Happy New Year...new work

[EricEwing]

2019 was definitely the year of the roadkill for me. Not saying I’m hanging up my trap and alum tanning bucket, but I thought I would start off the new year with a different direction than the usual. Rather than just hog this thread for my bag, please feel free to post something in a different direction for you or something representative of an experimental phase in your own work here. Anyway, happy new year and glad to see these arts still represented on this sub forum.

[rich pierce]

Mighty fine work there.

[Brokennock]

Very nice bag.

[Bob McBride]

super bag and horn.

[Marcruger]

That bag is just beautiful Eric.  The details are sharp as is the architecture.  Very well done.  I love that edge binding, and the finish work is lovely. 

I pivoted in the middle of 2019.  Word was passed to me through CLA that I needed to make simpler bags, as no one appreciates fancy bags.  Well, I think James Rogers' bespoke work proves that statement wrong, but I decided to make a few simpler or more primitive bags.  For fun, here is an example of change in direction in 2019:
March 2019 (I only made the bag)…..



Mid 2019.....



That was the biggest change I could come up with.   :-)  Thank you also Eric for prompting me to try different finish colors. 

God Bless,   Marc

[Smokey Plainsman]

That is an awesome and incredibly well done double pocket bag!! I love the green stained horn, too. They go together. Interesting and vibrant, but not ostentatious or gaudy. Love them both!!

[James Rogers]

That's a nice bag Eric.  Did you tan that exotic?
I cant show the veer in my usual work unless we start a forum on ladies totes,  handbags and wallets ; )

[Greg Pennell]

Eric, that’s a mighty sweet looking double pouch!  I love the colors, and the hair-on flap is a very classy touch. Certainly work to aspire to!

Greg

[EricEwing]

That bag is just beautiful Eric.  The details are sharp as is the architecture.  Very well done.  I love that edge binding, and the finish work is lovely. 

Thanks!

I pivoted in the middle of 2019.  Word was passed to me through CLA that I needed to make simpler bags, as no one appreciates fancy bags. 

Why would you care what other people want you to make? Constructive criticism aside, I make bags for me that I would like to carry not for anybody else. Even if I don’t keep any of them.

Well, I think James Rogers' bespoke work proves that statement wrong, but I decided to make a few simpler or more primitive bags.  For fun, here is an example of change in direction in 2019:
March 2019 (I only made the bag)…..



Mid 2019.....



That was the biggest change I could come up with.   :-)  Thank you also Eric for prompting me to try different finish colors. 

Both of those are great, and different from each other and are definitely show your willingness to attempt different things develop and improve on your previous designs. Excellent

[EricEwing]

That is an awesome and incredibly well done double pocket bag!! I love the green stained horn, too. They go together. Interesting and vibrant, but not ostentatious or gaudy. Love them both!!

Thank you. The horn is a York County screwtip made by Daniel Boling of Tennessee.

[EricEwing]

That's a nice bag Eric.  Did you tan that exotic?
I cant show the veer in my usual work unless we start a forum on ladies totes,  handbags and wallets ; )

Thanks! I did not tan the hide. An acquaintance gifted me a box of various exotic (mostly African?) hide scraps that were well tanned even if all but the zebra is unidentifiable. I’m always down to see whatever you’re working on even if it has nothing to do with history or muzzleloaders!

[Karl Kunkel]

Great horn, love York County Screw Tips.  The green ones particularly.

[John SMOthermon]

Wow!Beautiful work Guys

I’m not that talented but I love to try my hand at different projects...

Here’s a finger woven strap I made back around Christmas .

It measures 2” X 5 ‘  . Thanks for looking...

[EricEwing]

Eric, love looking at your work and always enjoy reviewing all your details.  Sadly, I have a project just finishing up with only straps to attach to the bag.  I apologize for the crappy photos but you will get the idea.  This one was determined to be my problem child as I had to remember what leather dye combo used on the original as I decided the original flap (was a one piece flap/back) had to go.  Voila, after 3 attempts I got the flap with designs I wanted (no mistakes/scratches, etc) with the dye combo needed to match the rest of the bag and strap.  Lesson here is to write down the dye formula used, lol.  Another brain melt idea to line the front of the bag besides the back was not a very good idea, at least for me.  Even after wet molding the front was a stiff as the back with very little give.  Won't do again, but has relieved some after massaging with a bone folder.   This one is about 8" wide at the largest dimension and 7 1/2" tall.  I didn't intend this to be any larger, but for someone with smaller hands but will still hold a sizeable amount of accouterments.  The next one like this will be slightly larger and only lined on the back.  The leather used was 2-3 oz cowhide. 

Thanks. Solving mistakes and salvaging projects never ends. Especially when you put stuff down and pick it up again with enough time passed that you forgot something that had to be brewed up!

Cool designs on that flap!