Children's purses

So this project was inspired by my niece who had a chance to rummage through some of our leather bags.  She became enamored with the 'Blue Ribbon' bag and begged to have it.  I told her I could do one in a smaller size and let her choose her thread color and monogram.  She, of course, chose hot pink thread.  I think the bag turned out beautifully.  I then had to make my daughter a bag.  She's in love with butterflies, so I cut out a butterfly and stitched it on the flap.  Then I realized that a butterfly needs a few flowers.  So, naturally, I cut out some flowers, too.   

These bags were made with mellow tan leather in sky blue.  The leather is very sturdy and water resistant.  It was like working with latigo.  The bags will holdup well for children and are a great choice of leather for a bag for a girl under the age of 13.  These are obviously spring and summer styles.  I will make some fall/winter styles as September approaches. 

Children's purses by Beargrass Leather

Ahhh, Beargrass!

It's that time of year.  The sun is shining and beargrass is blooming.  Ben took our son up the mountain the other day to a special spot close to the ski area.  It's special because it is where we cut down our first Christmas tree since we moved to Flathead Lake.  There are trails and beautiful vistas.  It's totally different in the summer.  The winter was magical.  The clouds were surrounding the mountain tops, so when we found our tree, we were quite literally on the clouds.  But, in summer the sun is shining, and you can see for miles.  You see all of Flathead Lake and Lake Mary Ronan to the south.  You see the Swan mountains and the Mission mountains behind that.  You feel like you've entered into your own little slice of heaven.  

When Ben got back he showed me a picture he took on his phone: "Beargrass?!!!!"   I hadn't realized we had beargrass so close to home.  I thought it was awesome that he saw ONE.  So the next day we journeyed back up the mountain, and as I climbed past the trail I saw the hill start to drop downward.  It was fairly clear except for fallen trees.  The ground was just filled with Beargrass.  I felt like a kid in candyland, except these weren't lollipops, they were beargrass.  

xerophyllum tenax

Fly fishing bags

Father's Day and fly fishing go hand in hand.  So I am rolling out four new bags.  This will most likely be the last set of leather that is called Older Towne Folklore.  It seems like there was a ton of it around for a while, and now it is no longer being made.  If you have ever wanted a folklore bag, this is your last chance.

A fresh batch of Beargrass Fly Fishing Bags

Hidden Jewels

SO what happens when you want people to see the more complex and creative projects you've done?  When you get a custom order that you and a co-conspirator (customer) dreamed up and brought to life.  Sometimes these creations never see the Internet.   I can't help but think what a shame it is not to share some of them.  Sometimes when people inquire about something, or when our inventory is running low, or when we are just not keeping up with our Etsy shop, I want to wave a portfolio of beautiful projects we've created and say, take a look.  Not only do your dreams and ideas add fire to our flame, but we become more and more talented by finding a new way to do something.  We refine our skills and build customer relations.  

Being fairly new to selling online, I am always very excited to let a new custom creation take flight.  Hearing what people want and actually creating it feels in part somewhat magical.  Here is a bag that must be replicated in the future: 

Colter Carryall - made of hair-on-hide and black bison  

If you can dream it and it meets our style, then we will give it our best.  So go ahead, ask for something.  What's the worst that could happen?  We might say no, but chances are we will spend countless minutes searching and scouring our supplies or finding what we need to create it for YOU.  

New Key Fob Style

I spent a few minutes today trying out a new stamp and design.  Sam and I collect vintage Montana penants.  They inspired this penant style Glacier National Park fob. 

Favorite Leathers

Almost everyone, whether they are aware of it or not, loves certain types of leather.  At Beargrass Leather, Sam and I have our favorites too.  One thing that we had to learn was to roll with the leather supply punches.  Leather availability for chrome tanned products can be hit-and-miss.  Therefore, we have made some priorities.  

Our priority list almost always begins with "temper."  This has to deal with the firmness of the leather.  A great way to think about this is in terms of cooking noodles.  An uncooked or barely cooked pasta noodle would have a firm temper.  We want our temper to be soft yet firm (medium).  Mostly, we want our big bags and totes to stand up by themselves (especially under the weight of some of our rolled straps).  

We also prioritize American Bison.  Not all buffalo leather is created equal because of a large industry for tanning water-buffalo.  If you ever take a snow-coach through Yellowstone National Park, you will quickly be told that the tour guide will only use the term "bison."  Bison Bison is the Latin name for the Prarie Bison that roam YNP, and it is the only bison leather purchased by Beargrass.  If you are looking for a buffalo/bison bag, remember to use the search term "bison."

Finally, we love natural looking leather.  Sometimes we buy a dark cherry stained elk.  For the most part, we stick to leather with a cool grain (most commonly shrunk and not plate stamped), and we don't shy away from range marks and nicks.  We think this adds character.  We hope that you feel the same way.

Leather and Labrador Retrievers

I am not sure why, but labs and leather are peas in a pod.  Sally, our lab, may have been feeling slightly ignored as we have been making more and more leather goods.  One morning, she was carrying around this card and dropped it at my feet. 

Yes, Sally, you are our friend. 

If we make one less item this month, then you will know that we were taking Sally for extra walks by Flathead Lake!

Custom Orders for Leather Goods

If you have ever thought about creating a custom leather order, you probably began to sweat profusely.  Considering how often a fast food restaurant can get my $12 order incorrect from a menu of "consistent" food items, leather can be daunting.  Trust me, I feel just as nervous (and perhaps more so) than you.  

On a worst-case scenario, the item simply doesn't work, fit, or is destroyed in the shipping process (although not fitting is the only scenario that has ever happened at Beargrass -- knock on wood!).  This is typically the full-refund scenario.  The buyer may be out a few dollars in shipping and some wasted time sending emails, but not a bulk of the costs.  The person making the item is losing the cost of materials and time (as well as possible negative feedback).  So there is a lot of pressure to get an order correct.  I go through small stages of grief with each order leaving the shop, and I check my email constantly as I wait for positive feedback from the buyer.

Here are some custom ordering tips (hint -- all of the tips involve communication):

1)  Be clear as to what you want:

 *  Include exact sizes and numbers

*   Send links to pictures of similar items  (if you are an Etsy user, we almost always check your favorites list to get a better sense of your style)

*  If using the product to hold specific objects, send us a picture of the objects

2)  Prioritize

*  Let us know what is most important (because we hand stitch, our products must remain fairly simple, so adding items can be tricky)

3)  Agree on a plan before the project begins

*  A custom order almost always involves a new order for raw materials.  Beargrass Leather stocks about 20 different leather hides at a time.  So most custom orders will need a new hide. 

*  The specific hide and hardware account for 25-40% of the overall costs.  Time makes up the remaining costs

*  Beargrass Leather will then give you a bid on the cost before buying any leather -- a bid is not a contract. 

*  If you don't agree with the project at this point, this is an appropriate point to say, "No thanks!"

4)  Continue to Communicate

*  Once the project begins, the communication process should continue.  While alterations and changes can be tricky (or not possible or costly), it doesn't hurt to ask.  

*  Again, the clearer and more open the communication, the more likely that you will open the box at your doorstep and love what is inside.

In the end, communication is the key to your custom leather order.  We hope that you will choose Beargrass Leather for your custom request.  But these tips will work for any custom leather order that you may make.

Leather messenger bag on the workbench. 

Here is a custom notepad for a great customer.  It required a lot of precise elements and sharing of design sketches. 

New Leather

Beargrass is starting off the new year with a fresh stock of new leather.  This includes approximately a hundred square feet of leather with hair still on it.  I am guessing that at least fifteen new bags and totes will be cut and sewn on our workbench by April.  If you have any special requests, please let us know.

This was a great solution for storing two dozen hides.  Most places fold or stack rolls of leather.  This keeps the separate. 

We keep a selection of different weights, colors, and textures.  But we can order nearly any leather from our suppliers.  Sometimes I think that we might enjoy purchasing leather more than anything else.  If you make a custom order, we will often send you images of your choices from our suppliers before ordering. 

Time (Part 2)

"Time is money."

We've all heard this expression.  It almost never seems to ring truer than when working with leather.  When in Billings, I knew people who made fabulous quilts or crotched blankets.  Naturally, the time involved was extraordinary.  I feel the same about some vegetable tanned projects which have been stamped and carved.  In many ways, this is some of the hardest leather work to do.  The great thing about Beargrass Leather goods is the simplicity.  Simplicity in design means that we get to focus on aesthetic, strength, and durability while not worrying about our time pricing us out of the market.  

In the words of Leonardo Da Vinci, "Simplicity is the ultimate form of sophistication."  Beargrass Leather always strives to be simply sophisticated.

New Year, New Home, New Leather

Last year was a year of change.  My family picked up our roots in south-central Montana where the mountains were an hour away and the high plains stretched out like a Louis Lamour novel.  We moved to the Salish Mountains, west of the divide, overlooking the amazing Flathead Lake.  From the window of my classroom (my "day" job), I can see the Apgar Gap of Glacier National Park.  

The move did allow us one big change.  We were able to better define our leather working space, which improved our workflow.  Once the walls were painted, bathrooms were redone, and kitchen gutted (not counting keeping the kids happy with all major holidays), we are back to making leather.  

We have two new bags finished for the new year with two updates to our classic bison purse. Pictures will be coming soon.  I've also updated the bison minimalistic wallets to include a touch more stitching.  

Stitching!  Over the past year, we have tried everything.  When I teach writing, I show my students that realizing strengths is more important than spotting weaknesses.  Our strengths make our creative process special.  For Beargrass Leather, our strengths are the hand-stitching and Sam's amazing eye.  With that in mind, we are now stitching even more.  It's the most time-consuming part of our process, but we wouldn't be making Beargrass goods without it.

Happy 2016!  

~Beargrass Leather

View of Flathead Lake with fog hanging above the Swan Valley before the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

Wild Rose Tote Bag

Sometimes summer reminds us of everything old, the old fashioned way of life, the country way of life.  The stories we grew up on like Laura Ingalls Wilder come to mind when I think of the tall prairie grasses swaying in the breeze like waves upon the ocean.  The Wild Rose tote was a finished bag done in cross-stitch along the gussets and straps.  It was calling for more however, so I decided to add some....flourish.  I perused cross-stitch patterns trying to find something fairly simple that would tote an all white thread fairly well while maintaining its integrity as a flower and not a blob of white x's.  So I ended up taking a picture of an antique lace doily and counting out squares.  I basically drew up my own version of it on a piece of grid paper.  I made the mistake of having used a smaller grid size which meant punching holes one at a time.

In the end I think it was worth it.  I really have been wanting to try something like this and now I've got my feet wet.  Its taken a few minutes here and there to complete this.  Much like ladies would pick up their stitching and set it down to tend to other more pressing needs I have no concrete idea of how long it took.  

This bag really feels soft and inviting.  Its made with toasted caramel horween leather and accented with white waxed nylon thread.  It harkens back to a time of simplicity.  Summer always has a way of giving me the feeling of renewal.  Renewal by simplicity.  For years my family would travel across the American west in the summers.  The Wild Rose bag reminds me of the prairie waysides and wild roses we always saw.  It reminds my of sweet grass in the breeze.  And more importantly it reminds me of using my hands to create my vision.  

I couldn't help but feel like I was making something beautiful.  Tough and durable leather just speaks of the American spirit.  Gorgeous whimsy whispers of its wandering dreams.  This bag begs to wander.  I will definitely be making more variations.

Leather Tool Bag

I have been obsessed with leather tool bags that mimic the old doctor's bag look.  So, I bought some leather and have produced some prototypes.   

Ready for the stiching and edge paint! 

The style of these bags are great.  The toughest part was getting the spacing for all of the rivets.  If using copper rivets, in particular, I need to have all of the rivets set before gluing the bag together.  So there cannot be post gluing rivet setting (except the top flap).   

The same bag but with copper rivets, the full stitching, and a button stud. 

When I firts made the bag, I thought it would be a great chance to use button studs.  I might reserve the button studs if I make the bag out of a stiffer leather.   

Chromexcel Card Holder

I despise big wallets.  Early in college I had what some referred to as the George Castanza wallet.  I was 145 pounds and six feet even.  And my wallet was quite literally bigger than my posterior.  Needless to say, my wallet jutted out from my khakis like someone who overstuffed their bottom lip with Skoal.  Thus began my search for slimmer wallets. 

The prototype of my Steadfast minimalistic wallet/card holder. 

I've researched a thousand minimalistic wallets.  Some are excellent and others I simply wouldn't buy.  My main concern, and I doubt that I am alone, revolves around structure.  Plastic cards, by themselves, are flat and flimsy.  The back pocket of my jeans could be the worse placed to store them.  Every time I sit, I place dozens of pounds of pressure on the wallet with all sorts of torque occuring.  In essense, when my cards are stacked unevely, like the vertical scaffolding in the standard bi-fold, my cards crease and break along those stack points.   

I want my cards to sit flushly atop one another to provide structural integrity.  In this regards, I LOVE the design of those aluminum wallets.  In essense, I want an aluminum card holder that looks and feels like leather.   

Here the cards stack atop one another with very little overlap at the corners. 

Some designs out there use a lot of folding and riveting.  These designs are typically attractive, but they can create extra bulk.  There is simple no room for bulk here.  It holds 5 to 6 cards (which constitue nearly 98% of my card use)  and is made of 3 oz Horween Chromexcel. 

Horween Chromexcel in Butterscoth is EXACTLY the same shade as my favorite spectacles. 

I bought a half-hide of Horween Chromexcel in Butterscotch.  I pulled off a small strip and created a new TIMEX Weekender watch strap.  I said to Sam, "This stuff would be great for wallets."  The butterscotch blends with almost all types of leather (except for the really dark stuff).  The lighter shades are butterscotch, but the darker shades are a ruddy brown.  Furthermore, Chromexcel is buttery smooth with a great pull-up effect of the lighter tones and a very slight waxy finish (very slight).  

Best materials - Simple Design = Steadfast

When I made the prototype, I turned to Sam and questioned why I would mess around with a more complex design.  I used arguably one of the best leather available.  My thread is 1.0mm waxed polyester (the same that one might use in parachutes or boat sails).  It is UV resistant, weather resistant, and has a tensile strength in the hundreds.  All four corners are double saddle stitched.  And I can make the wallet in just under half an hour from start to finish.  Steadfast.  If you are interested, please let me know.  I should have some basic 5-6 card wallets on Etsy soon. 

A Bags for Maggs

Sam and I spent the weekend working on a bag for Maggie.  I custom ordered some Iowa Bison pull-up leather in saddle.  I was pleasantly surprised that this run of bison had a more pronounced pebble grain and  chcolate color with a deep burgandy undertone throughout.  It is really slick with the white cross-stitch, so Sam went crazy with stitches. 

Sam keeps saying that the big pebble look reminds her of alligator. 

Here are a few more photos. 

Maggie wanted a shoulder bag for a small, hot pink computer.   

Once the bag was finished with its straps and edge painting, Sam went about creating the blingy, custom tags for the bag.  And I embossed in the Beargrass logo with a 400 degree embossing die and a thousand pounds of pressure.  

I love how the embossing on the bag went deep enough to mimic pull up the color of the grain.   

Sam's bling components include some howlite, turquoise, citrine, and red jasper.  

Sam included a zuni bear in turquoise for Maggie!  Afterall, Maggie is a true mama bear. 

Sam's Busy Hands

Carol's Bag

Sam has been busy working on an edge-to-edge crossed face stitch.  The results have been spectacular.  There are only a handful of people in the world, relative to the amount of leather craftsmen and leather factories, who are working on these types of stitches.  The butterscotch leather was bought on a whim, but we liked it so much that we are ordering a much higher quality, Horween Chromexcel hide in butterscotch.  If you want to call dibs on a similar bag, please let us know at beargrassleather@gmail.com

I'm playing around with my ipad photo editing software.  This picture does the bag justice. 

We are also working on the construction of straps.  Now, it may seem counter-intuitive, but the straps are the hardest part of hand-made bags.  Oh yeah, and we are working on incorporating our embossing techniques.  Here is an embossed, painted, and buffed leather tag for the bag (in construction, thus the rough cut edge).  We feel that it looks part leather, part water-mark. 

Key Fobs

When one begins working with leather, there are two overwhelming aspects of the craft.  First, there are a ton of questions that people ask.  This is natural.  When I first even thought about leather work, I found it completely daunting.  The second overwhelming component is the amount of scrap leather.  Enter the key fob. 

This little utilitarian beauty is a marvel of economy.  For starters, it actually justifies the bins that I have dedicated to tiny, little scraps.  Secondly, I often have what I call "Key Fob Saturdays."  This is where I try to not get into any projects too big in the morning because big projects mean big space.   Thirdly, key fobs fit nicely into one's palm and leaves the other hand free for coffee, lots of coffee.   

Key fobs are also great gifts for anyone.  They are inexpensive, reliable, and feel great.  These red key fobs are really interesting.  I crafted them from vegetable tanned leather, hand dyed them with a deep red oil dye, applied neatsfoot oil to soften them, then four coats of an acrylic finish to weather proof them.  Then I emboss the Beargrass Leather logo just above the bottom third of the fob.  Next, I wax and burninsh the sides and back.  Finally, I apply the hardware.  

If you want a little piece of my Saturday morning, please visit our etsy shop -- BeargrassLeather and pick up a key fob.  If you mention this blog, I will throw in a free leather goodie.

Beargrass Leather Fly Fishing Bag

The original inspiration for my interest in leathework came from a vegetable tanned fly fishing satchel that Sam found online.  At $300, it was easy to identify it as out of my price range.  So I set out to build a better mousetrap.  

Made of a chap leather wih natural pull-up, my fly fishng satchels are more weather resistant than veg tan leather coated with resolene.  I've also been able to add rustc touches, like the polished antler toggle.  

As a little bit of a fly fishing minimalist, I like the idea of having only three items to pack in my civic's trunk:  hip waders, fly rod in tube, and my leather fly bag.  The bag will hold my reel, spare spool, tippets, two or three fly boxes, and license..  

It's also rugged enough to match the freestone streams in the wilderness sections of Montana's National Forests.  Fish on!

Here is the original that started it all in rustic brown!   

"Three little maids all in a row lined up - outside my kitchen door" - Bob Dylan

Here are three in rustic spruce.  The one on the left is reserved for Maggie.  The other two will be looking for caring homes.