To be on the safe side and to ensure I had sufficient things to build on holiday, another ‘kit’ was put together for the bag I intended to make with the hide purchased while travelling around Japan. Again the aim is to make to major components before heading off. Leaving just the stitching to do.
Leather: Michelle Loves Leather hide in Rubi Light Blue 1.5mm and Cow Royal Lining (0.9-1.1mm) from Euroleathers
Threads: #5 Vinymo, Colour 179 with stitch length of 3mm
The pieces were simply scaled down versions of the normal sized music bag, except the straps for the metal bar which were increased to 10mm.
The brass bar was fabricated from a length of 3mm brass rod and 6mm brass finials. A M3 die was used to cut a small length of thread at each end.
As with the full sized case, the top section of the lining is bonded to make a rolled edge.
Bonding the rolled edge.
The aim was to produce a matching case to the Hal-moon bag, although I didn’t have thinner blue thread so opted for cream.
The leather straps for the brass bar were thinned to approx 0.8mm so strengthening non-stretch tap was added.
The down side of the cream thread and miniaturisation is slight mistakes are very obvious. Here the strap stitching where they join the front panel is rather clumsy. Could do better!
The remainder of the lining can then be bonded once the straps are stitched. The outer 2mm isn’t bonded as it will be skived away.
The sides of the gusset were skived down before bonding the lining. Again the outer 2mm wasn’t bonded.
The gusset stitched to the front panel.
The core of the rolled handle was a 3mm length of cord. It was fairly easily squashed so not ideal so wouldn’t use again. Some solid rubber cord has been ordered if more are made.
Once stitched along the length the ends were shaped in a curve to the end points. The excess allowance was cut away and edge paint applied to the cut edges.
Stitching the handle to the main panel was a lot easier than the full sized case.
The lining can then be bonded to hide the rear of the stitching.
The completed min-music case.
A suitable mini-purse for the half-moon bag.