Bayron Handmade

I sold the other two leather bags I made, so it was finally time to make one for me. 🤎💚

I’ve had this bag in my head for a long time. I wanted an everyday tote made from natural vachetta leather, paired with deep green leather and cotton webbing. The color combination came together when I laid my pair of emerald earrings on the leather. That was it. 💚

This bag challenged both me and my sewing machines 😂, but I learned so much making it. And now that it’s finished, I’ve been carrying it everywhere.

There’s something especially satisfying about dreaming up exactly what you want, making it with your own hands, and then getting to live with it.

My dream bag. Made by me. 🤎💚

I started natural dyeing because I had a vintage silk blouse with armpit stains.

Some avocado leaves, skins, pits, onion skins, a few dye pots, and a little curiosity later...

The stains disappeared and the silk became the most beautiful honey gold.

Then, naturally, I started looking around the neighborhood wondering what else I could put in a pot. 🌿

Plant dyed. Imperfect. Experimental. Completely hooked.

I made a pair of overalls in a cotton-linen blend, and I don’t know how I’ve lived without them!

I bought a 1 3/4-yard remnant from and cut it on the crossgrain in order to fit my pattern pieces. I shortened the body by an inch and a half, so the selvedge landed right at my ankles. No hemming! I love that little detail.

I can’t wait to make another. Please suggest a color and textile for my next pair. For example, brown linen? Olive Tencel?

The construction itself is pretty straightforward, but there is a LOT of sewing. I topstitched every seam, including the inseam, and sewed miles of bias binding around the neckline and armholes. The pattern instructions say to turn those edges under twice and sew, but ain’t no way I was gonna do that.

One thing to know about the pattern: the instructions are only about a page long, with no illustrations. They assume you already understand garment construction, so I wouldn’t recommend this one for a beginner sewist.

But I LOVE the finished overalls. I’ve been wearing them constantly since I made the last stitch, and I get compliments everywhere I go.

Pattern:
Fabric:

P.S. That’s the leather tote I made last week! It’s in my previous post. 💚

I thrifted the leather from East Bay Depot Creative Reuse in 2019 and kept it in my stash until now, 7 years later 🤎💚. I also made these pants back in 2018.

There’s something special about using things for years because you made them yourself.

I waited a decade to cut into this fabric.

I wanted to find the perfect pattern for this beautiful Nani Iro Colors fabric. When sent me the Nani Iro Artist Tunic pattern, I knew it was exactly the pattern I’d been waiting for.

The drape, the fit, and the hand-painted brushstroke print came together just as I imagined. I think this may be my favorite summer dress yet.

Have you ever saved a special fabric for years while waiting for the right pattern?

*Fabric purchased by me.

*Modifications: Added short sleeves and shortened the dress by 2" (5 cm).

Some things are worth keeping.

I designed and sewed the linen dress I’m wearing a decade ago.

I bought the yellow dress nearly 25 years ago when I worked in corporate fashion. I still reach for it every summer. I hand washed it, hung it beneath my avocado tree to dry, and watched old coffee stains disappear.

The brown dress hanging behind it is a recent thrift find. It deserved a gentle hand wash too.

Caring for the things we love never gets old.

I store folded blankets in my nightstands. It’s a great storage solution for a small home. But I didn’t want to see folded linens all the time. So I sewed little curtains to hide my storage.
But once the curtains were up, I realized the bed needed to change too.
I removed the gingham sheets and replaced them with classic white sheets from .
A quieter foundation so my vintage Waverly fabric can shine.✨
This is what I teach in Style Sanctuary, my home and style app. It’s not always about adding more.
Sometimes it’s about knowing what to take away.
You can start here:
https://studio.com/denise/style-sanctuary
Follow and share for more slow, intentional making at home.

Which one are you?

✂️ Team tear + serge before washing to avoid frayed edges 😃

OR

🧵 Team deal with the tangled mess later cuz I ain’t got time for a prewash routine 🥴

Do you use whatever you have at home to make patterns too?�I didn’t have a large roll of paper, so I recycled grocery store bags for this project. The oval fits the bench seat perfectly.
Next step, tracing onto fabric to make a cushion cover and insert.
This is the same kind of thinking I built into Style Sanctuary, my home and style app. Using what you have, making small shifts, and creating something that fits your life.
If you haven’t yet, you can start here:
�https://studio.com/denise/style-sanctuary

We’re still in launch week with a 20% discount.
Follow and share for more slow, intentional making at home.