Lovely book on how to make stylish handbags

I am very impressed with the step-by-step instructions as well as the great photographs of each of those steps. I learn both by reading and by visually seeing what I must do, so the way this book is put together is perfect for me, personally, as a learning tool.

I have not sewn with leather in the past, so I followed the author’s suggestions and discovered that, of my various sewing machines, my Janome is the one that will most easily be used to sew leather. I have a Brother and Singer but neither one of those seem to be sturdy enough to do what is needed over the long haul. I probably would not have reached for my old Janome if I had not had the test procedures to try. I am also considering buying a heavy duty mechanical sewing machine (mine are computerized) if I decide to get heavily involved with making handbags. These are also great for jeans, so it could go on my wish list for the holidays.

The bags are all quite lovely and are divided into sections for the Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced handbag maker. I definitely fall into the Beginner area and was extremely pleased to see the variety and high style of bags included in this section. I am sure that these will keep me busy for some time to come and will give me the skills needed to advance into the follow-on sections. I have two daughters who will also love for me to make them handbags. As they are both over six feet tall (though I am much shorter), it will be nice to custom make straps for them that really work with their taller frames.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, Taunton Press, via Netgalley. While digital is good for some instances, when I think I will be using a book for a number of projects, I find having a paper copy is invaluable to me. This is definitely a book a I will purchase in paper form, too.