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Description
Here's a new purse for *aelthwyn that I made for a surface design project during my Winter '11 term. I got the majority of my inspiration to make this from a bunch of handle sized manzanita branches I received from one of my brothers over the holidays. Since then I had been wanting to use them and even considered incorporating a wooden handle into latest backpack I made, but decided against it since the rest of the design was so industrial and utilitarian.

So I designed a bag that one might see a forest dweller using. My goal was to use not metal hardware and to replicate textures of leaves and moss.

The leaf used as the front flap got its veins with a soldering iron. When a wood burner or soldering iron touches leather, it darkens and the leather shrinks a bit. So using that knowledge, I was able to give the leaf shape the vein texture.

The moss was created by felting and stitching wool yarns through the leather in layers. To protect the back side and keep the yarns from slipping, I glued a layer of thin leather to the back side in the portions that had the moss stitched. I think if I were to do a more professional job of it, I would just line the entire back side of the piece of leather.

Definitely interested in expanding upon this theme. I can think of a variety of hats and accessories that would look good with these same surface designs, as well as others I've come up with, like lichen, vines, roots, mushrooms, and a variety of bark textures.

Chrome tanned leather and manzanita wood for the handle.
Modeled by *aelthwyn herself.

Description
Here's a new purse for *aelthwyn that I made for a surface design project during my Winter '11 term. I got the majority of my inspiration to make this from a bunch of handle sized manzanita branches I received from one of my brothers over the holidays. Since then I had been wanting to use them and even considered incorporating a wooden handle into latest backpack I made, but decided against it since the rest of the design was so industrial and utilitarian.

So I designed a bag that one might see a forest dweller using. My goal was to use not metal hardware and to replicate textures of leaves and moss.

The leaf used as the front flap got its veins with a soldering iron. When a wood burner or soldering iron touches leather, it darkens and the leather shrinks a bit. So using that knowledge, I was able to give the leaf shape the vein texture.

The moss was created by felting and stitching wool yarns through the leather in layers. To protect the back side and keep the yarns from slipping, I glued a layer of thin leather to the back side in the portions that had the moss stitched. I think if I were to do a more professional job of it, I would just line the entire back side of the piece of leather.

Definitely interested in expanding upon this theme. I can think of a variety of hats and accessories that would look good with these same surface designs, as well as others I've come up with, like lichen, vines, roots, mushrooms, and a variety of bark textures.

Chrome tanned leather and manzanita wood for the handle.
Modeled by *aelthwyn herself.