DIY Experiment : Clutch with Metal Frame

Me and my partner in crime suddenly into clutch making. It started when we read this tutorial to make clutch with metal frame on it in U-Handblog, and just like that.. we have this itch and confidence and curiousity and steel confidence (again with the confidence! tsaaahhh..) that we can make it. 

The project begin!

Hunting lovely pattern on the sacred Tenabang (turned out it was so much fun) then rush to Mangga Dua to find metal frame. Acquired everything that we need (we thought so) and head back to make it quick before our enthusiasm gone.

After making pattern, cutting, ironing, and this and that, it about time to sew it. TADAAAAA.. the machine was Singer 514 which I never use, nor see, and even worse, it have to many buttons!!! And you think the manual book would help? Well think again, the manual book was in ITALIAN! Uhuh.. all the mamamia, pizza, spaghetti..  it was even more Italian than Italian.. sigh!

singer 514 manufactured on 1973

the italian manual book

buttons buttons buttons

So, hand sew it is. I’m so curious to see how the look when it finished and will do everything to make it happen. Some hours pass.. outer bag done.. inside done.. pocket done.. and I’m dead proud of myself! *big massive grin* For the record I never hand sew before, I do all the stitches just by remembering how my mum do the stitching.

Now we have, the bag body and the frame. Tutorial said that we have to glue it in the frame. We thought that we have everything we need and we wrong. The glue! Yes THE GLUE!! We didn’t even think about what glue we’ll use or even buy one. The only glue I have was silicone glue with glue gun. BAD CHOICE! I repeat BAD CHOICE! Silicone glue dry too quick even before we had the chance to put the fabric in the frame, and it smeared the fabric. *sad face*

It looks okay from far.. faaaaarrrr..

the inside look

the outer look

Later I found other tutorial about bag making with metal frame here, but this time is Indonesian lady. And VOILA! She used Castol glue, and clamps to fix the metal frame and guess what she bought the clamps in Pasar Pagi! Whoooaaa.. *virtual hugs to mbak Lia*

I definitely will make some more! It ain’t done you metal frame!

With love, 

.the.curious.cluthmaker.