Got the idea to remake the small Prada Galleria Saffiano leather bag a while back. It’s a classic, you know? And I figured, why not try to make one myself? Plus, it gave me an excuse to play around with leatherworking tools. So I dove right in.
First, I spent days just looking at pictures of the original bag online. Front, back, sides, inside – you name it. I wanted to get every little detail right. I even watched a bunch of videos of people showing off their Galleria bags to see how they looked in real life. Looked at some similar bags, too, just to get a feel for different styles.
Next up, the materials. Finding the right Saffiano leather was a real pain, seriously. I went to tons of stores, both online and in person. I felt so many leather swatches, my fingers got tired! Finally found some that had that perfect texture and feel.
Then came the cutting. Man, that was nerve-wracking. I made a paper pattern first, thank goodness. Traced it onto the leather, took a deep breath, and started cutting with my rotary cutter. Each piece had to be just so, or the whole thing would be wonky.
- Measure twice, cut once, they always say.
- I definitely measured more than twice.
Sewing it all together was the real challenge. I’ve got a decent sewing machine, but this was next level. Stitching the lining, attaching the handles, putting in the zipper – each step took forever. And don’t even get me started on the edges. Had to burnish them to get that smooth, professional look.
The Prada logo was another hurdle. I wanted it to look authentic, so I practiced a lot on scrap leather, ended up crafting my own version of the triangle logo. It was the most difficult part, by far.
Finally, after weeks of work, it was done. My very own, handmade, small Prada Galleria Saffiano leather bag. It’s not perfect, of course. There are a few little imperfections here and there. But you know what? I’m super proud of it.
What a journey
It was way harder than I expected, but totally worth it. I learned so much about leatherworking and bag making. And now I’ve got a beautiful, one-of-a-kind bag that I made with my own two hands. Can’t beat that feeling! I’m now using the Galleria bag for all my stuff.
Maybe I’ll try another bag project in the future. Who knows?
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