March 25, 2011

A new prototype

green leather purse

Don't you remember those little coin purses worn around the neck, back in the seventies I guess it was. Everyone in class had one of those. We wore them on school field trips with the coin which mom gave us in the morning to buy a drink or a little souvenir with, safely tucked inside, or as an accessory on other days on top of one of those tight turtle necks and with flared jeans and clogs underneath, or with a smocked dress. They disappeared, probably because they weren't that safe after all but I still remember mine. I got it when on vacation in Spain. Our first time in the South. It'd been on my wish list for a while and I wouldn't leave Spain without getting one of those! I no longer have it but I remember exactly the way it looked.

Anyway, as I wanted to experiment with rivets and snap closures I decided to make one of those coin purses. My choice of leather wasn't ideal as it was slightly too heavy for my paper punch - so maybe it is my tool kit which isn't adequate? I might want to invest in one of those real leather punches, for one thing.
I suffered quite a bit before I had the snaps and rivets into place and then my sewing machine refused so I had to work it manually to get the needle through the leather - but I like the result and so do my girls...

Little by little I'm adding to my leather working skills. Hopefully it will get me far enough to, one day, tackle that beautiful skin I got a while ago... I'd love to make a purse or tote of some sort.
We'll see - let's not rush into things!