Handmade Couture: Make this look - YSL Black Satchel

Are you or someone you love a designer handbag enthusiast? Do you sometimes find yourself staring at bags you see in magazines, or even on someone's shoulder in the grocery store wondering how to recreate that bag? Then the Handmade Couture series is for you. We pick a designer bag and tell you how to recreate it using available sewing patterns, materials and hardware.  You can have the same look, but make it totally "you" and for a fraction of the cost. When you sew your own bag you know exactly what is going into the bag and can add or modify features to suit your preferences. Today, we are going to show you how to recreate this Yves Saint Laurent Large Kate Monogrammed Satchel:

The Large Kate is a chic, classic crossbody bag that is perfect for a night out. This bag measures 11" wide x 7.8" tall x 2.5" deep and features an elegant chain strap, a magnetic snap closure and an interior slip pocket. It's made from a luxurious calfskin leather and you can own this beauty for 2,290 USD. 

Like the look of the Kate?  Lets be our own brand.

Pattern + Hardware + Fabric= Handmade Couture

Pattern:

The Spring Sling by Emmaline Bags is the perfect doppleganger to Kate. It's a medium barrel style bag and is a super quick, satisfying pattern to whip up. It's perfect for intermediate and advanced makers and has a interior zippered pocket that serves as a divided panel (we can easily make a slip pocket instead, but who doesn't want a zip pocket?).

The original pattern showcases a beatiful pieced flap but picture it in a solid or with a leather, it's a match to our inspiration bag at 11" wide x 7" high x 3" deep. With a few simple changes we can recreate the Kate Satchel. The pattern has a template for you to cut the rounded edges of the flap, we can simply omit cutting the curves to keep the shape in line with our inspiration bag. 

Hardware: 

Unlike most of the bags in this series we are going to completely rework the hardware in this bag from the original pattern. Here's what we will need:
(1) Magnetic Snap Closure:

The pattern calls for a turn lock (which is a great option) but to stay true to our inspiration bag we will use a magnetic snap closure in place of the turn lock.
(2) Bridge Connectors

  Our inspiration bag features our chain strap being fed through round grommets, but unless you are willing to buy chain and make your own chain strap, it may be difficult to fit the hook ends of the heavier chain strap through most bag grommets. Some of the newer chains Emmaline has in stock may fit, but bridge anchors are a great option to give a similar look. We can place these where the grommets are indicated in the pattern. 
(1) Single Link Purse Chain: 

Staying true to our inspiration bag, we can use the single link purse chain in the 26" length. This particular chain is strong enough to hold up to carrying a bit more than the "fancy link" that is also available. The fancy will fit through the grommets, but it is not as strong as the single link (and doesn't have quite the same look as our inspiration bag). 

(1) Script Style Metal Bag Label:

Why not add your own "brand" monogram label to the flap with a metal bag label?

Fabric:

If you wanted to recreate our inspiration Kate, you could use some pebble grained leather in black. Like this one, which is available here.

If you would rather not work with real leather, there are a lot of alternatives such as this faux leather, available here: 

Another great option is natural cork fabric, which is available from MM Cork Supply in Canada or from Sew Sweetness in the US.  You can get cork in a various colors and finishes, like this black:

Or if you are feeling extra fancy, why not black cork with gold flecks? 

You can choose to do this in whatever fabric you are comfortable working with! A fun cotton print, canvas or even denim!  That's the benefit of creating your own, it's what YOU want it to be. Handmade can be couture too!

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Photos and content provided and written for Emmaline Bags by Cyndi Farfsing, from The Nosy Pepper. Cyndi's blog is chock is full of more bag photos and make making tips. Check out her bag series "It's in the Bag! Better Bag Making Series," to learn a ton of new bag making skills.

Share your projects made from Emmaline patterns and/or with Emmaline hardware in our facebook group Emmaline Sewing Patterns Group, or on instagram with the hashtags #emmalinehardware, #emmalinepatterns, #emmalinebags, or tag us @emmalinebags.