It's no secret how I feel about leather on handbags and totes. I think leather tidbits add just the right amount of flavor to bags - you know...gives it some umph. One of my favorite things to do that adds so much character is to use lightweight leather (e.g., lambskin, goat skins, etc.) to trim pockets, make zipper overlays, make tassels, cover the raw edges of webbing strap ends, for zipper tabs, and the list goes on. There is nothing like nice leather accents!
Here's the thing. Lambskins and goat skins can be a bit tricky to order at times, and it can be tough to find some colors. There seems to be an inherent risk we take when shopping for them. Either we seem to run into the companies that won't allow you to select a specific color because they sell their skins in color groupings like "pinks and reds", or "blues and greens", or the really fun purchases where you order from those companies whose photos in no way resemble what shows up at your doorstep (neither in color or quality). We have all been there, and let's be honest...it doesn't always turn out the way we hope.
After dealing with this a lot, I decided it shouldn't be this difficult to get the right leather skins for our projects. This became a more pressing issue for me when I wrote the Cami pattern which has a lightweight leather requirement. I knew I needed to find a way to take some of the guesswork out of it for users of my patterns. Initially, I was simply hoping to find a company or two that offered quality and affordable skins, so I could pass that information on. Sadly, I never discovered that one company that was both affordable and consistent. I would find the great colors, then they would stop selling them, or my next order would have bad quality. So, I started ordering skins from many different companies and acquired quite the stock of skins! I have weeded out the unsavory characters, and kept only the best of the best to share with you! These skins have been cut into pieces that are perfectly sized for using as accents on almost any bag.
We currently have over 90 skin colors available on our website, and we are always getting in new colors. Our skins have been cut into 4" high strips that are either 14", 16" or 20" wide - the perfect size for adding accents on almost any bag - not just Georgia Girl Stitches patterns!
View the video below to learn more about a typical lambkin or goatskin and what our leather trim cuts look like. If you would like to purchase whole skins, I have the best luck with the colors and quality of the skins offered at The Leather Guy.
If there is a color that you are looking for that is not listed, or if you would like to try to match a particular fabric, please send us a message. There are many skins we have in stock that are not yet available online. So, what are you waiting for? We have hopefully taken the pain out of the process and guess what...there are so many beautiful colors waiting for you!
Happy sewing, my friends!
Fantastic! 🥰🌸💕