There was a fair chance that I would be making more music cases so I decided to get laser-cut acrylic templates made for the design. Shortly after collecting the templates, I was asked to make another music bag so it will be the first time the templates are used in anger. Several swatches were provided for both the leather and lining. Once those are selected it’s just a matter of choosing the thread and hardware colours.

Outer Leather: Euroleathers Tucson Shoulder in British Racing Green (1.8 – 2.0mm).
Lining: AA Crack Suede in Lime (1.2 – 1.4mm).
Thread: 0.75mm or #1 Vinymo, Colour 52 with 3.5mm stitch length

The leather choices were Tucson British Racing Green with a lime suede interior. I’ve not used the Tucson leather from Euroleathers before but it has a slightly softer handle.
The thread swatch with a variety of (hopefully) suitable thread colours
The only other choices were the hardware colour (brass or ‘silver’) and whether to include a shoulder strap.
The new acrylic templates should make cutting out the required pieces much quicker
The interior suede is given a coating of 3M Suede protection which will hopefully reduce the likelihood of staining
Although the Tucson hide is only 0.2mm thinner than the Metropolitan Leather Lamport hides used previously, it has a slightly softer handle (stiffness). As a result I thought it sensible to increase the stiffness of the front and back pieces by introducing a thin reinforcement bonded-leather panel. This is essentially made from leather sawdust mixed with PVA glue which is then compressed into thin sheets.
The bonded leather panel was cut to be just shy (by the 3.5mm stitch allowance) of the outer leather piece.
The outer edges of the bonded leather will create a slight lip as it’s 0.6mm thick.
To minimise this as much as possible, the edges were skived down to zero which will reduce the amount they show though the suede.
First, the top 80mm of suede is bonded. This enables a rolled edge to be made along the top edge and still enable the bar straps to be sewn to the outer leather/bonded leather. The suede then glued over the top to hide the stitches on the inside.
Bonding the rolled edge
A stiff metal straight edge was used to roll over the outer leather to ensure the edges are straight and uniform. A new technique which worked well.
A tool to mark a 4.5mm stitch allowance was used but, due to the thickness of the 3 pieces, this gave the planned 3.5mm allowance due to the angle it sat on the top edge
The 1.8 – 2.0mm leather is slightly too thick to be doubled over for the bar straps. So they were skived down to approx 1.2mm
A (black) non-stretch tape applied to the inside of the straps before folding over and bonding.
Bar straps stitched but still need edge painting, which needs to done before attaching them to the front panel
Sanding the top grain to give a good bond strength
Pinning and aligning bar straps during bonding
Tape is applied over the stitches on the back so they won’t show through the suede lining
Bonding the remaining suede lining
The perimeter stitch line is pre-punched. This enables the outer 3.5mm or so of suede lining to be cut away (ie along the stitch line) to avoid a bulky seam.
I’d finally found a supply for 10mm round bonded leather for the rolled handles – from China of course! It is first bonded to the centre line of the outer leather.
Once dried, the remaining surfaces can be coated in contact adhesive and boned together. Clips hold it together until fully dried.
It’s almost impossible to get a consistent alignment of the join along the full handle length so a 2mm allowance had been added to the templates. The allowance then needs to be removed.
The cut edges are all edge painted with Uniters Pro 2000 – first with filler and then a top colour of Forest Green
In a similar fashion to the front panel, a bonded leather piece is glued to the body section of the outer leather. Adding it to the closing flap would make the flap too rigid.
Skiving the bonded-leather edges to minimise them showing through the suede lining
The job I hate the most – stitching the rolled handles!
Pinning the second handle end help keep everything aligned whilst stitching
Again the interior stitching is covered by tape prior to bonding the lining
First the outer edges of the gusset are skived before the brass feet are added
A thick stiffener is bonded to the outer leather and then the lining bonded over it. Initially only along the base stiffener
The shoulder strap mounting loops are bonded and stitched prior to bonding the remaining lining
Normally I try to use a continuous stitch run if possible but it becomes increasingly unmanageable. The perimeter of the rear panel is almost 2m in length which would require a thread of approx 10 metres. So this time I’m stitching in smaller sections – here in two runs, from the centre point of the base to the top of the gusset
The front panel stitched
Fluff tends to get picked up on the thread whilst stitching so it needs to be burnt off …..
….. the source of most of the fluff!!
The final job is to level and sand the edges before applying Uniters edge paint
The main case completed
‘All’ that remains is to add the shoulder strap. The strap cutting tool was set for a 24mm width and the leather is then just pulled through. The choice was to make the strap removable rather than permanently stitched on. Another issue was the slightly thinner leather used is more prone to stretching. The solution was to bond two lengths of leather together and sandwich a thin strip of 1mm bonded leather inbetween.
The bonded leather strip was glued to a length of full thickness leather. Leather for the top side was skived down from 2.0mm to 0.8mm to stop the strap being too bulky. Holes were made for fitting a Sam Browne stud so the strap can be removed.
The strip of bonded leather is both for strength and aesthetics, as it gives a raised central section. However it does add bulk so it was stopped short of the buckle area. The end of the strip was skived to zero to give a tapered effect.
The strap with all the layers bonded together. This shows the raised section which tapers down nearer the buckle end.
The underside of the strap also needs to be skived around the buckle to remove bulk.
Bonding the second eyelet piece of the strap.
Again the raised strip is tapered before it reaches the eyelet section.
A Japanese style flush cut knife is ideal for trimming off the excess of the thinner top leather, which was cut 4mm oversized.
Carefully marking the position of the ‘eyelet’ holes in the strap. It amazing how even small inconsistencies in spacing are glaringly obvious to the human eye.
Oval holes were punched into the strap as they sit better on the buckle.
Running a #0 edge beveler to prepare the edges before edge painting.
Apart from stitching and edge painting, the only other task is to create some strap keepers.
Slots have been routed into a long piece of oak as a tool to enable the edge painting of long straps.
The ends of the removable strap using Sam Browne studs and ‘locking’ keeper
Buckle section with fix brass keeper and movable leather keeper
The completed case with strap