My favourite and most challenging project this past year for 3rd Life was making this camera bag out of a leather jacket. I was contacted by a client to see if I would be willing to make a camera bag for her photographer husband using his father’s old leather jacket. The best part was that it would be a Christmas gift and he had no idea! We both knew that I had not made this type of bag before but this kind stranger was brave enough to trust me with this important project. She had been following my work on Instagram and was confident I could work some magic.
Here is the jacket I was given to transform:
Knowing that this jacket had a lot of sentimental value and that I only had one shot to get it right, I set out to master the pattern before tackling this job. I made a practice bag using a leather jacket of a similar weight and I was able to make adjustments to the size and the way it was put together using leather rather than fabric. The extra time it took was well worth it as it really enabled me to make a better bag in the end.
I think it turned out wonderfully and I hope the recipient will get a lot of use out of it! This is such a special way for him to carry a memory of his father and I am always honored when I am asked to take on such a meaningful project. I love being able to take a sentimental item and make it into something useful that can be cherished for a long time.
