Studded Bag

I’ve been itching to make myself a new bag, but wasn’t feeling too inspired until I saw a picture of something that spoke to me. I made this entirely out of scrap fabric that I had in my sewing room and the only thing that I didn’t have on hand was some hardware for the straps.

I wanted something that was “me” but wasn’t too loud about it. I had just under a yard of this black pleather and some studded trim that I hadn’t used, so I decided to get to work.

I just made it up as I went, which I like - no real plan, just doing what felt right in the moment. The front has a metal zipper pocket. The back pocket has a magnetic snap closure. I was going to do a recessed zipper on the top but then decided I wanted to just go easy and do a magnetic snap closure there too.

I curved the bottom edges of the body because I wanted to be able to get around those corners more easily with a gusset.

I used my heavy duty sewing machine for this and man, what a difference. I think this is the first bag I’ve made with that machine and I will definitely be using that in the future. It made a really big difference with being able to get through the multiple layers of pleather like it was nothing.

I used grommets around the top. Originally I was thinking of doing a bucket bag design, but this pleather wouldn’t cinch like I would want it to, so instead I thought I’d use the grommets to allow for a design element as well as how I would attach the straps. This one is convertible…handbag style straps that hook into the grommets on the front/back, and then an optional shoulder strap that can hook into the grommets on the sides.

For the straps, I made several different versions trying to get it right. I added some rivets at the ends and installed grommets that clip into the round gate clasps I ordered. I got the straps done and realized I put the last grommet in backwards. So what do you do when you install the grommet backwards? You can’t just pull it out and redo it…once that fucker is in, it’s in. I had used 5/8” grommets and so I pulled out a 1/2” grommet and stuck it through the bad grommet and pressed it in. Whatever. I’ll probably make a new strap so that it’s right (the 1/2” grommets I have are slightly different in style than the 5/8”).