Featuring embroidery by Hand & Lock London, handcrafted leatherwork by I Can Make Bags, using premium A & A Crack leather.
We’re thrilled to share our latest collaboration with the 'I Can Make' team. If you’ve ever wanted to see what happens when luxury leatherwork meets fine embroidery, then this is it! Together we have created a one-of-a-kind version of ICM’s signature Leather Top Handle Bag, reimagined with our own unique mix of machine embroidery, hand embroidery and traditional goldwork.
We previously collaborated with the ‘I Can Make’ team a few years back, on this striking pair of contemporary embroidered shoes ( I Can Make Shoes).
This project gave us an opportunity to create a modern embroidery design using abstract shapes and unique machine embroidered textures. We felt this really showcased how versatile and ‘untraditional’ embroidery can be.
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This time we went back to our roots, focusing on our signature style and creating a design which is rooted in tradition with a few contemporary twists. We’ve been able to showcase how different embroidery techniques can be layered and blended. And how our embroidery can be applied to a wide range of crafts and products; in this instance a luxury leather handbag.
From Concept to Creation
Once the idea took shape, the creative conversations began. We talked about colour, texture and the challenge of bringing embroidery to life on leather - a surface that’s far more complex than fabric.
Together we selected the beautiful Bottle Green leather from A&A Crack’s Italian Softee range - a smooth leather that holds its structure beautifully. It has just the right balance of suppleness and strength, making it ideal to support the embroidery work and to provide a clean, structured silhouette for the Top Handle Bag.
Next, we developed the embroidery design taking inspiration from vintage botanical illustrations.
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Swirling vines and emerald green leaves were digitally machine embroidered directly onto the leather panelling to create the base of the design. By using titanium leather needles, our digital embroidery machines are able to stitch through thick leathers quickly and precisely. We sampled this section multiple times to ensure the stitch spacing on our embroidered shapes was just right and would have an even coverage whilst not perforating the leather.
The large blooms, dainty buds and bee were all hand embroidered using a range of bullions and threads in our traditional goldwork technique.
We used padding to create the raised, 3D effect adding depth and dimension to the design.
The hand embroidered elements were made on separate material, allowing the delicate hand work to be done without the challenge of working through thick leather.
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These components were then expertly finished by carefully trimming away all excess material before being appliqued and affixed to the base design to bring the whole piece together.
Once complete, the embroidered panels made their way to the I Can Make Bags studio, ready for transformation into the finished bag.
Bringing the Bag to Life
Every I Can Make Bags piece is handmade using traditional leather craft techniques - carefully cut, shaped and hand-stitched for strength and longevity. But this bag presented a unique challenge, as ICM had to build the bag around our embroidery, ensuring the seams, structure and handle all complemented the design.
The result is a piece that feels truly collaborative, bringing together meticulous embroidery and expert leather craftmanship to create something very special.
Combining Crafts
Collaborating with other experts in their field is the perfect opportunity to create something new and different. It pushes us to think creatively about how best to combine our crafts for the best outcome. It’s a chance to learn from other makers, explore different materials and create a finished outcome.
Working with the I Can Make team is a reminder that traditional skills are still thriving and that when makers come together, you can create something truly unique.
This project also reflects what we value here at Hand & Lock, making high-quality embroidery skills accessible to everyone, and showing that with patience and practice, anyone can apply their own beautiful embroidery to various projects and crafts of their own.
Watch this space for a collaborative embroidery & bag making workshop with the ‘I Can Make’ team in the future. In the meantime, If this project has sparked your creative side, you can join H&L or I Can Make Bags on one of our existing courses.
See More
Watch the video: Combining Crafts – I Can Make Bags x Hand & Lock
This video takes you inside both studios to explore the full making of this one-of-a-kind bag
Make your own Luxury Handbag
Join the Online Bagmaking Course
Join an In-Person Bagmaking Workshop
I Can Make Bags also teach traditional leather bagmaking - helping makers of all levels make beautiful, long-lasting leather handbags.
Create Your Own Hand Embroidery
Learn Embroidery
Interested in creating your own hand embroidery? We offer a wide variety of embroidery courses via our embroidery school.
