adding swivels to the toggles

as i put together these components, i am reminded of a book i'm reading, Fault Lines:  How Hidden Fractures Still Threaten the World Economy.  reading about economics is a nice break from designing!  


an interesting point the author makes is that the u.s.'s financial system is based on arms-lengths transactions.  this causes bankers to focus solely on making money on their small part of the transaction rather than caring about the result of the holistic, overall transaction.  


in manufacturing, the same often happens in assembly lines.  that's why in Japan, managers of factories make sure the workers see, understand, and care how their part in the process contributes to the final end product.  


since i am putting together all the components myself, i don't worry about these issues since i care more about the end product than anyone else.  however, something to keep in mind if some day i have people helping to put together components for my bags.

textures and designs

some inspiring books

flipping through some of my favorite books for inspiration

more beading of brass toggles

and brainstorming of website today.

hand-beading the toggles

i'm handbeading the solid brass toggles today for production.  i am using solid brass fishing beads.  a small business in ohio thinks someone in nyc really likes making fishing tackles!  

expandable gusset & other news

useful feature on the hobo is that the gusset is expandable.  when you have to carry many books, folders, ipads, laptops, kindles or whatever else, you can better fit them into your bag.

in other news, i had to re-source leather...  again.  it ends up that the full grain eco-friendly leather looks and feels high quality but does not act like it.  i wear-tested the tote to and from san fran, and the color of the leather was wearing off. sad.  

after two failed attempts with eco-branded leather, i decided that making a disposable bag that wears out quickly is not eco-conscious.  therefore, i decided to try one of the highest quality leathers in the world - a french, full grain, vegetable tanned leather.  as with all high quality veg tans, it will darken beautiful with age and exposure to light. additionally, it is vegetable tanned in france which has strict eco standards for tanning and dyeing.

i am trying to strike the best balance between quality and eco-consciousness - they seem to complement and conflict with each other at different times. 

hobo with flap

still needs some work but getting closer

the mini in grey

website stuff

website

i've been painting and drawing this weekend to generate ideas and textures for my website.  it's my first time working on a website so i am thankful i'm working with a very talented creative/web designer!

double-dipped tote unfolded

double-dipped revised tote

this tote is the same dimensions as the original blue tote (my first sample).  i used the fabric that i painted in two tones to make it look like it was dipped in water.  however, i changed several aspects to give the tote a little bit more natural give at the bottom and the slight curve makes it appear a little smaller.  i also took off the screws to lighten the weight, since this bag is the largest of the three.  also, i wanted more of the natural craftsmanship and texture of this particular bag to shine through.  i increased the length of the straps attached to the bag a little too much so will decrease slightly.  

in other news, my samplemaker is thrilled i am leaving for california for a few days... to get a break from my constant harrassment. :)  i'm pretty sure he wants to call me goldilocks because i am always saying 'that's too big, that's too small, curve it a little more.'  in return, i can only call him a genius because he takes my scraggly designs and crafts beautiful shapes with them. 

mockup of mini

the best way to check dimensions of a bag is to make a crude mock-up.  actually the best way is to have a nice mock-up... however, i do not have a sewing machine so a crude mock-up will have to do.  the first mini sample was too big and i did not like the leather and details. i am reworking it.

samplemaking part two

for some reason, i expected perfection with the first round of samples and was a little dejected by the imperfection.  but, my samplemaker assured me, no one designs it right the first time.  he said that once it's made, it's often very different from what you imagined.  

i worked with him today on all the corrections, and i am confident the second round will be beautiful.  as confident as i was for the first round... uh oh. :)

sample 3

this bag has potential but is not quite right.  working on the issues, such as the proportion of the details and the opening. 

   

sample 2

I received sample 2 & 3 today!  both are not quite what i imagined, but I have to rework and get them there.