Thrifting and Sally Ann going vegan

More thrift store scores as my sister and I are rounding out our week in Michigan. We're been here since Sunday, and while we've only been able to squeeze in a little bit of thrifting, all the trips have proved extremely successful. I found, not one, but two vintage American Tourister suitbags to strip down to use for handbags. My favorite new source for faux leather: vintage suitbags. I can usually find them for $5 or less, and they're so big.

So I'm going to put it out there and make myself stick with it: Sally Ann is going vegan! In sewing that is. I'm so excited for the challenge.

After much consideration and countless hours sewing both leather and faux leather, we will be switching completely to faux leather. Why you ask? Well, most importantly, it is easier to sew, which leaves my machines in better condition. Plus, it's so much easier to find as a second hand material in luggage, and it is much more economical. I'm so sick of thrifting and shopping the coat section, only to find a leather coat, in horrible condition still priced at $19 and more. Yesterday, I found an ugly blue leather coat, $39 at a thrift shop. What?! $39?!! It was a gorgeous leather, but had I bought it, I could have maybe used it for four purses. 

Since coats are sewn with smaller pieces of leather, it's not nearly as good as a large suitbag with flat pieces of pleather, as I need larger pieces for purse bottoms and to maximize my materials. Plus, the prices for leather at thrift shops is becoming comical; it's like it's a nationwide trend. I see it everywhere! I'd like to know what goes through the manager's mind when they price items at a thrift shop. 

I don't know how many times I've taken a ripped skirt or coat to the register to purchase, and not only is it a horrible cut that can never ever be worn by a sane individual, but it's dirty, buttons missing, you name it, and it's still over $10 and up to $50, only because it is leather. 

But I will concede, I will be using up the leather that currently exists in my stash of material, and from then on, only use animal free materials. So there will be leather used if it's still in my possession, since I can't with good conscience throw anything useful away, that's for certain. I'm still a recycler before anything else. Everything will remain to be recycled materials.

Myself personally, I'm 50/40/10 vegan/pescatarian/carnivore. I was a good little vegan for a few months until Matt was craving chicken wings like a mad man, and we went out to a local gastropub. We eat as vegan as possible at home, but it's super hard to stick with it since his job requires a new restaurant review once a week, and only so many places in our city offer completely vegan dishes.

Cutting up the bags is super fun too! Using a strong pair of scissors, I remove the front and back of the suitbag, cutting two large pieces. Then, using a straight razor, I remove the piping off the side pieces, with the only waste being the frame of the bag itself and the super thing piping that holds the front, back, and sides together. If you all remember my last suitbag collection (video here), one brown American Tourister suitbag made a fifty piece collection of accessories. I can't wait to count how many these will make. The baby blue and deep dark green/black faux leather are going to make beautiful, beautiful pieces. The wheels in my brain are 'a turnin'! 

The best thing I thrifted this week though, sewing stuff aside, was a $3 second kids tambourine, that I purchased for my niece, Annabelle. She is 7 months old, and I met her for the first time coming home on this trip. I'm totally going to be the aunt that buys noise making toys, and ones that requires brain power and creativity. Plus, Annabelle loved it! Within minutes, she was banging away and giggling and loving the sounds it made. Next trip home, I'm going to be rocking and proficient on my ukulele and we'll have a mini jam session.