and more

The week between Christmas and New Year's was not very productive for me.  I had a migraine that put me down.  Plus allergies on top of that.  I am still working on regaining my stamina.

This week has been a week of catching up, grinding on axes, need to work on chef rolls.  I had actually gotten custom chef rolls made for the end of the year and one into stock.  The one in stock sold yesterday.  I need to make more.  I am at my Dad's for most of the next two weeks so that is going to be interesting.

Koda Bear and I were volunteering at Blackwood Educational Land Institute on Wednesday.  So while the attempted coup was happening in the capitol, I was putting my hands in soil, harvesting food, and weaving vines.  It felt very surreal because my hands in soil is one of the best places for me.  I have no words but I also was not surprised.  I am saddened and disgusted for so many reasons.  I will continue to feed people because that is what I do.  Take care of the small humans.  Protest and try to create change when I can.

traveling bag

I was working on a shawl watching videos on Instagram and I had an urge.  No, it was a compulsion.  I decided to make myself a leather messenger style bag.  A traveling bag. 

I blame it all on Jason Momoa.  He carries a saddle bag most places and in on of his movies.  I decided I needed something similar.  I have the skills.  There were supplies.  Why not!

I ask the boyos what leather I could use and they picked this.  It will change color as I use it into something I like better.  Or I can always add black or dark brown leather dye to it.  I liked the cow shaped edges so I tried to incorporate them as much as possible.

  

I used the dimensions from my grocery bags.  A little bit bigger actually.  Because it was my traveling bag of course.  I sewed it on my treadle sewing machine.  It was a little bit difficult but not too bad.

The most difficult part was how heavy it was!

I also gave it two inches of depth which I normally do not do with my grocery bags.

I had an elk button from a Turkish coat I had my to wear to Renaissance fairs but took it part a few months ago.

Two pockets.  Wrap tie closure.  It is pretty lovely.  I am very excited to use it tomorrow.  I am traveling to New Orleans to see an art installation done by India Flint.  Since she is Australia based, this is one of the few US locations she will be showing at.  

I am VERY excited!

a new sewing machine in the house

I am still baking cookies.  So many cookies!  I still feel like I am absorbing sugar through my skin.  I have not even gotten to most of my Christmas sewing.  But there is a new sewing machine in the house.  I am going to start playing with leather.

When I made the prototype chef roll with vintage fabrics, I realized that in actuality that a leather chef's roll would be faster to make because all the edges do not need to be finished.  I had to make a run to get D rings and when I did, I got a chance to play with this leather sewing machine.  I had Koda Bear with me and he could even make it work.  

You pull the lever down.  You have a stitch.  It can go through the thickness of leather you can get under the foot.  It is actually rather simple.

My everyday treadle machine cannot handle this thickness of material or this thickness of thread so this is a win.  I will say I keep giving advice and reading the manual to guide others, but so far I have not gotten a chance to play.  Bright shiny toy!  I will get that chance though.  

The other thing is that when we went looking for thread, I stumbled across an industrial treadle sewing machine.  It needs to be refurbished but someone is planning to do that.  I might just be getting one of that refurbishement ever happens!