No One Likes Love Handles

Who needs a handle?  Especially when in the form of an oversized, awkward envelope with no convenient place to hold onto.  I'm predicting some large envelope clutchs' to come our way for Summer and Fall 2012, you better invest or get crafty!  Of course, I decided on the latter option, knowing me, probably spending more time and effort than actually purchasing the thing in a store....but it's fun right?  Errm, I wasn't too confident about that 15 hours into this project but no regrets!  I value this clutch probably more than my future child....not kidding.

Right on trend with color blocking nudes and metallics, whohoo!

Celine

Chloe


I want one of these SO bad!  It's like a bad science experiment, or something that I would have had when I was like five.  Which is precisely why it's awesome. 

Christopher Kane

I was surprised to see that this wasn't Alexander McQueen, oh Charlotte he may be dead but he ain't stupid.

Charlotte Olympia

When trying to decide on where to even start on this project I came across a great DIY blog, Swellmayde by designer, Aimee, in Los Angeles.  She includes a great project for a large and very simple envelope clutch, check it out!  I wanted my clutch to be a tad more complex with a lining and more of a design, feel free to give it a go if you're feeling ambitious....

Supplies I used:

• Leather hides (you will need a large enough to span both pieces to be cut from the hide) $40
• Leather or Acrylic paint (after a little research I heard it was just fine to use a Soft Body Acrylic paint for the leather but paint specifically made for leather is best.....I used acrylic) $13
• Magnetic Purse Clasp (found at most craft stores) $4.50
• Fabric for lining (same piece as the body of clutch) $8

Here's a diagram showing the dimensions of my clutch with 1/2 inch seam allowances, too small to fit a laptop and too large to just take to dinner, AWKWARD.  Doesn't mean I don't enjoy it :)

Pattern Piece 1

Pattern Piece 2

Alright the explaining begins now, though I don't have too many photos illustrating how I did it, guess it must be a secret...

Step 1) Cut 3 pieces of leather of pattern piece #1, and one from pattern piece #2, cut out one of each for lining

Step 2) Take one of the leather pattern piece #2's and cut into 1/4 inch strips (or whatever size you want).  Cut one pattern piece with strips going vertically (for the warp) and one that has strips going horizontally (for the weft)

Step 3) Paint the strips whatever colors you would like, I painted mine so that they gradated from dark to light on the warp and light to dark on the weft (this creates luminosity, a BIG design word)

Step 4) Set up your vertical (warp) strips on a solid surface and tape in a triangle shape to match the top of pattern piece #1

Step 5) Weave your heart away.  FOR 9 HOURS...or more.  I think I lost count as I went more and more insane.  Well, hopefully you enjoy the fruits of my labor.

Step 6) After weaving, tack it with glue to the other leather pattern piece #1 and topstitch the weaving and leather piece #1 together

Step 7) Proceed to sew together the lining and clutch separately, the the top of the clutch to the top of the lining with right sides together.  Then turn the lining into the clutch with right sides out and sew wall of clutch together.....yeah I can't really explain it so you will have to big girl/boys and figure it out for your damn selves. :)

Here is the progression of my weaving, if you think I know what I was doing, you are completely wrong.  I had absolutely no idea.  Just make sure to align each strip as you go and make the weaving as tight as possible.

And the finally product!!!! I loved it so much I wanted to sleep with it.

The Summary:

Supplies: $65.50

Labor: Around 25 hours, and if I paid myself $9.00 an hour, $225 (which is completely impractical to think about paying yourself)

Total: $290.50 

Actually lets round to $300, and then add an extra $200 because I put a lot of love into it.  So that comes to around.....$100,435,3453.  Can you afford it?

And that concludes the longest post ever about a single accessory.  What do you think? Any ideas for other styles?  What trends could be incorporated into a envelope clutch?

A Lifesaving Handbag

Nothing is more chic than an expensive looking, black handbag.  Well, maybe the fact that it's made out of an inner tube!  This bag has dual purposes, it can carry your lipstick and kleenex or function as a life saver in case of flooding.  Whatever you choose to use it for, I couldn't agree more with this eco-friendly mission statement.  Here's a copy taken from the English Retreats website:

English Retreads turns recycling into a bold fashion statement with eco-chic handbags and accessories handcrafted in Boulder, Colorado. In 2001 Heather English had a predicament; she was searching for a new vegan handbag that was stylish and eco-friendly – a lofty request at the time. While some people get their best ideas in the shower, Heather got hers while floating down Boulder Creek on an inner tube. “It occurred to me that this inner tube could be made into the handbag I’d been dreaming of.” English Retreads hit the road in 2002.

English Retreads repurposes inner tubes collected from local truck stops. “We want to provide consumers with an opportunity to make sustainable fashion choices without compromising style or quality.” The purpose of English Retreads is to continue to deepen our commitment as a Triple Bottom Line company (people, planet, profit) as we provide consumers with fashionable products which have a low impact on the environment.

And an interview with Heather, the creator of English Retreads:

Rag:  "Where are most of your resources and supplies collected?"

Heather:  "The inner tubes that are used for our products are collected from truck stops in Colorado. These greasy, old tubes would have gone straight into the landfill where they'd just sit there for thousands of years! Instead we're giving them a new life as eco-savvy handbags and accessories."

Rag:  "Who and where are most of your products created?"

Heather:  "Our production facility is in Boulder, CO."

Rag:  "Who are your main consumers?"

Heather:  "Our customers are eco-savvy, they want to have a light carbon footprint while making a bold fashion statement. We sell online directly to the customer as well as wholesale to unique boutiques across the country. We have more female customers because we have more products for women. Men love our products and we've been told they are the only handbags men will buy for their wives." 

Rag:  "Other than recycling, how else does your product help the community?"

Heather:  "English Retreads creates jobs for people in our community of Boulder. We've chosen to keep production local in order to help the local economy as well as to keep our carbon footprint lower." 

Check out some of her ingenious accessories, you can also find more on their website.

Strut $34

Bentley Luxe $148

Beetle Large $158

Wallet $34

License Plate Belt Buckle $58