Happy New Year!

January 3, 2016 | Tiddleyworks

At last I’m starting to feel better after the usual Christmas cold and am beginning my New Year’s resolution to blog more about what Tiddleyworks and The Leather Ladies are up to. The lead up to Christmas was very busy with lots of craft events so it was good to be able to take a back seat for a few days over the holidays.

I’m revamping my shop “Tiddleyworks” on folksy.com and have resolved to list at least 1 item per day! Let’s see if I can keep to this. Here are a couple of new items that appeared today.

I love making these little needlecases, they are so nice to handle and use and the leather smells great too!

The original design for the leather flower below was made by Hazel of Haifflinch Designs, the other half of our mini-cooperative, The Leather Ladies. Her flowers are beautiful big red poinsettias which were very popular in the run up to Christmas. I adjusted the design, making the petals smaller, constructing it slightly differently and at Hazel’s suggestion, added a leaf. Here it is.

Leather working – learning a new skill

July 17, 2015July 17, 2015 | Tiddleyworks

Since buying the leather remnants and making the patchwork bags things have moved on a lot! Two of the new bags have been sold and I have listed one in Tiddleyworks’ shop on Folksy (www.folksy.com/shops/rozzynanty).

I’m creating a range of accessories to co-ordinate with the patchwork bags. So far I’ve designed a leather credit card wallet and also a small coin purse (the small, simple type you’re always looking for but can never find!). I’ve hand stitched several of each of these in the different leathers I have at the moment. Here are a couple of pics of the wallet and purse in red distressed leather.

20150717_100157 — Red distressed leather coin purse (10 cm x 8 cm)

Red leather credit card wallet (10.6cm x 8cm)

More Leather Carpet Bags

May 26, 2015 | Tiddleyworks

I went back to the shop where I bought the leather remnants, and showed them the bag I’d made. I came away with another stock of gorgeous leather and an order for three more bags to be put on sale in the shop next weekend!

So I’ve set to and just finished the first one. I’ve altered the internal pocket, making it larger with a section to hold a mobile phone.

This bag and others I’ve yet to make will be on sale at Brown’s Upholstery, Middleton Hall Courtyard Centre, Middleton, Tamworth, Staffordshire. B78 2AE from next Saturday 30th May, price £75.00

Carpet Bags

May 24, 2015May 24, 2015 | Tiddleyworks

I’ve made quite a few of these bucket-style carpet bags. They are strong and sturdy yet light to carry and are so easy to use.

I’ve been “roadtesting” the first model of the navy tapestry bag personally since November last year. It’s been everywhere with me but is showing hardly any signs of wear.
Recently I bought some very nice leather remnants to trim more bags but then this happened…

This was a self taught crash course in sewing leather and there was a lot of swearing involved! I learnt some useful tips, like stapling pieces of leather together to hold the while sewing (outside the seamline where the marks won’t show); stitching down either side of seams to make the seam allowances lie flat; using a proper leather needle and generally taking things slowly and carefully.

I lined it with lovely blue heavyweight textured velvet furnishing fabric (thankyou again, Hazel!).

So now the navy tapestry bag is in temporary retirement as of course I simply have to roadtest this one!
Some of my carpet bags are currently for sale in my Folksy shop, http://www.folksy.com/shops/rozzynanty.

Welcome To Tiddleyworking!

May 19, 2015May 24, 2015 | Tiddleyworks

Hallo and welcome to my blog for Tiddleyworks, my little hand made business. I make textile accessories and bags using crochet, rag rugging and sewing techniques.

Tiddleyworking

Handmade leather goods

Author: Tiddleyworks