Skip to main content

Made by a Fabricista: DIY Leather Suede Boho Shoulder Handbag



SOOooooo, I was looking for a Boho inspired shoulder Handbag that I could use on the weekends. I found a few but the few that I liked  where not big enough. I don't know how to function without a big handbag. I grabbed 4 pieces of the leather suede [no longer available] and decided I would make my own. I found the perfect pattern. I used See & Sew pattern B5273 and a little pattern-hacking to add my own stamp on this DIY handbag.
I knew I wanted add fringe to my DIY handbag but I wanted to also add something else to the otherwise simple handbag. I toyed with a few colorful trims which would be nice but then I remembered that I had a ton of grommets on hand. I decided to use the big grommets and lots of them for this handbag. Even though my ears were ringing after hammering all the grommets, I was so pleased with this handbag, I'd do it again. In addition to the grommets and fringe, I added a zippered pocket to the back of my handbag.

*This pattern was super easy and would be great for a beginner. 


 Make sure you use the correct needle for your fabric. I used a leather needle for this project


Grommets were installed per the instructions on the package. [Yup I missed a spot for my last grommet in the second row...I didn't even notice until I looked at this picture.]





I used he natural shape from the hide to make the pocket on the back a little more interesting.


  











  

Until Next time peeps!
Michelle @ Thatblackchic
 photo 35845374-bce1-426b-9e7a-633f43c85d42_zps12c60185.jpg

Comments

  1. What a great use of the suede and the grommets. This is an amazing bag!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Carolyn, This was my first shoulder and I think You're going to see me do more of them. I'm going leather shopping!

      Delete
  2. Chic and very interesting bag! Karen

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love it! The design is really cool and you are a crazy good sewer!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Girl....this is soooo dope! Grommets intimidate me....and I have the same pattern and some metallic leather.. I may just do some sewing since I had knee surgery and will be in the house!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Do it! Do it! Now that would be dope! I'm going to get some leather and smaller grommets for another bag.........Oh yeah Gromments are EASY just a little tiring when you use a lot but soooo worth it.

      Delete
  5. This is FABULOUS!! I might have to try my hand at this one! Great job as always Michelle!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Paula thanks Lady, please do give it a try it's a nice carry all bag.

      Delete
  6. Love it! Did you use topstitching or regular thread for the outside?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Girl let me tell you something about me and top-stitching thread....we never get along! Now because I was procrastinating with my project as usual, I didn't have time to play with any top-stitching thread. I haven't tried using top-stitching thread with my new BERNINIA but I plan to put it to the test. My Singer skipped a lot do it was hit or miss.

      Delete
  7. This is too cute I can't wait to make one.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Awesome, I can't wait to see what you do with it!

      Delete
  8. If you get your hides in Philly, where would you recommend?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I got this from Fabric Mart. I don't have a go-to place but I do know there is a place on Fabric Row on 4Th & South. I don't know the name of the store.

      Delete
  9. OHMYGOSH!!!!! This is truly phenomenal! This is so high end. I just adore it!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment! All comments are reviewed before posting to help us eliminate spam. Your comment will be posted within 24 hours.

Recent Posts You Might Like

Sewing With Intention: New Look 6106 and a More Coordinated Wardrobe

Sometimes a sewing project begins with a beautiful piece of fabric or a pattern you just have to make. This one began with my closet. Recently, I did a major closet purge. I took a good look at what I actually wear, what I kept reaching for, and—maybe more importantly—what was missing. Once the pieces I no longer loved or wore were gone, something became very clear: I want to be more intentional about what I sew next. Instead of sewing individual pieces that I love but don't necessarily wear together, I want to build a wardrobe where my handmade garments coordinate with the clothes I already own—and with the pieces I'm planning to sew next. For this month's Fabricista project, this beautiful lightweight shirting from Fabric Mart turned out to be a wonderful place to start. The Fabric That Started It All Fabric Mart provided this beautiful oatmeal and black heathered shirting , along with the matching thread for my project. One of the things I love most about this fabric is ...

Sometimes The Fabric Chooses The Pattern

Have you ever fallen in love with a fabric and immediately envisioned exactly what you wanted to make, only to realize halfway through the planning process that the fabric had other ideas? That’s exactly what happened with this project. I used Fabric Mart’s Black/Dark Cobalt/Smoky White Poly Foliage Print Chiffon , and while I initially had plans for a detailed dress, the fabric ultimately led me in a completely different direction—and I’m so glad it did. When I first saw this gorgeous chiffon print, I was immediately drawn to the rich color palette and beautiful movement. The dark background paired with the cobalt and smoky white foliage creates a striking look that feels both dramatic and versatile. My original plan was to make a dress with princess seams, buttons, and more structured design elements. However, after spending time with the fabric, I realized that all of those seam lines and construction details would compete with what makes this chiffon so beautiful: its drape, moveme...

Return to work wardrobe in ITY – which is your favorite?

In June of this year, after spending nearly 11 years at my place of employment and after restructuring and cost cutting, I took a separation package. I was so fortunate to be able to take a few months off, and also to very quickly find a position with a new company. I start my new job on September 14th and I’m super excited!  This new position is also different for me in that it is local to my area (whereas before I worked remotely and traveled to the office every few weeks) – so I’ll be going into the office three times a week. So of course I needed to sew up some new outfits! I’m a huge fan of ITY knit fabric ; ITY stands for interlock twist yarn, which describes the way the yarn is knitted together. I love it for tops, dresses, skirts, and even pants: it’s comfortable, easy care, low wrinkle, and comes in so many beautiful prints. I sewed up three new outfits over the last two weeks and I’m excited to share them with you today! Oh, and also – I need help choosing what to wear fi...

The Perfect Plan for this Linen Blend! Until I Changed My Mind.

Hello Sewing Friends!  It’s Sharon from Sharon Sews with another Fabricista make.  When I saw this linen blend designer fabric on the Fabric Mart Fabrics website, I was intrigued.  After all, I, like many of you, love to find designer fabrics at an affordable price. It is a linen/nylon/rayon/Lycra blend, and I wondered what the designer had created with the fabric as I wasn’t familiar with that combination of fibers.  Surprisingly, I discovered a sleeveless, lined, mid-length vest in the same color with an almost identical fabric composition. Perfect! I’ve been wanting to sew a longer vest with matching pants, and that discovery confirmed this fabric would work beautifully for the look I had in mind.  The vest I’m wearing, from the June 2026 Burda Style magazine, it is not what I was originally going to make.  You see when I found the designer’s vest, I remembered seeing a Butterick pattern that was almost identical.  I ordered the pattern excited to...