Painting at the Shop

As fall turns into winter and business slows down and sewing becomes less frequent, fun chores at the shop arise such as reorganizing fabrics (check), overhauling machines (check), and painting the walls to spruce up the bones of our old factory we call home. My dear friend Alex with whom I share space, helped paint and design the accent wall on the West wall of our shop. We used old paint he had around for his mural projects and just went to town making fun colors and bringing some vitality to the space that had been dominated by pressboard and metal studs. We still have a few hours of painting left to finish the wall but I think it is already starting to look amazing.

Sugar Skull Hip Pack

This sweet Hip Pack was a little late to its owner, but I think it turned into a nice X-mas gift in the end. The design is really intricate and took some time to complete but the final product is awesome! Thanks for your patience Gregg.

Wallet

The boredom of winter has led to the latest and greatest: recycled sailcloth wallets. They are super lightweight, bombproof, and cute. Soon to be available in inner tube as well, wallets are $12.

Big Boy Backpack

This has been months in the making and the free time of winter has allowed for the completion of the first ever full on backpack. This thing is big, brauny and bold. It could use to be a little taller and to have a bit more flap on the top for rolling purposes, but it is comfortable as all hell and surprisingly pleasing to the eye despite the desert camo. It features a split shoulderstrap on one side and a zippered file pocket along the back for easy access to those important papers. Look for a final design by spring.

"Casual Encounters" Back Pack Prototyping

So I have finally finished the first few rounds of prototyping for the around town backpack and the results are great. There is a 3d exterior pocket with pen pouches and a wallet spot along with easy-ats on both sides. The straps are seatbelt webbing and the exterior fabric on these two are sailcloth. The one with the red V is I and the tree is II. Moving the straps to the back of the bag really helped tie it all together and I think the final design will incorporate a simple yolk of some sorts when all said and done.

Tool Kits

I have had some extra time lately to develop some more products fully and the Tool Kits have been a huge part of that extra time. These bad boys are made from scraps of vinyl, cordura, and sailcloth and are quite handy for keeping all your little bits in one area. Soon to be out are roll-up pouches as well.

"CLE" Hip Pack

This little ditty was the final third of the Cleveland inspired bags for the ArtWalk show and it kind of an amalgamation of the Hopkins call letters and the skyline.

"216" Task Bag

The task bag is my new favorite here at the shop. Though I have already made some adjustments, this bag was so killer that I kept it for myself. Added since this bag were buckles and straps and slight angle adjustments on the straps, but other that that... Perfection. It is smallish, sleek, comfy, frill free and MINE. Hard to believe, but I have only a few bags from my own shop, and most of them are prototypes that I'm not really in love with.

"You Are Here" Musette

Perhaps the most iconic of the flaps to date, this medium musette is a longtime hipster tattoo design and a great signifier of your love for the great green city on a blue lake. The muddy banks of the Cuyahoga seem a little more inviting to those who like this design.

"Om" Tote

The time has come for Totes. Not only are they easy to make and fun, but they are a great way to avoid using plastic bags at the grocery store, and are versatile enough to be bookbag, purse, and shopping bag interchangeably. This small tote stays with the Sanskrit theme and has already found a home in the hands of a budding yoga instructor.

"Om" Yoga Mat Bag

Since my participation in the Tremont ArtWalk was through a Yoga and Pilates studio (Studio 11) I figured it was only appropriate to feature a bag for people to haul around their mats in. This simple tube design features a pocket for a wallet or checkbook, a leash and clip for keys, and a cinch top that doubles as the straps.

"Cascading Circles" Musette

The musette has become a favorite of mine recently as it combines the great comfort of an over-the-shoulder civilian bag, with the bike-a-bility of a courier bag. They have simplified straps that work best when walking around, but leashes and adjustable buckles for when jumping on your stallion. This one is a small and is so darn precious!

"Fast Forward" Bag

A medium bag with the new strap design featured on it, the fast forward bag has been on my list of to do's for some time and the opening at Studio 11 for the Art Walk was just what I needed to kick my butt into gear.

"Checkerboard" HP

I love the simple color scheme and classic design. The white background really highlights the color gradients.

Cleveland Skyline Bags

A family friend ordered a pair of task bags for her boys. The result
is two nice bags that are identical in design but divergent in color.