Maybe I made a poor choice, I really wanted to give this bag a better review because I really enjoyed the process but unfortunately the actual sewing hand feel wasn’t great and for the price I expected more.
Now I don’t hate her, I absolutely love the colour which is a gorgeous neutral and exactly what I wanted, and her shape is is lovely, she is light and easy to carry and holds way more than I expected and is very comfortable to wear. The thread ran very well and the tutorial was comprehensive and easy to follow but not sure they outweigh my negatives and I’m not sure that I will keep her.
If I hadn’t seen the raw side of the piping strips and cut edge’s inside the single holes I would not have thought there was any leather at all in this bag. The lining is very heavy plasticised, and feels it, the top coating, while the grained pattern shows well, feels of plastic not leather, and neither feel pleasant under the hand, especially while sewing. The handle, shoulder strap, and sangles are only one sided and feel flimsy and feel like they will stretch over time. Edge coating is just the backing PVC layer carried up over onto the top layer and looks a little cheap. I have had her open and airing now for two weeks but the predominant smell is still of plastic not leather.The hardware looks absolutely stunning and luxe but the twist lock is very stiff although it does seem to be loosening up a little bit with use. Unfortunately my experience seems to be very at odds with the other reviewers here so I’m wondering if maybe it is just a problem with this colour way as the other makers are overwhelmingly positive?
Please don’t think I’m just being a Negative Nellie, head over to my sheepskin Rodeo pony, Kelly charm (love her!), and capybara reviews - and soon to follow mini Chanel inspired wallet, all those are absolutely 5 star excellent items that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed and are totally worth your attention!
Will still be trying some other kits out and am strongly considering the advanced kits to see if they may suit me better.
I absolutely loved this Kelli bag kit. All of the pieces were flawlessly prepared and it was very easy to assemble. I appreciated the video instructions as well. I will definitely be purchasing another kit in the future
POPSEWING® Top Grain Leather New Kelli Bag DIY Kit
I made the Kelli bag and gave it to my mother as a gift. She absolutely loved it; what made it even more special for her is that I stitched it. It was so lovely to make and give something to someone that was able to bring such joy.
I loved making this beautiful bag with this easy and fun kit. I had everything I needed and the video was pretty easy to follow. I’ve purchased a second bag and can’t wait to make that one too!
