So here I am, free from teaching until August, time on my hands. Lots of project ideas to kick around and I decide to start one today. I've got a little tool bag that I had mounted to the Shogun. It's a size I like. It matches the robin's eggshell blue of the bike. And my wife thinks it's cute.



Thing is, I'd like a leather version of it, so I figure I'll try to make one. I know next to nothing about leather work but I figure things out pretty well, so what the heck: I dive right in. I started with a lightweight - but stiff - piece of cowhide, leather stain/sealer to match my honey colored saddle, rivets, punch, and a couple of other small tools.



The basic bag is three pieces. Easy enough to figure out and make a template.



I used the punch and some waxed thread to stitch the pieces together. Halfway through I got to wondering if it would be better to stain it first...!



Here, one side is attached.



Here, both sides stitched and the stain has been applied with the surface buffed afterwards.



The bag is no good without a way to hang it or to close it. I experimented with an "improvement" on the original bag design.



Extra rivets in back. The guy at Tandy Leather assured me that one would be sufficient on each strap, but I feel better doubling up. Notice that the stitching is ... uh ... pretty crooked. I'd like to figure out a better way to keep the stitching lined up when I do this the next time.



And here is the finished bag. I was going to trim off the lengthy straps but I'm thinking about leaving them to dangle for the moment. Total time: two hours.