like edge burnishing gum!]
I bought a leather sewing kit as it was too hard to poke holes into leather with regular needle and thread, and I didn’t want to risk a needle snapping in my hand..
I hadn't even thought of that danger, thanks for the caution. :P definitely unsuitable for anything other than decorative elements on this very thin material.
Funnily enough i had that happen but i have also been using pliers to push the needle through the hole so the needle was quite "used"
Just don't do it a TON on a regular machine and get a leather needle because they have slicey bits kind of like a spade shovel. My wife's machine is definitely tough enough to do a bit of leather, but it did not sound happy and I don't mean the motor.
My current ADHD hobby is making backpacks and stuff kind of like that so I ended up spending way too much on an industrial machine... absolute game changer but it of course doesn't replicate how a good hand stitch like yours looks.
I've seen some other people also paint it with some sort of special paint just for that.
Also, I don't know how well that leather jacket will work for the backpack strap since jackets are relatively soft and tend to have some give.
Yeah this is very very thin material less than 1mm thick even before squishing down further. Decorative straps only, I'd say. Maybe I should wrap it around some nylon strapping hmmm...
I also had not thought about the machine not liking it very much, thank you, I'll be on the lookout for leather machine needle next time I'm at the craft store
Fantastic! I absolutely love any sort of repair, and making an improvement at the same time makes it even better. I swear being able to sew is a god damned super power. I haven’t done leather before, but I do want to sometime in the future.
It is probably one of the more useful mundane superpowers, right behind cooking. Back in grade 8, the highschool made all the kids take a rotation of skills including cooking, sewing (machines), drafting (CAD), electronics, woodworking and.... Maybe a forgotten 6th one. It wasn't accounting / budgeting but it should have been. So useful. I heard from kids in my current school district they don't do this here.
That program sounds insanely useful. I wish I had something like that at my school. I am okay ish at CAD but that’s probably my weakest link. I am entirely self taught and haven’t put much time into it.
It always astounds me when people loose a button on a shirt or have a small seam come out and immediately assume it’s destined for the trash. Hand sewing isn’t even particularly difficult. Just spending an hour learning to sew a button and make a relatively straight hand stitch changes so much. I have replaced buttons and fixed torn seams while at work to save a lengthy drive home.
Yeah, last week I was with a friend and she was wearing this gorgeous flowy dress that looked so good on her. She said the straps of her dress was too loose, so I fixed it over a half hour of chatting (happened to be carrying tiny kit).
My dad used to do his own basic things like that until he got too shaky hand, so when I visit I go the basic buttons and hems and such. They even make hem tapes now.
I think without early low stake entry points it's all magic and professional only for a lot of things. For example, I know theoretically I can try to repair the heating element of my dehydrator but it's been sitting there for couple years now. Just kinda feel too foreign even though I theoretically know what to do and there are guides ; can't imagine how much more intimidated someone with 0 soldering or electronics experience might be
Looks nice! I like the darker brown color of the new handle and how it contrasts with the lighter bag body + bottom section. For the raw edges, wouldn't it be possible to fold those edges underneath and have them stitched under the strap, held with the same capital I shape stitches that hold the handle onto the bag itself? I'm not a craftsman though so I could be wrong on that.
I don't have any advice on either of your questions unfortunately. I'm kinda stunned that the backpack is only a year old, it looks like it’s been battle-tested for a while, shame on Herschel for that cheap strap. To sort of hijack your thread, does anyone have any recommendations on backpacks in general? I've currently got a North Face Surge 2 Transit that I've used for almost 15 years now. It has followed me around the world and through various stages of life. I've repaired what I could over the years but I'm kind of curious about where I could from here.
I don't have any real advice, I'll just pitch in that I recently bought a bag from Frost River, which is basically the local competitor to the more well known Duluth Pack. Frost River is also in Duluth, and makes all of their bags in the basement and upstairs of their flagship retail store. I got the Arrowhead Day Pack. For my purposes it's not actually a very good bag, but I got it as a momento before I move abroad. Quality is good (so far) but I just have to wait until I'm camping again or really commuting with it to match the bag's qualities with my actual needs (I pretty much use it as a diaper bag).
Appreciate it! There are a few well-known brands local to me which I'll have to check out, think I'm just experiencing some mild sticker shock. My current backpack was "only" ~$125 brand new so seeing newer bags for $250-$350 just caught me by surprise. I think I'll need to evaluate my needs in a bag since my backpack is only really used when I travel nowadays. My commute is limited to a 15 minute walk and I have a smaller company-provided backpack I can use instead.
Thanks for sharing! I have 2 bags by the same company that i quite like, but that have plastic fake leather handles. In my opinion the material is holding up remarkably well, but i do see one fine crack appearing on the older bag (after about 5 years), and at some point i know I'll want to replace them. Side note: If anyone's looking for canadian everyday backpacks/bags, the brand is PKG.
I had the same idea that I'll replace with leather handles when the time comes, so it's nice to see how approachable a project it is.
Another option I thought about for a laptop bag plastic handle falling apart was wrapping it in cute fabric to cover up. Luckily that plastic layer just cuts off to reveal nylon so I didn't end up doing that, but could be an option for visible repair for just a crack
Nice work! I have a leather iPad case that is 15 years old and it has some terribly cracked vinyl. I would love to replace the vinyl with felt or canvas but I really know nothing. This gives me a little inspiration.
:D hurray! Post here if you decide to tackle it.
Beginner leather working books suggested a bunch of tools, and Lee Valley has a kit for $70 CAD, but I went the cheap route and used home sewing stuff. While I'm not sure how long this would hold up, it already looks better and I got a lot of experience from it. Might as well try!