The Green Lady Repair

My friend Casey, bought this beautiful bag while in Italy at Scuola del Cuoio in Florence Italy. She is one only people I know who could use a purse this size everyday. (Her organization is on point!). She wears this little gem on a daily basis so it understandably broke her heart when it's handle gave out. I took it in for repair and am so thrilled with the results that I had to show you!

The repair for this little evening bag was simple and focussed primarily on restoration from years of gentle wear. The edges were missing a little dye and the handle had torn on the left side. (The second image shows the torn handle end). The top flap also showed a little wear, nothing to rough though.

As you can see, the hardware looks remarkably good, not flecking of finish. This can be a problem with lesser brands if the hardware isn't free of dust and film before the clear lacquer will not bond to the metal and years or even months later it will flake off.

The end result was so worth the work! I finished the handbag with a light coating of Chamberlain's Leather Milk- available on Amazon.com. 

Cheers,

Emily

Here you can see the dye has gently worn from the edges and the top. 

A closer image of the handle end.

The handle wore through a bit on left edge here more than the right. For the right-handed wearer this is not uncommon. 

Good as new! The handle was sewn by hand through three layer of leather. This kind of stitch allows the weight of the bag to distributed evenly and helps prevent the seam from tearing. 

Another close up image of the finished handle. Acrylic leather paint was used specifically to seal the edges of worn leather. It has a strong bond and will last for many years to come.