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You are here: Home / Bags / Leather Colorblocked Tote (+Giveaway!)

Leather Colorblocked Tote (+Giveaway!)

January 20, 2014 by Jodi 17 Comments

The Leather Hide Store provided the leather for this project and the giveaway prize. All content and opinions are my own. Make sure you read through to the bottom of the post to enter their giveaway!

leather, canvas, tote, sewing, knitting, bag

I think this might have been the hardest sewn gift to give away yet. I made my sister this knitting bag for Christmas, but when I slipped my knitting things into it for these photos, they looked so at home in them…

Leather color-blocked divided tote, knitting bag friendly - designed by sewfearless.com

That’s how much I love my beautiful big sister, who put up with my annoying “you are so bossy” complaints in my younger years, and now talks me into knitting projects so we have excuses to message and call each other as adults.

Leather color-blocked divided tote, knitting bag friendly - designed by sewfearless.com

Beth has classic style and loves autumn colors, and I tried my best to choose colors that reminded me of her, but my O.M.G LOUD COLORS!!!! preference burst through on the pocket lining. If she hates it, she can just keep that sucker closed. sorry, sis.

The Bag Design Details

At first glance, this tote looks simple and straightforward. Well, it is simple and straight forward, but it has some fun design tweaks that I am nerding out all over.

Leather color-blocked divided tote, knitting bag friendly - designed by sewfearless.com

First, leather! Is my leather enthusiasm getting to ridiculous on here? It just adds so much class to a project that I keep coming back to it. (I’ll tell you more about where I got my leather in a minute.)

Leather color-blocked divided tote, knitting bag friendly - designed by sewfearless.com

Second, this isn’t a straight up rectangle tote. The top opening is smaller than the base which prevents it from tipping over, and keeps the top “winging out” like  a poorly drafted a-line skirt (if that makes sense).

Leather color-blocked divided tote, knitting bag friendly - designed by sewfearless.com

Thirdly, the leather provides just enough structure to the bag,without getting into all sorts of stabilizers and interlinings. Structured, but not too structured.

Leather color-blocked divided tote, knitting bag friendly - designed by sewfearless.com

Finally, I figured out how to sew in a divider pocket into a flat-bottomed tote.  (happy dance of victory!) I really should write it up sometime, because I can’t be only Bag Making Geek that is interested in this sort of thing.

The Leather

Dark Copper Mountain Leather Hide remnant from leatherhidestore.com

When my package from The Leather Hide Store came, I was more excited than a kid on Christmas. They shipped it safely rolled in a long skinny box, and despite it being a “leather remnant” there.was.so.much.leather (about 20 square feet). I may or may not have danced around my living room wearing this hide as a cape. heh. The hide I chose for project is called “Dark Copper Mountain Saddle” and it is a nice thick leather, but it is not so thick that your home machine can’t sew through it. (See their Leather Buying Guide for more details.)

Dark Copper Mountain Leather Hide remnant from leatherhidestore.com

Leather really has a bad, and undeserved!, reputation for being difficult to work with. If you are intimidated by it, give it a chance to win you over! Use a “leather needle”(I used a size 18 for this 3 oz leather), a roller or a walking foot to help it feed nicely, and no pins. That will do it. I’ve cover these leather sewing tips in more detail here. 

To help you pull the trigger on your leather sewing, The Leather Hide Store is giving away a $50 gift certificate to one of you!

But what should you show with such luxury as genuine leather? Well, I’m glad you asked, because me and some other Super Fabulous Bloggers have been collecting all the amazing leather tutorials and patterns that we can find. Check it out…



Then don’t forget to…

Enter The Giveaway

This giveaway will award one winner a $50 gift certificate to leatherhidestore.com. It is open to residence of US & Canada, 18 years and older, only entry per household. It will run until January 27, 2014th at 11:59 PM EST, winner will be chosen and contacted within 48 hours and they will have 48 hours to accept the prize. (Detailed terms and conditions found in the link on the Rafflecopter widget.)  Enter using the widget below. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Leather color-blocked divided tote, knitting bag friendly - designed by sewfearless.com

Good luck!

Again, thank you to the Leather Hide Store for sending me this leather to work with and for sponsoring this giveaway.

Filed Under: Bags Tagged With: bag, canvas, color block, colorblocking, giveaway, knitting, leather, leatherhidestore, sewing

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Natalie says

    January 20, 2014 at 8:14 am

    Jodi it looks amazing. So glad that you figured out how to do your slip pocket.

    Reply
  2. Karianna says

    January 20, 2014 at 11:55 am

    Love the tote! You know… I still want to make a leather skirt. Maybe time to check out the hide store! Glad to hear that working with the leather wasn’t so bad.

    Reply
    • Jodi says

      January 21, 2014 at 1:56 pm

      Unfortunately, they don’t carry garment leather only mid-weight., which is great for bags and things.

      Reply
      • Karianna says

        January 23, 2014 at 5:37 pm

        I just checked them out and saw that. Boo. Anyway… am I missing the pattern for this tote (have you posted it?) This needs to be made!

      • Jodi says

        January 24, 2014 at 9:49 am

        not yet.should I then? 🙂

      • Karianna says

        January 31, 2014 at 1:49 am

        Uh. YES! It would be so cute on my shoulder! 🙂

  3. nissaMade says

    January 20, 2014 at 12:26 pm

    Love the bag! Lucky sister.. I’m braving my way to leather working with the fake stuff first! Love the zippered pocket divider.. I’ve put them in a couple times, usually end up a bit loose and i have to fiddle with it..

    Reply
    • Jodi says

      January 21, 2014 at 1:56 pm

      do you have a tutorial you follow? I tried googling for one with no luck.

      Reply
  4. Abbey says

    January 20, 2014 at 6:54 pm

    Love the knitting tote! Please please please write up the pocket divider with the flat bottom some day–I’ve definitely wondered about that on past projects.

    Reply
    • Jodi says

      January 21, 2014 at 1:55 pm

      hmmm…maybe i will…

      Reply
  5. Charity says

    January 20, 2014 at 10:55 pm

    I love the leather! And the pocket divider… I love those in my purses. Although I admit I’d probably stick two or three in there, plus a multitude of other pockets. =)

    Reply
  6. Jennifer H. says

    January 23, 2014 at 12:50 pm

    I just took up knitting, and while I don’t quite have enough to “tote” yet, your bag is gorgeous!

    Reply
  7. Olga Becker says

    January 25, 2014 at 5:44 pm

    I love this so much, Jodi. The leather is divine! So pretty!

    Reply
  8. Carolina says

    January 25, 2014 at 7:20 pm

    I would LOVE a tutorial! I’m so inspired to make this my next project

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Tiny Sewists says:
    January 22, 2014 at 7:02 am

    […] If you are new here, you might enjoy some of these past kid-made sewing projects. (Also, make sure you enter the leather giveaway! It runs through Monday.) […]

    Reply
  2. Dragon Boy says:
    January 28, 2014 at 2:35 pm

    […] P.S. The winner of the leather giveaway has been chosen. Congrats to Angie S.! I hope you enjoy your… […]

    Reply
  3. How To Shop For Leather - Sew Fearless says:
    June 2, 2015 at 1:32 pm

    […] reviewed the Leather Hide Store last year. [see the review post here] Since then, most of the leather projects you have seen on Sew Fearless have been sewn with their […]

    Reply

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Jodi - Sewing Advocate - Mother of 7 - Lover of Swings and Deadlifts - Catholic

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