A Round Bag -- exercise with piping and tooling

 

I'm working with piping for the first time ever, to learn how to do it.
I saw some internet videos featuring round bags, and I liked the design. I also am sewing zippers for the first time.

I'm using a historical Celtic design from a metal object found in England. (#92 in Early Celtic Designs by Stead and Hughes)

TOOLING

Here is one side, with the design traced onto the cased leather. Actual size is 8 inches diamter:

Next is the design cut into the leather, with the swivel knife. Note that the edges are still a bit ragged--they'll be buried in the seam later on.

And finally the side tooled out, with the modeling spoon beside it, which I used to smooth out bevels and lines.

Now for the other side!

That design is #72 in the book shown underneath it, by Stead and Hughes. It's originally from a sword scabbard found in Slovenia.

I finished the tooling, and skived the edges (on the other side, of course) which will be the seams. Skiving in a circle is tough.

COLORING and PREPARING TO STITCH

I dyed the pieces in Angelus Burgundy. I also punched in the stitching holes using my 4mm pricking iron. Now is the best time!

Here's what I have termed the "back" side:

FANCY ZIPPER on the gusset

Here's the zipper, taped to the lovely white leather which will be the sides of the bag:

It was the first time I have ever skived softer leather that thin, but I needed to do it for the rolled edge.

Olfa skiving knife and frequent stropping for the win!

One half of the zipper is stitched on now-- this is looking at the inside of the bag. The outside has a much straighter stitching line.

STITCHING SIDE ONE

Here's what it looks like in progress -- the zipper is done; the gusset (white), the piping (red) and outside (underneath) are stitched using Maine Thread Company waxed cord, in a grey color. This is tough thread!

How many layers of leather is that? Take a look here:

Four layers! That's a lot of holes to pull a needle through! In some places, I skipped over a hole in the white gusset to keep the stitching even. It will be invisible later on.

ONE SIDE STITCHED

I completed sewing this side tonight, and turned it right-side out to see what it looks like. This is a view of the interior.

Here are other views of the outside.

 

Next, I installed the D-ring tabs:

COMPLETED SEWING -- TURNING

Here it is, all sewed up! The left side is the final stage. I took my skiving knife and trimmed the piping down after this picture was taken.

Another view:

And now, for the final trick-- I got the tooled leather damp, to soften it, and then turned it all inside-out, through the zipper hole!

And there it is, all complete! I'll let it dry, and then it's ready for a strap.