So I’ve got something a little different today.
As the title suggests it’s stitchless, so technically it’s not sewing.
But sometimes it’s good to move outside your making comfort zone!
I was recently contacted by Esther at Leather Needle Thread about the possibility of trying out a product she was preparing to launch – a bucket bag kit.*
It took me, oh, all of about 2 seconds of ogling the beautiful bags and photos on her instagram page before I agreed!!
The stichless bucket bag kit comes with everything you need to make your own bucket bag, as well as comprehensive step-by-step instructions. The only things you need to provide yourself is a hard surface and a hammer, for the installation of rivets.
I used my dining room table (with a cutting mat for protection) until my husband came home and had a heart attack, so I switched to the kitchen bench. Both were equally suitable and, for the record, I did no damage whatsoever to the dining table!
It only takes a few hours to make this bag, so it is a very satisfying and straight forward project. It’s lovely that you are able to feel that you have a high-end quality bucket bag in your hands in next to no time at all!
So what do you get?
The kit consists of all the necessary leather pieces, with precut holes and slots to enable you to put everything together. The sides and bottom of the bag are woven together with sturdy leather straps and then you install the strap and all the little details.
Essentially the only making techniques required are: weaving and installing rivets.
Given this, I would definitely recommend this product to non-sewist as well – anyone interested in a bit of making or crafting (or just beautiful bags) has the skills to put this together.
A couple of years ago, I took a single evening introduction to bag-making course. It was a lot of fun to see industrial sewing machines and leather working equipment.
I also saw that it would be pretty darn easy to fall down a bag-making rabbit hole. Given the high cost of both equipment and raw materials in the field, I decided not to pursue it any further cuz, well, that was a hobby I basically couldn’t afford.
But that brief foray taught me that, as a beginner and without proper equipment, cutting your leather with appropriate precision is a real challenge.
Here, all that hard work is done for you and you just get to join in the party for the fun part of putting together something awesome!
Making the Stitchless Bucket Bag
I had no problems following the detailed instruction booklet to make my Stitchless Bucket Bag.
As I mentioned above, it comes together in just a few hours. I actually started it the day it arrived, planning on just testing out the waters with the first couple of steps.
I found it so addictive that I didn’t stop until it was finished!
I have a bit of a pathological fear of rivet installation so, full confession, there had been a tiny little voice in my head going ‘I’m not sure if this is for me’.
There was no need to fear!
The stitchless bucket bag kit also includes a few extra scraps of leather and rivets, so you can practice installing the rivets a couple of times before you attack your bucket bag. Through my jeans-sewing exploits, I’ve installed my share of rivets and these were definitely the easiest rivets I have ever had to install. They clicked into place very solidly and this made it easy to hold them properly in place and install with your hammer and the other included installation equipment.
Stichless Bucket Bag: the final product
Leaving the making experience aside, I find that the bag overall simply looks like a very high quality product.
The quality of the leather used is exceptional. I love the look of the woven seams, it adds an effective visual detail to a simple structure, without making it look too ‘chunky’.
The Stitchless Bucket Bag has a shoulder strap which can be adjusted to multiple lengths, so you’re pretty much covered, whether your want to wear it on your shoulder, cross-body or just carried in the hand.
I also feel that the closure and quality of the ‘drawstring’ look very classy. I had recently been ogling quite a few bucket bags and was surprised at the number of them which didn’t have a proper closure and expected you to simply tie your drawstring closed.
Ummm, no, while wrestling a 4 year-old and holding shopping bags on my average grocery store run, I do not have sufficient available hands to fully tie and untie my handbag.
Luckily, the stitchless bucket bag has no such unreasonable expectations!
The quality and color of the hardware is also spot on! Well coordinated and not too ‘shiny’!
Truth be told, I’m feeling pretty darn smug and chuffed about my new bag. Even hubby, who came home part way through the making process (after making me step away from the precious dining table) was rather fascinated by the process and wanted to get in on the rivet installation action!!
I’m definitely going to cherish this classic bag for years to come and will also be keeping a close eye on what comes next from Leather Needle Thread.
OK, I promise next week’s blog post will involve some actual stitching. But, for now, I’m taking “I made it myself” in unexpected directions!
Oh and, finally, a little P.S! If you like to get your blog hits through Bloglovin’, feel free to follow me over there: you can find me here. And you can find me on Instagram here.
* This blog will always provide full disclosure if I have received a product free of charge. I received this product to try out for free from Leather Needle Thread in exchange for sharing a few photographs of my project on instagram and helping to spread the word about the competition celebrating the release of the bag. There was no expectation of writing this blog post, which I decided to do in the fit of enthusiasm my lovely new bag inspired! All the opinions and views of the product are entirely my own.