Repairing Purse Straps

 

 

Here you can see the poor condition of the original strap and the new braided strap.

 My model asked me to repair a Mexican style leather purse that she found used somewhere. The straps had already broken once, been glued again, and torn again. I thought it would be a quick fix but ended up having to discard the original strap. A friend had given me a bunch of leather cords, so I decided to try braiding a strap instead. My first solution didn't work, because the glue from the last person's repair was in the way and the loop tore when I tried to remove the glue. You can see in the photos the solution I finally came up with. Then it seemed the braid would be a bit rough on the hands, so I sewed some suede leather tubes where the handle is. If she likes the purse I'll see if I can get her to pose for a few photos. She's not home from school today yet I guess. Hopefully we'll get to take the photos today before it gets dark.

Both interior zippers were sticking too, so I put some beeswax on them. It helped a bit, but I wouldn't put anything important in those pockets.

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New straps

Back of purse.

Creative strap solution to handbag or purse.

Back of purse.

Archery and Fencing

It was a fantastic weekend. I was surrounded by creative interesting people all busy doing things they love. That makes the energy so contagious.  How many times can you see archery, sword fighting, fencing, weaving, costuming, harp playing and juggling all in one place? I took 174 photos. And that was just on Sat. I took more on Sunday but the camera is buried in the car.

On Sat. I worked on leather pouches.  I juggled for World Juggling Day. But mostly I just schmoozed with people.

Juggling for World Juggling Day

Lorenzo and Charles duel.

The front and back of the leather pouch I made on Sat.

Harpist

Jim tillering his first board bow while Guy helps mark the places that still need to be shaved.

Making Stamped Leather Necklaces

If you want to make some leather necklaces like the ones in my previous post, I explained the project here on Hubpages. It would be a great project for summer camps and homeschoolers.

Stamping on Leather

It's been a busy last two days. I made 2 leather pouches, all sewn by hand.  Then at the last minute I decided to do a make and take for kid's at tomorrow's Brave archery event in Pasadena. I thought kids 7 and over could handle stamping on a bit of leather and making a necklace out of it. I was just going to make one or two stamps, and then I ended up making 6.

Cat paw print, lightning, arrowhead, star, bow and arrow, moon

The pouches are done except for some sort of fastener, and optional beadwork. I was so excited about doing a pouch demo, and then I got more excited about the kid's having something they could take home as a memento, like a necklace.  I'll still display the pouches, but I'll need to help the kid's assemble the necklaces. Unless someone volunteers to help me, but I think most of the other Paleoplanet guys are going to be working on bows.

Patchwork Leather Pouch

Yesterday I started working on a leather pouch. It is made from scrap leather I've been saving up for years, waiting for just the right project. I'd doing all the sewing by hand. So it's going to take a while. I need the pouch part finished before Sunday though so I can sew beads onto it at the Brave demo. The dark brown strip is going to be the gusset and possibly the strap.

Leather Juggling Balls

A friend gave me some used suede leather and I'm thinking I might be able to use it for juggling balls. I've made juggling balls before back in the '70's but I'm not sure my sewing machine can handle leather. We'll see I guess.

Leather, Chaps, and Other Things

Eep.  I just found out I have plans on Friday (birthday lunch), Sat. (SCA event) and Sunday (archery event).  I'm not sure I'm up to all that. When it rains it pours. I thought the archery event was on a different weekend. It will be fun to get out of the apartment though. I better get organized because the rest of the week is going to be super busy. Maybe it will get me out of my funk.

I'm thinking of doing some sewing tutorials. Would anyone be up for that? I want to make cowboy outfits for my grandsons. Then when they outgrow them my daughter can use them in her photo studio. I have leather. I was going to make a quiver with it, but I can always get more.

Youngest Grandson

Oldest Grandson

Archer in Bulgaria

I have a friend in Bulgaria (Sofia) named Iliana who just opened an Etsy shop. She emailed my boyfriend to tell us about Etsy. She didn't know I've been on Etsy for 3 years. I guess I should tell my real life friends that Etsy exists.
Anyway, she has wonderful things made of leather. http://www.etsy.com/shop/MadeOfLeather I hope you will go see and add her to your favorites. She comes to visit the local archers when she can (in Pasadena CA). And then we send a few of our archers to Bulgaria each year for an exchange of bowmaking ideas. We even have an auction to raise money for the trip. http://www.paleoplanet.net/. To find the auction, scroll to the bottom of the main page, and look for 'trade blanket'.

Stamping on Leather

Trying out my new rabbit earred kokopelli stamp on leather.

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=9210992