Okay, so I decided to remake the PRADA Arqué Leather Mini Shoulder Bag, and let me tell you, it was quite the journey!
First off, I gathered all my materials. I already had a bunch of leather scraps from previous projects, so I dug through those and found some nice black pieces that would work perfectly. I also needed some hardware, like buckles and rings, which I managed to find online after a bit of searching. No fancy store links here, just some good old-fashioned web browsing. I grabbed some thread, needles, and my trusty leather glue, and I was good to go.
Starting the Process
Next, I had to figure out the pattern. I spent a good chunk of time just staring at pictures of the original bag online, trying to get a sense of the dimensions and shapes. I sketched out a rough pattern on some paper, then I cut out the pieces from my leather. This was probably the trickiest part, making sure all the pieces were the right size and shape to fit together properly.
- Cutting the leather: I used a rotary cutter and a metal ruler to get those clean, straight edges. For the curved parts, I switched to a sharp X-Acto knife, taking my time to get it just right.
- Sewing: Once the pieces were cut, I started sewing them together. I used a saddle stitch, which is super strong and looks really nice. It’s a bit time-consuming, but definitely worth it for a bag that’s going to get a lot of use.
- Adding the hardware: After the main body of the bag was assembled, I attached the hardware. This involved punching holes in the leather and setting rivets, which was a bit nerve-wracking, but I managed to get it done without messing anything up.
Finishing Touches
Finally, I added the shoulder strap and any finishing touches, like burnishing the edges and applying a leather conditioner. The whole process took me a few days, working on it here and there in my spare time. I had fun getting back into crafting and it has been a while since I was able to make something useful.
And there you have it! My very own, handmade version of the PRADA Arqué Leather Mini Shoulder Bag. It’s not perfect, but I’m really proud of how it turned out. It feels good to have created something with my own two hands, and it’s definitely a bag I’ll be using for a long time. I may try to remake some other bags in the future, so I will try to document it and see if anyone wants to follow my little projects.
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