vita pelle

Messaggi.

2010-10-18T04:04:00.003+02:00

Messages come to you in sometimes the strangest and most unexpected ways. I just returned from my first business trip, which took me to Bologna and Firenze. For those of you who might not know, I accepted a job in July that brought me back home to New York. Although it was a brief visit, I was able to see all of my friends and Florentine families, and it confirmed that Firenze will always be a second home to me.

I have a lot to write to bring you all up to date, especially the not-so-easy transition back to life in NYC. The real reason I decided to write tonight despite my bleary eyes from traveling all day is because over the weekend in Firenze I met a girl whose life I apparently changed. We met at an apperitivo that very dear friends of mine had planned for my return, in one of the bottegas I had been working in during the spring. She is not the first to tell me that my blog comes up near the top of the list (or it did when I was an active blogger) when one googles "leather and Florence". I introduced myself (as Amanda) and she said - are you vita pelle? To my surprise she said she had found this bottega in Firenze because of me. She is from Canada and had been thinking about moving to Italy. After she had followed my blog she decided that she too would pick up and do it, and she is there now, following in my footsteps. So a big "salute" to you, not only did you open my eyes to realize how powerful my message has been, but you also encouraged me to get back on here and continue to share my story with the rest of the world in the hopes that the artisans of Firenze will continue to be discovered.

And then I can tell you all about what life is like if and when you decide you want to come back to (another kind of) reality...

It's all about who you know.

2010-06-10T21:53:00.012+02:00

I am still here in Firenze, working the days away. I am now splitting my time between three different artisans: one specializing in bags, another in belts, and one in shoes.

Since I last posted I have sold a handful of my grain sack bags such as those photographed below. I constructed all of them by hand using vintage materials. They are now on sale at Ceri Vintage in Firenze and I might be ready to take orders online very soon when I officially launch the Leather Lab site.

After a year of formal training, I realized that my interests lie in making relatively simple bags. Of course I recognize and appreciate that it sometimes requires learning very complex patterns and construction techniques to execute a simple form properly. The patterning and construction of the corners of these tote bags is something that I extracted from a more complicated bag I had designed (remember the black passantini bag?) It was a minor detail on that bag which took me three months to complete that became a critical detail on a simple bag.

Great attention is consistently paid to the length of the tracolla (shoulder strap). It is my mission in life to create bags that are comfortable worn in the summer or winter over a jacket, with a long enough drop to fit comfortably under your arm or as a messenger style.

I have been continuing to work with Roberto Ugolini, the shoe artisan, as we are in the final stages of my first shoe prototype. I conducted an interview in his shop for a fellow Tuscan blogger, Alexandra Korey. http://www.turismo.intoscana.it/allthingstuscany/tuscanyarts/florence-leather-artisan-mens-shoes/

Alexandra and I spent a great morning together, and she made me realize what a large network of skilled artisans I have made here. It takes a lot of time to enter into this closely bonded community, and then a lot of patience to build these very important relationships. As we all know, especially in Italy, it really is about who you know (and who knows you, and everything about you, and still wants to work with you). I met each artisan with whom I am working through another.

I am working on a leather wrapped chair which is in its final stages,

and alongside another artisan at a laboratorio in Calenzano outside of Firenze to make my bags. The chair project made me quite famous here, since I had one artisan complete the ferro (iron work) and am working with another to complete the leather. Of course there is one man in town who transports pieces from one place to another and this chair has now made it from Piazza Santo Spirito to the outskirts, back into the center of town, from one artisan shop to another.

Since belts are a critical component of my grain sack bags, I sought out a means for small production, which led me to this incredibly talented artisan who specializes in belts. More to come on that later... but not too much later, I promise!

Ch-ch-changes

2010-03-29T11:23:00.007+02:00

In an effort to take my sewing skills to another level I have embraced the art of hand stitching.

Everything changes: the thread, the awl used to make holes in the leather, and most importantly, the mentality. The beauty of hand-stitching is that the boundaries become broader. You are not limited to the capacity of the sewing machine and of course you are free to take your projects anywhere. I have always preferred heavy thread aesthetically, and it is difficult and often costly to find machines that will accommodate heavier threads. I battled with the machine that I had been using since I always insisted on using heavier thread, needless to say, I did not always win and had to restitch many samples as a result.

These change purses were my first attempts using this new skill. The first part of the process is to punch holes in the leather. I made a line on the perimiter of the leather with a compass to use as a guide for a straight line, and then punctured the leather using an awl that has a diamond-shaped point. I did not use anything to guide the distance between the holes, and surprisingly my stitches turned out to be relatively equidistant. I have been told that this precision comes with time so I think I am off to a pretty good start. The diamond-shape on the awl gives a natural groove in which the threads of a stitch can enter. When pulled taut, the threads create a straight stitch in alignment with the grooves. I had previously used a puntorollo, which creates a normal round hole thus causing the threads to overlap.

In order to finish the underside I used a chain-braid effect.

Although it is time consuming, I absolutely love hand-stitching. A seam that would take minutes on the machine takes three times as long by hand, but it is definitely worth the time and effort. As we say in Italian, "vale la pena".

The next chapter has officially begun.

Paris is always a good idea.

2010-03-04T14:23:00.003+01:00

I took the overnight train to Paris last week. Upon my arrival at the station in Firenze I came across this couple. They must've been in their early twenties, and they were waiting for their train to Vienna. If you look closely you can see that the girl (right) is holding a flowerpot with a freshly budding flower.

I was just as mesmerized watching these two play with their sticks in the puddle as they were with the game they were playing.

The perfect portrait of a Parisian family on a Sunday afternoon. Note the boy second from left, with his pants tucked into his riding boots.

I love Paris.

Timbro e tatuaggio.

2010-02-27T12:18:00.008+01:00

My tattoo is about to become famous.

Above is my newest acquisition, un timbro (stamp), a branding iron for my logo that I will use on the leather for my bags. I had it custom made from a shop in Firenze that dates back to 1890. This man has some of the most amazing tools and gadgets and it is heaven for anyone with a fascination for typography.

Here you see the results of my first branding trial. I can also use the stamp to apply gold-leaving to the motif on the leather.

Coincidentally, my wrist made it into a book that was just published on typographic tattoos. The design is an 'A' that I found in an 1800's manuscript and altered slightly.

I am writing to you from Paris, where I am visiting a friend and getting inspired to start on new designs for my bags. I am writing from her balcony overlooking Avenue de la Bourdonnais. It is a bright sunny day in Paris and it is just what I needed to get the creative juices flowing. I will be back in Firenze shortly and will fill you in on my new and exciting projects then.

A bientot!

Leather Lab Inc.

2010-02-11T16:55:00.000+01:00

I do have a very good reason for why you have not heard from me since November. In December I started my own company, Leather Lab Inc. Leather Lab is a bespoke leather research and development laboratorio specializing in trends in leathers and components. I source and develop leathers to clients' specifications, and construct patterns and prototypes for handbags and accessories from scratch.

I have been very busy in the past few months, working diligently on leather research and making patterns and samples for my U.S. clients. I just shipped all of my samples for NY fashion week. I know, my life just got even more exciting! Unfortunately I will not be able to share images of the samples of the handbags that have been keeping me busy lately as the designs belong to my clients, so I guess we will just have to wait until they get some press and then you will hear all about them.

I am also excited to announce that some of my hand-stitched bags are now on sale at Ceri Vintage in Firenze. I made an extra simple tote with the canvas handles (black and white) that you saw in an earlier post, and I am proud to say that the bag sold the day he put it in the store. The first two canvas bags (including the one pictured above) sold in 48 hours so I will be very busy producing more as the response was overwhelmingly positive. I need to give my hands a rest, as hand stitching is quite tiring and hard on the hands, and one of my samples required over 10 hours of hand whip-stitching.

My leather research is about to reach new heights. I am collaborating with a Florentine shoe artisan who makes custom men's shoes to create a women's collection. Next week I am visiting the last manufacturer to choose the styles which will be the base of our designs. He is going to work on all of the technical details, and I am going to concentrate on the materials and design. I will keep you all posted as this exciting chapter unfolds. Never a dull moment.

I will take this opportunity to fill you in on what you missed in Firenze during my three month hiatus. In December while I was enjoying the snow in New York, there was a beautiful snowfall here. I woke up to many text messages from friends here with images of the city under a white blanket of fresh snow, and it was the first time that many Florentines had seen anything like it.

Due to excessive rainfall in the end of December and the beginning of January, the Arno reached new heights. The white caps resembled the Atlantic Ocean, and it was quite a spectacle.

Other than that, life is back to normal here in Firenze. The Arno has returned to its normal height. It is still very cold and humid and is actually snowing here today. I hope to get out to the mountains this weekend to take advantage of the recent snowfall but am also anxiously awaiting the springtime. I moved into a new apartment in a new area near Santo Spirito and the Palazzo Pitti and much prefer it to my old area, Santa Croce, but miss the market terribly.

So there you have it... Am I forgiven?

Feste a Firenze.

2009-11-30T14:35:00.007+01:00

I love moments like this. I was literally running from one appointment to the next, and I could not resist stopping in my tracks to capture the beautiful tramonto (sunset) as it began to fall upon the early evening sky.

I also enjoy walking on streets I have never taken before because I find surprises around every corner. Most of the restaurants and workshops have metal gates over them, so you never know what is hiding behind it until you happen to be walking past during their opening hours. I kind of lost my way and then the Duomo appeared through the archway with another great backdrop of the evening sky.

This is the view from my window at school. I was leaning down to plug in my phone charger, and looked up - surprise! I had never seen it from this angle before.

The view from the courtyard of my school.

Firenze during the holidays. This is the approach to Piazza Repubblica from Via Corso. The busier pedestrian streets are strung with lights. It's not quite the same as the lights on Fifth Avenue and the surrounding areas in NYC, but it is charming in its own Florentine way. It is actually reminiscent of Little Italy. I will post more photos as I take them.. but the lights, like everything else Italian, seem to have a mind of their own. They are not illuminated daily. I have a feeling it might have something to do with the obscene electricity rates.

I spent Thanksgiving with American and Italian friends. Many of you were curious as to how they do it here so I took a photo to share with you. First course was a yellow squash soup, second course (pictured) was stuffed turkey, mashed potatoes, vegetables, stuffing and cranberry preserves, and dessert was pumpkin pie with a scoop of cinnamon gelato. It was delicious but... not quite the same. I will have the real thing when I come home as our version is waiting for me in the freezer (grazie mille, mom!)

Ben and Jerry's just appeared last week in the Piazza Duomo. I have mixed feelings about it being situated in the very center of Firenze, but I did not think twice before venturing out in the torrential rain to get a little scoop of home last night with my girlfriends. I love my Vivoli gelato but I also love Chunky Monkey (and the new Chocolate Macademia). I am not sure if it was my imagination or if the Italian version does taste a lot more like gelato. It could also just be because I was eating it inches away from the Duomo which by association will make just about anything taste more Italian.

In just a few weeks I will head back to NY for a visit. I will return to Firenze for New Years, and am moving into a new apartment and neighborhood in January. As you can tell, I have not had enough of this place yet... in fact I think I have just barely scratched the surface.

Vintage fabric and the not-so-simple tote.

2009-11-27T14:47:00.007+01:00

As you know most of my free time is spent in vintage fairs and antique markets rummaging through piles of clothing and findings. I bought some great antique gold thread that I am going to use to do decorative hand-stitching. I also love that these threads are still in their original paper packaging. The one pictured above was manufactured in France and was going to be imported in NY, but I guess it never made it there.

I found this great striped textile remnant recently and thought, ooh, I will make a simple bag and attach this fabric as the handles. This simple idea turned into a not-so-simple project which turned into a week's worth of work, further proving that nothing is ever simple when it comes to handmade accessories.

I was able to execute the pattern quickly (after I messed it up, twice) since is a simplified version of the earlier satchel I made, without all of the hardware and passantini.

Instead of just stitching down the fabric to the leather, I attached the fabric to salpa, then backed it with leather, folded the leather onto the edges of the fabric (are you still with me?), folded the handles in half around the shoulder part, stitched them together, and then stitched the flat part of the handles onto the bag. There is pezzatura (seams) of leather on the backside of the straps, since it runs the entire length which measures over 140cm. Every time I tried to "scarnire" to eliminate the bulk that is created when attaching the pieces of leather to each other, I sliced right through it since I had made it very thin... which meant back to cutting, passing it through the spazzatrice (to diminish the overall thickness of the original skin), and then scarnire on the machine (to elminate the thickness just around the edges, to prepare it for wrapping). You might not be able to tell the scale in the photo above, but the bag is approximately 50cm x 50cm (roughly 20 inches). I am a fanatic when it comes to the length of shoulder straps, so trust me when I tell you they are just right.

When I was nearly finished, I decided it should have a zipper...

Olive, mele e foglie.

2009-11-11T09:16:00.003+01:00

For those of you who have been to my former office in NY, this photo will look familiar to you. I took the same photo five years ago and had it prominently displayed on my wall for years. I was visiting Firenze with my mom and stumbled across the school where I am studying today. It was the same time of year and the city had the same autumn glow, as the leaves (foglie) were beginning to change. Walking past this gate every day reminds me how happy I am to be here, five years later making that dream a reality.

I frequent the market at least three times a week. Of course now, my market friends know a lot more about my life. They have met my family, they ask about my nephew, I have met all of their children. They know how far I ran during my last run, the status of my bags at school, my favorite restaurants, the magazines I read and how I spend my weekends. They know what I like to eat and how I like to prepare it so they continue to give me new recipes and ideas. The apples (mele) are just perfect right now, so I could not resist taking a photo. Fuji and Staim are my favorites, and I still eat an apple every single day at around 11AM in school. Secchiona!

With the changing of the leaves comes "raccolta delle olive," and "estrazione," collection of olives and extraction of olive oil. I received the bottle pictured above from my friend Carlo who has an olive grove. The olive oil you see came to live approximately 36-48 hours before I received it. I stopped at the bakery downstairs on my way home to pick up Tuscan (saltless) bread to make bruschetta with my newest prized possession. Of course the moment I walked into my apartment I tore into the bread before I could even turn on the oven. I have never, ever, had such creamy robust olive oil in my entire life. Actually, there was one time on a mountain biking trip through Chianti when our group stopped at an olive laboratorio and we tasted fresh olive oil straight from the crock... that came very close!

It is my new Nutella (and I think you all know how I feel about Nutella). Thankfully I think it might be impossible to finish an entire bottle of olive oil in one sitting. I am trying to figure out a way to transport this back to NY so I can share this heavenly treat. I think I might forego all cosmetics and fill a ziplock bag with 3.4 ounce bottles of just olive oil. I am pretty good at the art of persuasion in the security line, thanks to days gone by when I used to carry red velvet cake home from business trips to North Carolina. I think with a flip of the hair and a smile the Italian security officers will even be a little more forgiving. The departure city and ingredients might change, but one thing remains the same: However delicious something might be, it is that much better when shared in the company of close friends and family. Even better, after it arrives in one piece after a journey of a few thousand miles.

Pazienza.

2009-11-10T15:31:00.010+01:00

My hands hurt today but it obviously won't stop me from typing.

Remember this bag, the one I wanted to finish before my last trip to NY? I finished it today. Okay, okay, I know many of you know I have piles of unfinished projects sitting around... in NY, now in Italy, there might even be some left over in Ithaca, New York and Harrison, Maine. I have most likely left scraps of unfinished projects in every city in which I've set foot but part of the reason I am here is to slow it down, concentrate, and finish what I start.

Sewing through eight layers of camel skin is not easy an easy feat, but I actually find it quite therapeutic when I can concentrate. I only punctured my fingers twice, once with the puntorollo and once with the hand sewing needle. As you might remember from my first bag, I have to puncture the leather with the puntorollo and then pull two needles through the path it created in the layers of leather. I had pre-punctured the two panels with the sewing machine, so all of the holes are lined up. It takes some precision and a lot of patience to get the puntorollo to pass through the hole, through the additional layers of leather, and back through the corresponding hole. This also takes its toll on your fingers, as it requires great strength to pass a needle with a blunt tip through so many layers.

And here is the finished product: A one-shoulder backpack that can also be slung across the body with a bandana lining.

I have just a few more weeks of school to go...

Autunno in Toscana.

2009-10-25T09:32:00.007+01:00

Artimino, Firenze.

I bet it doesn't look like I have a 39 degree fever in this photo, does it? The drastic and sudden change in temperature here resulted in a city-wide influenza outbreak. Unfortunately this hit me while I had my colleagues visiting, but it did not stop me from venturing out into Artimino for a truly unforgettable (and quite romantic) lunch.

Da Delfina is a little gem situated in the hills of Artimino about 20km outside of Firenze that should be at the top of the list of restaurants to experience in Tuscany. My dear colleague Joanna discovered it by way of a food connoisseur and fellow Cornell alum, and in my experience when it comes to food those hotelies are always to be trusted.

Of all of the dishes we tasted, on the top of the list: ribollita.

Ribollita is a soup consisting of stale bread and vegetables typical of Tuscany. It is a "poor" dish of peasant origin. Farmers would cook a large quantity of a mix of vegetables including cabbage and beans, stewed over the course of several days. I have had ribollita more times than I can tell you, in fact, it was the very first thing I ate when I arrived in Firenze in 2001 as a student. It is your quintessential winter comfort food. It usually has a somewhat liquidy consistency, however, at Da Delfina it takes on a whole new life. Their version is baked to perfection in a wood-burning oven so it was crispy around the edges. The best comparison I can make is to a baked omelette. It was heavenly. We chose two different secondi, spalla di maiale al forno (pig's back, baked) on skewers nestled between grilled bread), and Stracotto Toscano, a type of meat stew, prepared with red wine and peperoni. Both phenomenal. Of course there's always room for dessert, but we kept it on the lighter side with fresh berry sorbet.

Photos courtesy of Joanna... grazie, bella!

_________________

Ceriana, Impruneta.

During a recent weekend visit to Ceriana a few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of partaking in an Italian family pasttime: chestnut and mushroom hunting. I joined my friend, her husband, and her two young three-year old twins in the bosco (forest) near their house in the hills of Impruneta. They gave me a hunting stick, with which I raked away the leaves to uncover fresh chestnuts that had fallen from the trees. To my surprise, I found my very first mushroom that you see pictured above. There is a very short season for mushrooms, and it will not last much longer especially since the temperatures dropped so significantly. Once the ground begins to frost over, the mushrooms season will come to an end. Earlier in the morning her husband found "funghi ovoli" that resemble eggs. I've learned that these are quite coveted, and are best enjoyed raw with a bit of olive oil, salt and pepper. Immediately after our excursion we went inside to indulge on the fruits of our labor.

I transported my goodies back to Firenze (in the back of my Smart car) and had a Sunday night dinner with friends. Thanks to one of my friends who is quite skilled in the kitchen especially when it comes to risotto, we enjoyed risotto con funghi, as well as some other Tuscan delights like bruschetta with fresh pomodori.

Such is the life in autumn in Italia.

A message from my dad.

2009-10-18T19:56:00.003+02:00

I wish my dad could be here to see the great strides I've made since he wrote this card to me seven years ago for my college graduation. He did visit me here when I was a student, so it makes me happy to know that he saw firsthand how happy I am in the place I now call home. Given recent circumstances and my decision to stay in Italy, it could not have been more appropriate for my sister to find this in a box just yesterday among many of the things I left behind in NY.

Dear Amanda-

We are all proud of your accomplishments and your overwhelming desire to enjoy life and people. You bring joy to all those who know you, and a spirit of what it means to be self-confident. You are now ready to conquer life's hurdles, and to do so in a fashion of your own.

Future prosperity, health, wealth, happiness & success--

All our Love,

Daddy

Arrivaderci, NY.

2009-10-07T19:06:00.000+02:00

A view of Manhattan from the Whitestone Bridge from my most recent trip to NYC.

I received countless emails questioning my whereabouts because I confused all of you, my loyal followers. I could not announce it here before personally delivering the message to my friends, family and colleagues. On my last trip to New York I saw the skyline for what might be awhile. It is true: I am staying in Italia indefinitely. Indefinitely, meaning the period of time the consulate decides to grant me my visa. Indefinitely, until I get sick of the bureaucracy and what I will refer to as "Italianisms," those little things that are oh-so-charming-and-Italian, until you actually live here. Indefinitely, until I decide there are other places in Europe that I want to explore and call home...

Many of you have also asked me what I miss about New York. On the top of the list: places that are open 24 hours. There are a couple of farmacie that are open 24 hours, but by "a couple" I literally mean two. One is in the train station, and the other might be somewhere on the other side of town. In other words, I'd prefer to suffer in my apartment until sunrise to avoid venturing to those parts only to arrive at a farmacia that might or might not decide to actually be open for 24 hours on the day that I need it to be open. Those of you from NY understand the comfort of having at least three 24-hour stores within walking distance from your apartment so I know you can empathize. It is a ghost town here after midnight, but like everything else, you get used to it, and then are frightened at the sight of movement in the middle of the night when you return to a place like NYC.

I miss black and white cookies but after experimenting with conversions and substitutions a couple of times (they do not have buttermilk here and think I'm crazy when I ask for latte di burro) I finally mastered the recipe so now I'm set. Oh, and big, fat, juicy, cheeseburgers with cheddar. Preferably Corner Bistro. I am going to attempt to bring the real American Hamburger to Italy next week... I'll let you all know if I succeed. And last but not least - chocolate covered gummy bears. I know they sound gross but you are not allowed to judge until you've tried them at least twice. I went a little overboard at the candy shop on West 3rd when I was home so I am pretty sure I can wait another year without having them.

I recently found the following quotation by George Bernard Shaw on a blog that I frequent (thank you, the impossible cool) that describes perfectly the path I've chosen to take. “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”

Bentornato

2009-09-13T09:16:00.008+02:00

This is what the evening sky looks like in Firenze these days. In September in Italy, it feels like everyone is starting a new school year. It is reminiscent of my elementary school through college days, when I would return in September with a new haircut, new clothing, new books, binders and teachers, sharing stories about my summer vacation with my friends. The same thing happens here. Everyone is so excited to be back here, to see each other, to tell each other how they spent their time in August. Blondes turned brunette, everyone's hair is longer or shorter, everyone's skin is bronzed. New restaurants and locali are opening and old familiar ones are re-opening their doors. I love you, Firenze, but I will never, ever, ever, be here in July again.. and by the sound of things I don't think I will ever see this place in August either. September is just gorgeous, the autumn breeze makes the city magical again.

The skyline of Chianti on a gorgeous Sunday evening.

View from the Ponte a Santa Trinità.

Since you last heard from me, I've been to New York and back. My return after being away for seven consecutive months was interesting. I know we all make fun of the Italians for their lack of urgency and the pace at which they do things, but once you adjust to living life this way it is extremely difficult to return to the pace of a city such as New York. My brain does not function as quickly as it did before living in Italy. I do not want to give you the impression that I do not still love the city that I will always call my home. I am and will always be a born and bred New Yorker at heart. However, there are small things like getting my morning coffee in midtown that made my blood pressure rise. I never thought I would say it but I no longer enjoy coffee in paper cups with plastic lids. I missed the clanking of the espresso glasses on the saucer at the bar in the morning.. and twice in the afternoon. This is only one small thing of many that I missed. Needless to say, it was absolutely wonderful to return to my second home.

I have been back in school for only 5 days and I've made a lot of progress quickly. I think I had a lot of bottled-up creative energy so when I got back I jumped right in and was able to finish a pattern in half a day, and nearly the entire bag in a week's time. Above you see the sketch of the bag on which I am working. It's a unisex style gathered towards the top, with a strap resembling a belt that can be worn across the chest messenger style or over one shoulder. I am using black camel skin for the exterior of the bag, and faded bandannas as the lining. Some of you who have known me since college and saw my fashion show freshman year will remember the bandannas: My homage to Cornell Design League.

The lack of one zipper pull resulted in a four hour adventure to the industrial town of Scandicci involving an aborted mission on my bicycle. By the way, my bicycle survived on the street for the entire month of August, all parts in tact. I still cannot believe it myself.

I am also using a thicker guage thread on this bag which Acci, our dear lovely machine, did not appreciate. It took me a few hours to thread it properly, as all of the settings for the tension must change. It amazes me how the slightest change such as unscrewing the bobbin 1/25th of a millimeter will change the stitches completely. The heavier thread makes a significant difference as a design detail, which will be apparent when you see the final product.

I am learning a new technique, which is insertion of a "filetto". This is a cord that runs around the perimeter where you have seams on a bag. It is a functional design detail, a way of finishing what would otherwise be a regular seam or raw edge. I cut the leather into strips, and passed it through the spaccatrice to make it thinner. Then I threaded the strip of leather and a cord made of rubber through another machine simultaneously. The machine wraps the leather around the cord, sealing it on one end. It almost looks like spaghetti. Then you thread it through again and it makes small folds that look like teeth in the photo above. This allows the cord to bend smoothly around a curve without puckering. The thing that amazes me most about this is that there is a machine to do just this.

After gluing this cord around the perimeter of the round base of the bag, I stitched it down with the sewing machine. Of course there is a special foot that must be assembled first that has a space in the center, allowing the cord to pass through. Once stitched in place, I had to scythe the edges where the two ends of the filetto meet, so they overlap neatly to finish the circumference almost seamlessly. I had to cut the rubber inside precisely so ends meet ends, and then I had to (very carefully) scythe the leather. Above all, the most important thing I took out of this exercise is how this detail is supposed to look when it is done properly. On a high-end bag, the filetto should be executed flawlessly and is one of many details that should and cannot be overlooked by quality craftsmen.

Many of you have asked how long it takes to complete a bag. Once the pattern is complete, the bags I have constructed should take approximately 12 hours start to finish. If all goes as planned and if acci behaves properly, I should be done with this bag tomorrow, just in time for my departure... back to NY!! I know, I move quickly.

Stay tuned...

Soddisfazione.

2009-07-25T09:40:00.005+02:00

I have been carrying the first bag I completed and it is an incredible sense of accomplishment. I love seeing the look on people's faces when I tell them I made it. Some people simply do not believe me, which is a very good sign. Very soon, those of you in NY will get to see it in person.

These are the pattern pieces for Borsa #2. I am attached to my Filson field bag, so I am making a bag that resembles it, of course with some very important modifications.

I am delighted to say that there are some things I can do in my sleep now, like the interior zippered pockets that used to take me half a day to insert.

The construction of this bag is quite different from the others I've done. As always, we work from the interior out, so I started with the lining. Pictured above is the lining of what will be the exterior pocket, attached to the leather which is part of the exterior of the bag.

Tracolla attached to the quadrante (main part)

These are the things you will never see unless you cut open a bag. This is reinforcement on the interior where the handles attach to the "quadrante of the bag. Once stitched down, I have to pull the threads tight, knot them, and glue "seta" (silk) on top to secure them in place. The "fodera" (lining) will hide this later. You can see there is a piece of "felpa" (the cream colored fabric) which gives the leather a little more "corpo," which means literally, body. Without it, the leather would be flimsy and would not give enough support to the bag.

My machine stitching has come a long way since the days when Acci used to eat my bag. The small cuts in the leather that you see on the upper right hand corner are the "segni" which are markings that will line up with the corresponding parts. I use them as a guide to connet the pieces when I am stitching them together.

As I mentioned before, the construction of this bag is different from the ones I have done. In the earlier models, I completed the entire lining, followed by the exterior, and then would stitch the two separate components together to make one complete form. In this bag the pieces of the lining correspond directly with the leather pieces of the exterior, and I attached them to their corresponding parts. The lining overlaps with the adjacent lining pieces, and each leather piece "sandwiches" on top of the next, so I can stitch them down and have a finished seam. If you look at the photo you can see that I am constructing the exterior in almost a ring form, so I can then attach the quadrante to both sides. This will all make much more sense when you see the next series of photos, I promise!

My days are winding down here, and I will be going home next week with my handmade creations in tow. I will continue to post from there, as there are many weekend adventures I have not shared with you. There will be at least one more post before I am on my way...

Quasi finita...

2009-07-08T07:41:00.004+02:00

Quasi finita... almost done. I do love my creation, but I am getting sick of looking at this bag. It happens to all of us. We work on something for such a long time, that by the time we finish it we are just over it and onto the next. My strategy is to set it aside and put it out of sight for a few days. Then, when I look at it again, I have a hard time believing that I made it.

I hesitated in posting these because it's not quite there just yet. Just when I thought I was finished, I decided the straps are still not long enough. Of course this genius idea requires 4 additional "gimelli" which I did not have. Fortunately one of my classmates was venturing out to Scandicci to buy other materials so she picked them up for me, otherwise, it would have been a half day's adventure to get these four tiny little metal pieces. It is so unlike me to not buy several extra components of something I might need, but one of the things I have started to practice is the art of conservation. This is second nature to most Italians. They use and re-use. In school, we use every single inch of leather. Nothing goes to waste, and we find a use for everything. They do not buy in bulk and they do not over-buy anything. This holds true for materials, clothing, food. They buy what they need, and I too (if you can believe it!) have made this my new habit.

Unless I decide to make additional laborious changes this bag will soon be complete. I decided to move onto the next project, and will complete my tracolla in my downtime.

In the next few days I hope to update you on some of the things I've been doing during my free time, including several trips to the seaside as well as the most incredible Dave Matthews concert I have seen to date. I will be in NY August 1-September 2. And then I shall return...

The passantini make the bag.

2009-07-02T23:37:00.007+02:00

For the record, I absolutely love hand sewing. As you saw in a previous post, I had to puncture the leather before attaching this piece to the bag in order to create the holes through which the hand needle will pass. Then, once glued down, I had to puncture the holes again so I could create a "path" through all of the layers of the leather. Each hand stitched component is sewn with double needles: one passing through from the top, the other from the bottom. When they pass each other they create the loop which becomes the stitches that hold it in place. The two pieces that cover the zipper (one shown above) have too much material to pass through the machine. I like it because you have a lot more control over the stitches. Sorry, Acci, I still love you, but I love my hand sewing needles more.

This photograph is entitled "what to do versus what not to do," featuring from left to right: what not to do, and what to do. I was in what I believed to be the final stage of my bag, working on the "maniglie," handles. I was so anxious to finish that I cut these pretty quickly, and while to the untrained eye they may look nearly perfect, they were ever so slightly off. I did not put enough glue down so I sliced into the salpa in a few locations on the handles. I could have covered up the blemishes when I painted the edges, but I could not let the last component of the bag I have been working on for two months be anything less than perfect. The two replacement "maniglie" on the right (what to do) represent one entire day's worth of work.

Yesterday my maestro turned to me and said, "Amanda, you are going to finish your bag tomorrow morning. I nearly screamed in excitement, as I have been working on this bag for what feels like forever. Then he continues.. "Oh wait.. the passantini."

Passantini are the small rings that hold something like a belt down when you buckle it. These are the details that make or break a bag. You can easily tell the quality and workmanship of anything just by looking at the small details such as these. My bag features twelve. These pieces are tiny, but take a very long time to make. See the photo above? That was my day today. Six long hours and 12 passantini later... I am nearly done.

Unless I have to put more passantini on my bag (when Mao mentioned it I almost hit him) I should be finished with my very first bag tomorrow morning. Right now I am finalizing the placement of the holes on the incredible adjustable maniglie. And then... I will move right onto the next...

I am that girl.

2009-06-24T08:40:00.014+02:00

When I arrived in the classroom for the first time in January, my classmate Rita was in the final stages of assembling a beautiful purple handbag, and I remember thinking to myself, I wish I were doing that too. I reminded myself that with time and patience, I would steadily reach that point. We had a new student join us last week, and as I stood at my banco busily working on my handbag, I could see in her eyes what I felt in mine months ago. She wanted to be doing what I was, but instead, she was working on the eyeglass cases that are a distant memory for me now. So often we arrive somewhere without taking the time to notice the steps that we took to get there. There are days that I get so caught up in the project at hand that I forget all of the small projects I've done on the way that have gotten me to the present.

This is the actual leather. Simple, black, bovine leather. I laid out the pattern pieces very carefully to efficiently cut the leather. I used a half hide, and had only a tiny piece to spare, which means I can cut two of this style out of one skin of leather. This is, of course, assuming I do not make any mistakes that require me to re-cut the pattern pieces.

We construct the handbag from the inside out, so the first part of the process is completing the lining. I bought this fabric in the Paris flea market. My bag will feature a "tremezzo," which is a zippered pocket in the middle of the lining that creates two compartments on either side. For all of you zippered pockets fanatics quite like myself, there is another smaller one on one side of the lining.

This is where I was determining the length of the straps that will connect to the handles. I know this is not easy for you to see or understand if you are not a visual person, but it will all make sense once you see the final product. If you are not into the technical stuff, here is your cue to skip ahead. For you handbag designers and patternmakers, this is where the "maniglie," handles, will connect to the bag. The ring is actually upside-down in the photo, but the shoulder strap will be fixed on the ring from the top, and there will be "gimelli" below so you will be able to adjust the length of the handles, kind of like a belt.
Configuring the placement of the "gimelli," which are the components that resemble cufflinks, and the "passantini," the small loop that will hold the strap in place. The "gimelli" will allow for the straps to be adjustable.
My sewing has come a very long way since the day Acci ate my handbag. These straps are a sandwich of material, consisting of salpa #2 on the inside and two layers of leather on the outside. I cut all three layers precisely, and then to give it a finished edge, I executed the same technique I used when I finished the edges of the "tracolla" (straps) for my earlier projects, and the pieces of the passport cases. First, I "tingere," (paint) the edges with black opaque paint, and then pass the pieces through a machine that buffs the edges and removes the glue. Repeat the process twice, and you have a nice smooth finished edge, just like a belt.

This is the inside of the bag which will not be visible from this point on. I put the white silk behind the straps that you see on the outside to prevent the leather from getting caught in the machine. It makes the sewing much easier and smoother. The smaller patches of silk are covering the "passantini" that you see above. They are threaded through the front side of the bag, and glued in the back. The silk will keep them secure. Of course, first, I must first "scarnire" the ends to make it less bulky, then glue the ends together on the backside (kind of like a ring passing through the bag), then hammer it down, and finally, glue the silk on to hold it in place. Of course this is work you will never see, but are necessary steps to properly form the shape of the bag. Overlooking any part of these processes can result in an undesirable effect that you may not even see until years down the line when the leather becomes more supple.

My first bag beginning to take shape.
I would like to take this moment to thank my friends in Scandicci who are making this bag possible. I found hardware and components in some small shops in the center of Firenze, but I was not completely satisfied. I ventured out to Scandicci, one of the industrial zones on the outskirts of Firenze. Even though I was in the epicenter of the hardware universe, I still had difficulty finding exactly what I wanted. I had particular sizes with particular metal finishes in set in my mind and was determined to find nothing less. After hours of rummaging, I of course kept selecting the pieces that were at the very bottom of the drawer, of which they only had 3 from their last order in 1970. Then I would go through the drawer next to it just to see if I could find a 4th that was mis-filed... For those of you who know me this is typical. The effort will never be done in vain, as these are the details that will make my bags so quintessentially me.

Slow but steady progress.

2009-06-08T07:03:00.008+02:00

These are my pattern pieces of sample number one. There are three versions of the pattern so far, as I have changed many things along the way. The strap was too long, then I decided it was too wide, and now I want to simplify the side of the bag and take out the seam I had running horizontally.

Reminder and disclosure: I am using scrap leather and this was the only one of which we had pieces large enough from which I could cut my pattern pieces. The closure on the side pictured above will allow you to open the bag and close it depending on how large you want it to be while you are carrying it, or how much you have inside.

file:///Users/amanda/Pictures/iPhoto%20Library/Originals/2009/18:mag:09/DSC06407.JPG

This will be my first hand sewn component. First I have to pass the piece through the machine, without using any thread, to create holes which I will later thread by hand. Then, I have to attach the piece to the bag with glue, and repuncture the holes with the puntorollo, passing through all of the layers of the bag. This creates a passageway for the needle and thread and will allow it to pass through with relative

ease.

Almost everything changed from this point on. I did not like the shape of the yoke at the top, I did not like the thickness of the straps, I did not like the manner in which I executed the pieces. All of the pieces you see have "rimboco" which is wrapped edges. Then, the components are stitched down. This creates a lot of bulk and makes the bag very stiff, which I did not like. I worked with my teacher to change every component. I simplified the pattern, and decided to use the "tingere" technique. This is what you saw when I executed the "tracolla," shoulder strap. This is why I use scrap leather... and this is why you haven't heard from me in awhile. The process has been very time consuming. And.. I must admit, I have been traveling all over Italy during most of my spare time. But that's a post for another day...

Gentle reminders

2009-05-18T09:04:00.021+02:00

For those of you who knew me in the first few years I lived in Manhattan after college, you always knew where to find me during the early mornings on the weekend. I would get my morning coffee on 7th Avenue and walk to the Annex, the Chelsea antique market formerly located on 26th Street. Sometimes I would come home empty handed and sometimes you would see me walking 5' standing coat hangers back down 7th Avenue when the rest of the city started to awake. This became a crucial part of my life and weekend routine and I still have friends, not to mention all of the wonderful furniture and objects, that I discovered there. I know my fellow Annex devotees in NY share the same sentiment as I do, that it just has not been the same since it moved farther west and north. My heart still breaks when I think back to the day I learned they were turning the lot situated on precious real estate into Manhattan's newest high rise luxury building, thus ending an era that will never be replicated.

With this said, it will not come as a surprise to you that I've spent a greater part of my weekends here exploring the local mercatini antiquariato. It is not an easy feat: One must first learn where the worthwhile ones are, then you have to figure out which ones are held on the first, last, and sometimes second or third Saturday and/or Sunday of the month. While you might think it is as simple as inserting an "antique market" search in google, it's not. Many of the websites come up with dates like May 2005, so you are better off asking people at the markets you attend. This is part of the discovery, the romance of the culture, and further enforces how much Italy relies on interpersonal communication instead of virtual information overload on the internet. It is quite likely, however, that the information you find from 2005 will be accurate since things don't change too quickly around here. Following these markets also gives you the ability to explore towns you otherwise might not visit, and it truly gives you a feel of the town and its inhabitants.

Last Sunday I set out on my latest adventure to attend the market in Lucca where I had never before been. I rode my bicycle to the station in the 30 degree smothering heat, missed the first train I attempted to take, and ended up on a local train that stopped in every single tiny town between here and Lucca. When I sat down in the car, I had two people screaming over my head. I walked into a quieter car and sat down with my ipod, Vogue Italia, and just wanted to tune out for an hour and 45 minutes. Had I taken the right train it would've been just over an hour. Had I taken the right train, I would have missed a brief and fleeting moment on an intercity train that has impacted me immensely.

The man sitting across the aisle from me asked me in English to tell him when we arrived in Borgo a Buggiano, but I explained to him that I was not familiar with the line. He asked me if I was American, which obviously led into a short conversation about what I am doing here in Italia.. if I had ever been to Lucca.. et cetera. He was very amiable and calm. He did not have any luggage, he carried only a book with him. In our brief conversation he told me I should look up his friend's book about Tuscan cooking, in small unknown trattorias throughout the region surrounding Lucca. He gave me her name and I wrote it down so as not to forget it. We talked briefly about food, about NY (he is from upstate New York not far from Cornell) and his family. I asked if he had been to this village before and he said he had been many times since he has close friends there. Today, he had already been from Athens to Rome to Firenze. I said that's quite a journey for half a day's time. And then he told me he was going to say goodbye to his friend.

I had only seconds to process his words, because I knew his stop was rapidly approaching, and I had so much I wanted to say. But nothing came out. Instead he continued. His friend wrote many successful books, lived a very fruitful and fulfilling life doing just what he wanted to do, and it was his time to go. He just hoped he made it in time, but did not look hopeful. He had spoken to his friend's wife when he got on the train and he was still alive, but barely. He hoped that his presence or just him knowing that one of his oldest friends was on his way to see him would extend his life for just a few more days so they could spend more precious moments together. We arrived at Borgo a Buggiano, and I told him I knew he made it in time. He thanked me, and told me to make sure I enjoy every single moment of my life, and ran off the train.

These gentle reminders cannot be ignored. I cannot put into words exactly how this message has affected me but I do not think I need to. When I do catch up with him, which you all know I somehow will, I will let you know how the story unfolds...

Modellismo

2009-05-12T13:26:00.008+02:00

This might look like a boombox but it is actually the first mock up of my very first bag.

I have entered the modellismo stage of my program, patternmaking. My teacher worked with me to transform my idea from a drawing to a flat pattern with a series of points and measurements. From the flat pattern we created sample pieces in salpa, inserted a zipper, and made the first prototype pictured above. It's pretty simple, and you cannot really get much from the photos I've posted here, but when I will continue to post photos as I reach critical stages of the process so you can see my beautiful creation. It's all about the simple things: big enough bag, long enough straps, functional pockets, with the ability to expand depending on how much you are carrying. It is everything I look for in a daily bag, but have not managed to find in my entire lifetime. One comes close, but it's not leather. So here I am... making it for myself.

Don't get any funny ideas, I chose this leather because it was the only one that had large enough pieces to suit my needs. Since I will complete several prototypes before perfecting my pattern, I am using scrap leather so I can cut it and draw on it once I've stitched it together. I want long shoulder straps (this might actually be the most critical part of a bag for me personally) but realized they were too long, so I cut them, and re-configured their placement.

Once I've made adjustments to the model I adjust the pattern pieces accordingly. I made two sets of patterns, "netto," which are the actual dimensions of the pieces, and "taglio," which are the pieces from which I cut the leather and other materials such as "salpa" and "gomma piuma" (foam). The "taglio" pattern pieces include an allowance around the edges, to account for areas where I will "rimbocare," wrap edges. The "netto" pattern already accounts for the normal stitching along the seams that will join the pieces.

I have received emails from many of you, thank you! I know I have slacked on my blog but for good reasons only: I have been very busy living my life here. I have been documenting it so I will share it all with you, slowly but surely. Piano, piano...

The incredible adjusting strap.

2009-04-25T10:50:00.002+02:00

I know you all find it hard to believe that I am still in school so here is the proof. Last week I was at Lineapelle in Bologna doing leather research and meeting with tanneries while school was closed for Easter break. I am finally beginning to have more flexibility in selecting the styles I want to produce, so this week I chose something more "morbido," soft, which is more casual and closer to my personal style. For those of you who cannot bear to hear one more technical detail... scroll to the bottom now.

I made a zippered inside pocket using a different technique from the previous styles. Since this bag has a little less structure, the pocket is looser and hangs in the lining instead of being right up against the backside of the bag.

Believe it or not, I did this (what looks like a very simple piece) three times to get it right. First I glue down the lampo, zipper, to the "marmo," marble, in order to make sure it is taught before I attach it to the "fodera," lining. Then I attach a piece of Salpa 6 (the yellow rectangular shape on the top) and wrap the edges of the fodera around from the other side to create a finished edge. The zipper is then inserted into that space, and I take it to the sewing machine to stitch it down...

You don't need me to tell you what happens next. Twice. That zipper foot was slipping and sliding all over the zipper so I taught myself a new way of sewing to get this done properly: cucire senza guida: sewing without the guide. For those of you who are sewing machine friendly don't think I gave up all hope. I reversed the stitch direction and used the foot as a guide instead of the actual guide. For those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, just know that I succeeded in doing it properly.

This is the inside of the bag before inserting the lining. I put in an additional layer of "cartone nero fine," fine black paper, to give it more structure on the backside. Although this was not on the original pattern, adjustments like these are often made in the bag-making process. Details such as this depend on the type of skin being used for the bag, so it is not necessarily a universal component that would be included on the pattern.My favorite part of this bag is the strap. I made it adjustable, so it can be worn on the shoulder or slung across the body in a messenger style. When it is fully extended, the snaps hold it in place in the center. When I slide it to make it half it's full length, the snaps attach at either end. If this sounds confusing, there are visuals at the bottom.This is snap application 101. First I punch holes in the strap that correspond in size to the particular part of the snap (we refer to them as the female or masculine part), and then the pieces are inserted into their respective positions in this vice. The small bronze canister-looking components are different measurements and depend on the size of the part of the snap you are inserting. When I turn the handle, the vice squeezes them into place.
My sewing is getting better by the day... although it's still not quite perfect. Don't be fooled - there is a reason you can only see one side of this strap! Just kidding, I did a pretty good job with this one. I think I was just having a series of good days and some quality sleep.The interior features two open pockets and the zippered pocket against the back.

The finished product against the stunning backdrop of my glue-filled apron.

I am willing to put these photos up to emphasize how cool I think the strap is. As my Italian friends would say, "sono secchione." Another Tuscan phrase I picked up from my friends. Ask me later what it means.

Stay tuned... Next week I choose the style of bag I want to create from start to finish. I will create the pattern from scratch, select all leather, lining and hardware, and make the bag.

Also coming soon: vita pelle in italiano.

Montepulciano

2009-04-23T08:00:00.014+02:00

Montepulciano, home to my favorite wine in the entire world, Nobile di Montepulciano.

I hope that you all have the opportunity to visit a place about which you've read, talked and dreamt for as long as you can remember. Although I only recently acquired a mature taste and appreciation for wine, it did not take me long to figure out that Montepulciano was on the top of my list.

About an hour and a half drive from Firenze, situated in the province of Siena, it is a medieval Renaissance city filled with winding roads and alleyways with views like these at the end of every path.

The main street that runs through the entire length of the town is only 1.5 kilometers long.

They crammed a lot into 1.5km, and as you can see it's not just about the wine. We found surprises such as these around every corner.

Okay, I lied, it really is all about the wine. These are the remnants of my first tasting at Cantina Crociani, featuring from left to right:

Vino Rosso di Montepulciano, 2007; Vino Nobile di Montepulciano 2006; Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva 2005; and "Il Segreto di Giorgio". "Il Segreto di Giorgio" is, as the name suggests, a secret concoction of the owner of the Cantina, and each bottle is numbered.

My entry in the guestbook: "Saluti a NY dove si pagano $15 per un bichierre di Montepulciano," that's "Cheers to NY, where we pay $15 for a glass of Montepulciano".

We took a short walk to our second tasting at Cantina Contucci, where I tasted four vino nobile, "buono, meglio, ottimo, and the best".

Of course we did not leave here without making friends. First of all, our new friend "Adamo," the owner, who reminds me of my dad, and is famous in America after being featured on PBS for a documentary on Montepulciano. Of course when he told me this, I replied with, "I am famous in Italia for my appearance on Rai Due," which I hope all of you have seen by now. There was a group of Italians from Firenze there tasting at the same time, they are the largest suppliers of mozzarella di bufala in Tuscany. They supply the cheese to Pizzaiolo, one of the best pizza places in Firenze which happens to be on my corner.

I am not sure what these numbers mean but I am happy I was looking down at the moment to notice them. This photo is proof that I was not imagining them after tasting all of that wine. It was raining, but it made being inside the wine cellars that much more enjoyable and rewarding.

Do not think for a second that I left empty handed from my

favorite wine region in the world. The box in my hand contains one Nobile and one Rosso... the other 12 bottles arrived at school yesterday.

The machine ate my bag.

2009-04-11T08:49:00.006+02:00

Disclaimer. What you are about to see might disturb you. You are about to see two week's worth of work destroyed in an instant. Okay, okay, so I am being a little dramatic. It's not as bad as I am making it out to be, but it was pretty devastating when "Acci" the sewing machine ran off course and ate a greater part of two of my latest projects.

I am proud to say, this one survived, unscathed.

These, on the other hand, did not. You can see along the bottom side edge where things went wrong. As I mentioned in an earlier post it is very easy to blame this on the machine, but in reality, it is entirely my fault. All of our work leads up to this one moment when we "tirare," "turn" the bag. You have one chance to do it properly and if you mess it up, the bag is finished, or as I say "mangiato," eaten. The holes are permanent and there is no turning back. The curve where it all went wrong is the most difficult part of the bag to turn. It is literally a physical fight with the machine to get this right. Even though I hammered this area to be as flat as possible before passing through the machine, I am still sewing through two thick layers of leather, "cartone nero," black cardboard, and two layers of "salpa," lining. The needle slipped and went off the edge of the bag... and then I screamed, laughed, and walked outside for a breather.

I should've just told you that the black bags feature my latest signature design detail: multiple rows of stitching. In reality, I decided to use these two bags as samples on which I can practice turning a bag, so I practiced by repeating these stitches. Of course, once the pressure was off, the bag flowed freely through my hands and the second and third rows of stitching are nearly perfect. When you see my creations out there in the world one day and they have four or five rows of stitching, you will know the truth.

Accidenti.

Soovs in the ooza.

2009-04-04T14:12:00.012+02:00

I am thinking about writing a book. It will be a book containing phrases that I've learned in conversation that are specific to Tuscany. All regions of Italy have their own sayings, the Milanese will not necessarily understand you if you use a Tuscan phrase. Learning these is fun, but knowing when to use them in conversation is even more fun. When I throw one of these into conversation with my local barista or Florentine friends, you should see the looks on their faces. Some of them are not appropriate for me to post here, in fact when I learn them, I always ask if it is something I can say in school. That's usually the litmus test for how bad the phrase actually is. There are also other words such as "babbo" and "bisnonno" that are used in Tuscany, but recognized by other regions. Florentines say "babbo" for dad and "bisnonno" for great grandfather. While others will understand you, they will immediately you know you are from Tuscany upon hearing them.

Some examples:

"Marpione," describes someone who is trying to swindle you. Can also be used to ward off persistent Italian men. This one has been very, very helpful. In fact I think every American female who plans to travel to Tuscany should learn this word before learning "buongiorno" or even "bagno".

"Permaloso," a person who is sensitive and offended easily.

"Polaretto," very cold, literally, like ice.

The rest of them... well... you might just have to wait for the book.

Those of you who know me well know that Teen Vogue is hands down my favorite publication. You can just imagine what a delight it was for me to come across "Topgirl," the closest thing in Italian. After reading one issue I realized that this is my preferred method of learning slang and conversational Italian, as it addresses topics of conversation you would have with your friends, in the informal way you would be speaking with them.

It came to my attention that the Italians have a very interesting way of pronouncing acronyms. For example, if something is "Made in the USA" they say "ooh-za," and if written it is often seen as "Usa". An S.U.V. is "soov". European Union (Unione Europea) is "ooh-weh". These things make me chuckle every time I hear them. It makes sense to pronounce them this way, however entertaining it may be. If you are mid-sentence trying to describe an S.U.V., it interrupts the flow of speech to stop and pronounce every letter, right? "Soov" flows very nicely from one word to the next. It is my personal mission to incorporate this into the English language so please try it next time you are talking about the gas guzzlers in conversation. Yes. I am in agreement with the Europeans on this, too, we have far too many soovs in the ooza... and it is time for me to learn how to drive a manual car.

Last but not least I wanted to tell you about my encounter with the Questura and the process of receiving my "permesso di soggiorno". Retelling this story might make my blood boil but I am willing to do it for you, my fellow followers, because you need to understand what you are up against with the Italian bureaucracy should you ever try to move here.

First thing to know is that a "permesso di soggiorno," literally, "permit to stay," is required for anyone who is not an E.U. citizen that is planning to stay in the country for more than three months. You must apply for this during your first 8 days in Italia, when your presence is reported to the local "Questura," or police station. If you have been to Italia, you know that all hotels take your passport upon arrival. They do this so your presence is made known to the Questura and they have a record of your entry. To receive the permesso, you must do this (which school did on my behalf) and then submit an application that you receive from the "la Posta," post office, which consists of tables and charts that refer back to tables and charts which lead you to tables and charts of abbreviations. Then you pay 18 Euro to send it... and pray that you receive a confirmation and an appointment.

Much to my surprise, I received a document in the mail confirming an appointment at 8.55AM on April 4th, as well as a text message from the office of foreign affairs telling me when to appear. For a country so antiquated in their ways, I find it so ironic how much they rely on modern technology to get things like this done. This unfortunately was not an indication of the course of events that lay ahead of me. I show up at 7.45AM and take a number, which was A317. At around 10:30, after I had already left to eat breakfast at Snack Bar Anna and pick up a very large stack of magazines, I was called to the window only to receive another number, B87. Apparently the B window is the "permesso di soggiorno" window. There are 16 windows in this place. The best comparison I can give you is the DMV. One of 16 is handling permesso's, and they are averaging one person per hour. At 2PM they decide to take a break and shut the place down, but they will not tell anyone how long they will be gone. Their response was, and I am completely serious, "If we feel like having a quick lunch break we will be back in 10 minutes. If we feel like taking a longer break we will be back in 2 hours." Need I say more?

Finally at 6.30PM (yes, you read correctly, I was going on nearly 10 hours in what now felt like what I imagine an insane asylum would be) B87 appears on the screen. I submit my papers, and the man asks me: "Do you want to remain in Italia, or return to the USA?" Now you all know what my intuitive response would've been, but I thought back to my friend at the Consulate in NY and immediately replied: "I would like to return to my country." He handed me my papers, and told me I am done, I just need to go to sportello (window) 7 to do my fingerprints. Phew, finally done! Not so much.

Wouldn't you know it, of all 16 windows, none of the fingerprinting machines was working so everyone had to filter to one single window to complete them. This left a few hundred people waiting in an unorganized mass outside of window 7. At this point I was delirious, and I honestly almost left. However I could not have gotten this far in the day and process to turn back now. This experience can be summed up in one word: "assurdo," a word which I heard repeatedly throughout the course of the day. Absurd. But it's over (well, almost). I have my permesso, and I want to fly home to NY just to march myself into the NY Consulate and proudly wave it in that woman's face. I also met some really nice guys while I was waiting... obviously.

La primavera e' in arrivo.

2009-03-25T08:31:00.001+01:00

The flowers are blooming on the trees outside of my window which means spring is almost here. This is the daily view from my "banco". It would not be accurate to say spring "has arrived," because here, not unlike home, the temperature will be 18 degrees one day and drop to 5 degrees the next. Celsius, that's right, it's official. I will no longer be doing the conversions but here's a hint: www.worldwidemetric.com/metcal.htm.

So you know what that means... spring snowboarding at my new home mountain, Abetone.

Beautiful bluebird skies in the Appenines.

Burton Italia set up shop to demo 2010 gear, so I gave the G Twin 150 with Scribe bindings a test ride. And by test ride, I mean I picked up the board at 11AM and returned it at 4PM. When I returned, I asked them if I could keep it for just a bit longer, and then realized that they had already packed everything up and mine was the last to go into the truck. I am not exaggerating when I say that I have never picked up so much speed in my entire life. It was like riding on a feather. I love my Neversummer but had no idea what a stiff setup I was riding, until now.

That's me - sunbathing on the lift.

I am going to enjoy at least one more weekend at Abetone before spring "officially" arrives. I bought a (very used) mountainbike last week, so I am sure I will have some post-snowboarding adventures to share with you if my bike does not get stolen before I get to ride it.

The moment a bag is born.

2009-03-23T08:15:00.000+01:00

There is a very precise moment during the construction process when you begin to see the bag come to life. It is not a pre-defined moment, and the style of the bag will dictate when it will occur. Every part of the process leading up to that point is anxiously executed, awaiting this turning point. This is the turning point of the second handbag style I completed. Pictured above is the "interno," interior. As you can see, I learned how to complete an interior pocket, featuring the zipper that you saw previously.

The form on the left is the "interno" with the "fianco," side, attached. The flap on the right side of this part is called the "contrapatina," which is the under side of the internal part of the bag and is covered in leather or suede. The form on the right is the "esterno," exterior, which if all goes well, should mold perfectly around the "esterno" when complete. The small "bandaid-like" patches you see are pieces of "salpa" that enclose and reinforce the magnetic closure. The black salpa is pierced with a screwdriver to allow the parts of the magnetic clasp pass through, almost like a staple. These are covered in "salpa" so you won't see the metal from the exterior of the bag, while allowing the clasp to stay in place over time.

This is one of the most crucial moments in handbag construction: The point where the "interno" and "esterno" come together. There is a very precise method of walking these two pieces together that can sometimes (like in my case, last week) involve blood, sweat, and tears. You must first apply "mastice," glue, to the entire perimeter of both parts. Then, you have to start with the center point of the "fianco", pinching the edges together while you make your way around the perimter of the bag. It is like a waltz, with a specific series of steps that your hands must follow. You must move your hands in a fluid motion to mold the parts together. It is not as simple as just gluing them flat, you must glue following the form that the bag will finally take. If there is a part that puckers or falls short at an "angolo," corner, you must un-glue, re-glue, and start all over again. Of course if you do this three, four, or eight times, the leather begins to get weak and will break. Speaking from experience, there is a fixed time when each leather will just not give anymore. This differs with suede (averaging two attempts), fine garment leather, like lambskin (three, maximum) and coarse leather, which is much more forgiving. Of course you might be thinking that all of my handbags will from now on be coarse leather, but coarse leather has it's own limitations. There are other parts of the process such as sewing on the machine that are more forgiving on the suedes and lambskins, which means you must really know the skins and the tolerance each one will have for each part of the process.

Equally as crucial as the assembly described above is "turning" the bag. We call this "girare" in Italian, which literally translates to "to turn, to spin". Once you have assembled the esterno and interno, it is time to sew them together ("spin them" on the machine). In most cases this is one continuous seam around the perimeter of the bag, and you can imagine the pressure of getting this seam right. Once the needle punctures the leather, there is no turning back. If you mess it up, there is a very good chance your mistakes will be prominently displayed on your final product. The most difficult for me (prominently displayed on two out of three of my bags) was arriving at the corners, of the "fianco," side. Again, there is a specific movement that your body and hands must make to allow the machine to flow over these points. Don't forget, the needle is passing through two pieces of leather and two pieces of "salpa," both of which have been "rimbocato," edges having been wrapped, with "mastice," glue, totaling at least six layers of material.

I noticed something last week, after "Acci" nearly ate one of my bags. I should mention that as much as I would like to, I cannot always blame it on "Acci," our machine. Nine times out of ten it is me, my mental state, and how well I have constructed the bag that will determine how it will pass through. It also highly depends on the shoes I am wearing. If you remember back in the beginning I said I have to "pump" the pedal instead of putting my foot down and sewing straight through a seam. This is especially true when it comes to rounding corners and finishing 90 degree angle edges. If I am wearing shoes that do not allow me to feel the pedal easily, the sewing becomes much more difficult and I am not able to start and stop as fluidly. Therefore, on sewing days I must remember to wear shoes with flexible soles so I can pump the machine delicately.

I eat an apple every single day. I buy them from the same woman in the market, who knows exactly what I want and exactly the quantity I want on any given day. She knows my schedule, she knows when I will be out of town for the weekend, she knows just about everything. I have introduced my mom, my teacher, and those of my classmates who are now equally as obsessed with her fuji apples as I am. My classmates have found that it is absolutely necessary for me to eat my apple before I begin sewing. When I run into a snag, the first question always is, "hai mangiato la mela oggi," "have you eaten your apple today?"

Arts and crafts with leather.

2009-03-18T08:16:00.008+01:00

You can generally tell how much work I've done if you take a look at the floor around my workspace. Here are scraps from my second handbag style, which I am in the final stages of finishing now (and my pretty shoes that I bought in the Paris flea market last year). By the end of this week, if all goes well, I should have photos of three new handbags to share with you.

We took a break in our usual course of studies to experiment with different treatments you can do by hand to re-finish and enhance leather.

This is an ancient Italian method of burnishing leather. You heat the metal tool and rub the leather in a circular motion to create a slight "burnt" effect. We learned another ancient method which is frequently used in shoemaking, of wetting shoulder (thick) leather and molding it into shape. Once it is dry, it takes the form of the shape you've created until you wet it again.

Acrylic paint can be applied directly to the leather.

We also experimented with mixing pigment with "ambra cera," amber wax. It creates a beautiful effect on the skins and allows the color to blend in naturally. This works best on light colored leathers.

There is a family-owned store in Firenze called Zecchi where you can find all kinds of materials to do this kind of work. The storefront was once an old "bottega," workshop, called the Colorificio Toscana. It was then re-opened as a mesticheria in the earlier part of the 1900's. You can find "mesticherie" all over Firenze (never when you are looking for one, however). They are the Italian version of hardware stores that sell everything except for the thing you are hoping to find there. Of course, if you can't find it there, you can find it in the store down the street owned by the brother of the mother of the wife who works in the mesticheria. In the 1970's Zecchi became more specialized on selling materials for fine arts and focused on research for preserving traditional artisan materials and techniques. Today they are recognized worldwide as experts in their trade.

Heaven meets Earth in Chamonix.

2009-03-16T09:14:00.022+01:00

"The human mind thirsts after immensity and immutability and duration without bounds but it needs some tangible object as a point of rest from which to take its flight something present to lead to futurity something bounded from whence to rise to the infinite. This vault of the heavens over our heads sinking all terrestrial objects into absolute nothingness might seem best fitted to awaken the creative powers of the mind but mere space is not a perceptible object to which we can readily apply a scale, while the Alps seen at a glance between heaven and earth as it were on the confines of the regions of fancy and of sober reality are there like written characters traced by a divine hand suggesting thoughts such as human language never reached."

-Simond, Narrative of an Ascent to the Summit of Mt. Blanc on the 8th and 9th of August, 1827.

This is exactly what you want to see when you open your eyes at 6AM. Countless centimeters of fresh snow, and the cafe and pain au chocolat that followed shortly thereafter. Unfortunately the 20+cm made for a very grey day with litle visibility, but when the sun came through the clouds the following day we were in heaven. Literally. You will see what I mean momentarily.

In the meantime I will take this opportunity to demonstrate just one of the many reasons why riding is better in Europe. Salads served in a jar. Apres ski with vin chaud is another... and oh yeah, the Alps.

View from our house in the hills of St. Gervais, and the day the sun decided to grace us with its presence so we could actually see and appreciate where we were.

View from my Neversummer which has tracked as many miles as I have.

View from the top of the Telepherique Les Grands Montets.

Photo courtesy of Agatha Wasilewska, hostess and guide.

Here we are, about to make our descent into the clouds.

My first harness. The harness allows ski patrol to air lift you out of something you might fall into while riding off-piste. Thankfully, I did not need this, nor did I need to activate the avalanche device in my pocket. If you want to know more about avalanches I know a guy who can tell you all about his three experiences with them within a 24 hour period (Hi Willy!)

View from the summit of Grand Montets, elevation 3,295 meters.

Our descent towards the glaacier.

As you can see it was a gorgeous, perfect day. The snow was still light and we had this part of the mountain to ourselves. This allowed me to scream "wooooooooo!!!" at the top of my lungs nearly all the way down the mountain.

My guides scoping out our next move.

Glacier d'Argentiere.

Further admiration of the glacier.

Our lines in fresh powder, courtesy of Agatha.

Mi first zipper... and my first big mistake.

2009-03-13T08:39:00.009+01:00

Here are the new pattern pieces for my next handbag. This style is slightly more structured than the previous style, and I will also complete three of the same. While making three of the same style might sound daunting, it allows me to work with different materials to familiarize myself with the behaviour of different types of leather. For this particular style I chose black leather (again), black suede (again), and red lambskin. When I use suede or a garment weight leather like the lambskin, I have to cut two of each pattern piece and glue an additional layer to each to give it more substance. This allows the leathers to pass through the machines without getting "mangiato = eaten" as I like to say.

The first stage of inserting a zipper is gluing the zipper to the salpa. I honestly had no idea how much "mastice," or glue, was involved in the process. Every single seam has glue on both parts. So for example, I will describe the seam where I apply the zipper. First I put mastice on the salpa and the fodera (lining) and glue them together. Then, I put mastice on the zipper and the salpa, and glue them together. You can see above there is a very specific angle in which you must turn the zipper in order to prevent it from being too visible when you open the pocket. In order to do this I had to re-mastice the zipper, applying glue to the end of the zipper tape and the salpa. I will add more photos later so you can see the final product of the zippered pocket.

And here we have it, my very first mistake. I think my head was elsewhere when my instructor Mao was walking me through this part of the process. Each bag has 2 of each of the pattern piece you see above, which make the "fianco," gusset, for the bags. Each piece required me to do the following: Cut 2 in leather, which actually meant 10 pieces in total, since the lamb and suede require that I cut double. Cut 2 of each in fodera (lining), 6 total. The suede and lamb requiring double thickness must be glued together with the "lattice" (spray glue machine). Then, all of the leather pieces must pass through the spaccatrice (to make them thinner and more pliable), then the scarnatrice (to trim the edges to prepare for rimbocare, wrapping). Then, the fodera and leather component must be glued together (with the mastice, not to be confused with the lattice spray glue). Finally I would cut the CORNER EDGES of the fodera and leather "preciso preciso" in order to prepare these pieces to properly attach to the other pieces of the bag.

Before I continue with the devastating turn of events, I want to pause to explain why the term "preciso preciso" is very important. When we begin to cut pattern pieces the patterns have a small margin of error built into them. Some of the pieces have two pattern pieces, the first to cut the materials, and the second to cut "preciso preciso". While all of the pattern pieces are cut from the same modello, there is a chance that after cutting the leather or the salpa of one of the bags, my hand or the material might slip caushing a 1mm, or 0.5mm deviation from the original. At each stage of the process, you begin to work more directly with the pieces you are cutting, rather than the pattern. As the bag progresses, you might make minor adjustments to the piece upon which you are working, while referring back to the modello only as a guide. When Mao tells me to cut "preciso preciso" it means to pay great attention to the pieces to make sure that the lining and leather, for example, are exactly the same, that there is no room for error and I have to take care to not make a mistake.

Well. Wouldn't you know it, while my head was in orbit, I accidentally cut the entire perimeter of every piece of the fianco, (which in hindsight, makes no sense, as this leaves no material to connect these pieces to the other components), instead of the CORNER EDGES ONLY. This meant that I had to repeat the entire process I outlined above. This was an entire half day of work and I was absolutely miserable, but this is my (second, if you've been following my blog regularly) gentle reminder to always focus on what I am doing. I promised myself I will not make the same mistake twice... or 12 times, as the case may be.

ACCIDENTI!

Planes, trains, and crossing borders.

2009-03-09T14:14:00.017+01:00

Last week I logged some serious mileage on my journey to meet my friends in Chamonix to go snowboarding. I took an overnight train from Firenze, and what you see in these photos is the ride through Martigny, Les Marecottes, Chatelard, Vallorcine, and Argentiere. The greatest thing about these trains is that everyone on them is a skiier (with the occasional snowboarder). It's the French version of the MTA to service the mountain towns.

The train ride is surreal, as it winds through the mountains it feels like you are going through a simulator.

The photos below are for those of you who have not had the unforgettable experience of flying over the Alps during a daytime flight, or for those of you who, like me, are on a connection from NY and at this point are either sleepwalking or sleeping. As beautiful as the ride was through the Alps by train, after a long week of riding I was anxious to get back home and the 1 hour flight (as opposed to the 10+ hours by train) was simply irresistible.

View from starboard.

View from port side.

Now that you've seen how I got there and back, check the next post to see how I spent my time there. For the record, for the first time in history, I was scanned in at the airport in Firenze. There is a one in a bazillion chance that it will happen, and it happened to me. I handed over my passport and smiled widely as the man behind the window asked if I had a visa, and if I was a resident of Firenze, to which I proudly answered yes to both questions. It is now time for me to once again give my heartfelt gratitude to the woman at the NY Consulate.

My fifth week of class

2009-02-24T14:11:00.006+01:00

I cannot remember the last time I did something with such concentration. If you have been following my blog or just look at the timeline of events, you do not need me to tell you that this is a very slow process. I had my moments of thinking, "there is no way I will be able to do this," and now, I cannot imagine my daily routine any other way.

Here are the interiors of the bags. You can see where I attached the magnetic snap closure, with salpa behind it, for reinforcement. I will spare you the details (I know you are not all aspiring handbag designers, after all) but trust me when I tell you that there were many small details between the photos I posted last week and this one. You can also see on my "carta" handwritten notes. These are Italian words and phrases I pick up throughout my day. At the end of the week, I transcribe them into a small notebook I've been carrying around with me.

This is the container that holds the infamous "mastice," glue. Under the blue cap there is a brush that we use to paint the glue onto the pieces. Leave it to the Italians to invent something so specific to get a task done. I had no idea before this how much glue was actually involved in the process. Nearly every seam where you see stitching has glue underneath it. You would never know it, because we have to apply it ever-so-carefully, and then remove any spots where it is visible after the edges are sewn. I officially retired my old container, on the right, for my brand spankin new one. You have no idea how much easier this is going to make my life. Every day would start with me using the "solvente" because my glue was becoming very thick and sticky, since there were cracks in the old container. Ahh.. the little joys in life.

Making the straps took me an entire day to complete, which translates into 6 hours of work. I repeated the process I outlined when I made the "portapassaporto" cases, painting, polishing, and re-painting the edges. These measure 80cm in length (please, do not ask me in inches, I am officially on the Metric system). Just know it's long enough to fit comfortably over your shoulder.

At last, the final product, my very first (three) handbags. I did them in all different weights and thicknesses of leather to feel the difference in constructing and sewing: veg-tanned black, chrome-tanned black, and black suede.

Adventures in Chianti and tales of a European car rental

2009-02-23T08:51:00.014+01:00

This is not a postcard.

The highlight of the wonderful week I spent with my mom was our journey into Chianti. We rented a car in the center, and upon the advice of my friends we drove towards Volpaia. There are apparently two Volpaia's in Italy, and of course our little GPS directed us to the "other" one. What you all must first understand is that it is impossible to drive in the historical center of Firenze. They have zones where cars cannot enter unless you have a special pass to do so, and if you do, you risk a heavy fine. Out of fear of crossing into this zone I ended up circling the area around the Cascine (the Florentine version of Central Park) four times, and then ended up on the Autostrada. Upon entering the Autostrada I knew immediately that we were not headed in the right direction, as our trip to Chianti was supposed to consist of winding roads through the countryside, not a 4 lane highway.

For those of you who know me well, you know the story I am about to tell you is very typical me. My friend sent me to have a nice lunch at the Osteria del Volpaia, upon arrival in Volpaia with our stomachs rumbling, we find that everything is closed. Everything. This is, we later learn, a combination of it being "ferie" (holiday, isn't it always) and that high season begins in March, which means everyone is on their own schedule and open when they feel like it.

We drive along into Radda, a medieval village where everything is closed, and stumble upon a restaurant. I run through the open door in desperation and say "aperto?" and this kind young man says, "yes, come in!" My mom points out that the restaurant says closed and that their hours are until 2PM. We arrive at 3:30. He later explains to me that he was having his friends over for lunch and he could not turn my mom and I away at the door. He prepared our meal while he enjoyed his, with his friends. We had eggplant lasagna, filetto di manzo con funghi porcini, and gnocci with gorgonzola - mom's favorite.
Of course it didn't end there. Creme brulee (we ate it too quickly for it to be photographed but believe me, it was delicious) and left to right: acqua naturale, cafe doppio, Bailey's, Italian grappa, Austrian red grappa, Bailey's, red wine (Chianti, in case I needed to state the obvious!)

We got back into Firenze at 6:50, right before Avis was closing and just before the zone is open to people without permits. I am fairly certain that I crossed into the "zone" at about 6:58PM, but I guess I will find out if and when my Avis bill arrives in the mail.. but knowing the Italians, I am fairly certain I have nothing to worry about.

Morning routine

2009-02-20T09:21:00.007+01:00

It's cold here in Firenze. This morning as I set out for my run it was -1 degree Celsius. Right now it has risen to 0 degrees, which is 32 degrees Farenheit. I only converted that one for you because it's easy. While this might seem warm to my fellow New Yorkers, the humidity here is at a constant 60% at the very least, which makes it feel frigid. And yes, the conversions are just about killing me. I am getting used to it, though. In fact, I have officially joined the camp that believes that the entire world should run on the Metric system.

As I set out across the Ponte Alle Grazie the sun had just begun to rise over the hills.

Running along with the Ponte Vecchio, to my right...

I run over the river and towards the Piazzale Michelangelo. This is about a quarter of the way up.

View from the Piazza. So imagine, every day is the same scenario: me, maybe one other runner who is usually American, and at least three buses full of Japanese tourists. I have no doubt that I make regular appearances in their photos.

This morning I was feeling adventurous so I continued on farther into the hills...

... and farther into the hills

After a bit of downhill action (all the while I am thinking... I need trail runners to do this kind of running), I finally arrived at the Palazzo Pitti...

...and headed home over the Ponte Vecchio. For those of you who either live here or have been to Firenze, you know that the only time you can see the Ponte Vecchio like this is before 9AM. Even at 3AM this bridge is filled with people.

My workout does not end there! Don't forget I live on the top floor of my building, so after climbing 7 flights of stairs with my heart in my hand... I finally arrive home to start my day. This all occurs hours before the Italians have even thought of getting out of bed.

My fourth week of class and "Accidenti!"

2009-02-15T08:42:00.009+01:00

First I would like all of you to please note (as if somehow you could've missed this), the new bright green covering on my trincetto. It is magical.. and I like the way it looks.

Things are getting very technical now, so I will try my best to explain the process to you without intentionally confusing or boring you. What you see in the photo above is the "salpa" for what will become my first handbag, which is a clutch. The curve on the right hand side will wrap around to meet the underside of the straight edge on the left, in an envelope-style.

The first part of this process is cutting the pattern pieces in 2 different thicknesses of "salpa". Black "grosso" which is thick, and regular black. "Salpa" is not a lining, it is the material on the interior (usually found under the lining) that gives the pieces structure. I had to slice the pieces as you see above according to the markings on the patterns. Then, I had to slice the edges of the curved cuts, "scarnice". This involves holding the (pretty bright green) trincetto at about a 45 degree angle against the marble. I have to create a smooth sloping edge, almost down to zero, which will make the seam where the two pieces of salpa meet almost non-existent. We do this so you do not see these seams through the leather from the outside of the bag. Even though there will be "gomma piuma," (a layer of foam) covering this, these are subtle lines that you will see if you have a trained eye or if you look closely.

I attached the lightweight salpa to the heavy black salpa and removed that band of black that was holding them together. I had to "scarnire" (here's a word that doesn't really exist in English, it's the verb for what I explained to you above) all of the edges where the brown salpa meets the black. Again, we do this so you cannot feel the seam where these pieces meet. Having the lightweight salpa allows the bag to move more freely and fluidly. If it were one piece of black salpa holding the bag together, it would be rigid, and over time the bag would probably fall apart as the salpa would crack or bend due to having too much stress on one continuous piece. These pieces are kind of like hidden joints for the bag. I cut all of the lining and leather for the three bags I will complete in this style, and this is where I left off on Friday.

Class is not just about cutting linings and sewing leather. In the course of four weeks (I know what you are thinking and I also cannot believe I have already been here for a month), I have learned so much more than technical skills. Here are some of this week's highlights.

"Accidenti!"

This is a word that is used very frequently in Italy, especially in the classroom, and I can imagine frequently around any jobs that involve manual labor. This word prompted an hour-long conversation about another word, "intercalare".

"Accidenti" does not have a definition, it is used either in a sentence among other words or as an exclamation to express some kind of frustration or unexpected result. "Intercalare" means literally "to insert between other things, or to interpose," which is what you do with "accidenti" in conversation.

Some examples:

I am sewing my samples and the machine suddenly decides to go double speed, causing me to sew too many stitches on a sample. "Accidenti!"

I am complaining about how I finished an entire package of grancereale the day before (grancereale: granola cookies that are officially banned from my apartment) and my professore shows up to class with a package of grancereale to share with the class. "Accidenti!"

I make an appointment with Vodafone at 9AM to fix my internet service and I arrive at the store to find that they open at 10AM. "Accidenti!"

Note: These are all real instances where "accidenti" was used.

Since this is my new favorite word, and it is most frequently heard around the sewing machine, we decided to name the sewing machine we use in the classroom "Acci," short for "Accidenti."

Vini Sfusi

2009-02-15T07:57:00.008+01:00

Every day I stumble upon another concept I want to bring back home and for some reason find myself saying, "why doesn't someone do this in NY?" Promise me, fellow readers, that if one of you does this you will at least credit me as your inspiration to do so. And if someone out there knows of a place that does this in the U.S. please let me know.

There is a small cantina around the corner from my apartment, owned by a charming husband and wife (obviously). They sell "vini sfusi" as well as many other bottled wines from all over Italy. So here is the routine: I bring an empty wine bottle and select my wine(s) from a list of about 30. They bottle wines from Toscana, Piemonte, Trentino, Venezia, Campania, Puglia and Sicilia. They fill the bottle directly from the barrel and cork it. Then they write a nice little hand-written tag and hang it on the bottle with twine.

So far I've had the Montelpulciano, Montalcino, Nebbiolo, and Nero D'Avola. I cannot choose a favorite, they are all great.

The story doesn't end there. Now that I am a loyal customer, every time I pass them on the street they want to know if I enjoyed the wine I selected the evening before, how the party was... how my chicken dish turned out... if everyone had fun... what's on the menu for the next party... how school is going. Such is life in Italy.

My fourth week of class

2009-02-08T10:09:00.009+01:00

Here it is, my very first real object, "portaocchiali," eyeglass case.

Each case consists of six pieces, two sets of each: pelle (leather), fodera (lining), and gomma (foam interior). These all have separate modelli (patterns). Once I cut the pieces (with the trancetto!) I had to run the leather through the "spaccatrice" which decreases the thickness of the leather. Then I had to use the "scarnatrice" which cuts it even thinner, but only around the perimeter of the entire piece. This prepares the edges of the skin, making it easier to wrap around the fodera.

Next I glue the foam to the lining, only on the corners, and then glue the lining to the leather. While this sounds easy I can assure you that it's not and I made several mistakes. You have to be very careful where you put the mastice (glue). You cannot put too much and you have to put just enough. You just have to instinctively know how much to put, although Mao always does one for me to show me how it's done. If you don't put enough the pieces do not stay together. If you put too much you run the risk of seeing the glue through the leather.

Next step is "rimbocare" which is one of those words that does not have an exact translation in English. It literally means "to wrap the edges". This is the most frequently used word throughout our day. The edges have to be just right, in fact, every corner has to be cut at a 45 degree angle so the edges can be wrapped properly. Not only does the angle of the leather have to be at 45 degrees, but the actual cut itself, the slice with the trincetto, must also be done at this angle. This removes excess bulk that would otherwise be present when you wrap the corners.

I know this might be technical so those of you who can't follow that... just trust me when I say it's a lot of work! And others (hello HD-FUR) will know exactly what I'm talking about.

These are not quite complete, but I think you get the idea. I stitched down the top, this is the area that will be visible, so the lining inside had to be perfect. I used shoe cream to remove excess mastice (glue) as you will see the lining at the opening of the case. Then, I pulled the loose ends of the "filo" (thread) inside, glued those down, and attached the two completed pieces of the case. Last but not least, I stitched the remaining three sides to complete the porta occhiali. Ten times!

Next project: Porta passaporto. To hold my passport which has my nice shiny pretty little visa (thank you consulate woman, again). I told you things are moving quickly now! This involves a couple of the same steps as the porta occhiali, but I was introduced to some new machines during this process. One machine called the "fustella" is used to cut precise pieces, which I used to cut those small flap pieces you see above. It's kind of like a cookie cutter for leather. Wouldn't life be peachy if you could just put the leather and the lining together and stick it in this machine to do all of the work for you? There are a lot of steps of preparation before taking the pieces to the machine. I had to cut the pattern pieces of the fodera and pelle, and then run the two edges of the flap that will be sewn into a seam through the spaccatrice and scarnitrice so they will sew nicely. Then, I put them in this machine to get a really nice clean cut.

A particular object (borsa/bag, portafoglio/wallet, portaocchiali) will have a metal pattern piece (die) cut for it if it will have a production run. The school makes these cases constantly.

Another new machine I used on this project was the "lattice" which applies a different type of glue. It is more like a spray gun, and it applies an even thin coat of glue. I attached the fodera (lining) to the pelle (leather) that will make up the body of the case with this. This particular design needs to be more flexible as it will be opened and closed frequently, therefore, the glue must also be flexible to enable the movement.

This is where I left off on Friday evening. I am in the process of painting the edges of the flaps that will be visible in the case. Of course, this like anything else, had many stages of preparation. I painted it once with the metal point tool you see on the right, and then had to put the pieces through the "scartatrice" which makes the edges "liscio," smooth. Then I applied another layer of black "pintura" (paint) very carefully, as this stuff is not easy to remove from the leather once it is applied.

Abetone

2009-02-07T09:55:00.015+01:00

Abetone: 1940m, vertical drop: 500m, longest run 3.5km. Central Italia, close to Pistoia, part of the Appenine mountain range.

As you can see, blue bird skies... it was a gorgeous day.

Wee... that's me!

Ours don't exactly look like this over on the east coast.

Apres ski Italian style: Birra Moretti and grappa.

My fellow east coast riders, help me out on this one. Does this system exist in the US anywhere? Here, your lift ticket is a magnetic card that you put in an exterior pocket, and you walk up to the gates when you are entering the lift. It automatically scans it and opens it to let you on the lift, which is, by the way, a moving rubber carpet type contraption, instead of piles of slush and ice and a man who has to shovel all day. We do love our lifties, though, so I am not suggesting that we get rid of them.

La casa mia, and laundry day

2009-02-07T09:45:00.001+01:00

This is my new building, and behind the two top windows you will find my adorable new apartment. It is a little bit of a climb, but the exercise is great, and the rewards are tons of light and a great rooftop view. Moving in was... interesting. Thankfully, I had a dear friend (thank you, Jordan), to drag my belongings up 7 flights of stairs. Let me take this opportunity to remind you that I sent a duffle, snowboard, and an entire suitcase devoted to just my shoes. And by shoes I mean 2 pairs of motorcycle boots, 3 pairs of brown boots at all different levels of distressing, and 3 or 4 of the chosen pairs of sneakers and then some...

You can see the top of the Duomo from my window.

This perfect "monolocale" came to me by way of a friend of a friend, of a friend. Isn't this always the case in Italy? "Monolocale" is what the Italians call a studio. Mine is a duplex with the bed situated upstairs. There are two small downsides to this. Since I am on the top floor my ceilings are slanted because it's the roof. While this is charming, I cannot stand up straight when I get out of bed without risking a concussion. I have perfected the art of walking with my torso at a 45 degree angle, and sometimes when I am downstairs I find myself doing it there too. Downside number two is the staircase you see in the photo above.

Of course learning how to maneuver myself to get around my apartment was only one lesson in Italian living. It took me at least 5 days to figure out the light switches, and don't think for a second a day goes by without me accidentally opening the front door to the building while I am trying to turn off my reading lamp. For any of you that have traveled to Italy you know what a treasure hunt it can be to find the light switch, lever or pedal for the sink, and the flusher for the toilet. As you are just about to press the button you are praying to yourself that you are not alerting some emergency fire system... in Austria. Because well, you just would not put it past the Italians to have some kind of foreign alert system set up in the bathroom of the small cafe on your corner. But the light switch probably doesn't work anyway, because the guy who changes the light bulbs is on a semi-permanent lunch break, and the 'bathroom light bulb store' decided to close early today, or doesn't sell light bulbs for the bathroom at all.

I decided to post photos of laundry day because I think it's funny and it also gives you a tour of my apartment. So much laundry had piled up that upon arrival I was anxious to do it. I was so excited to see my little lavatrice in the bathroom that I did all of my laundry without realizing that I did not have the proper drying racks.

This is the upstairs, the bed is to the left. Those are my jeans, which took 4 days to dry. Tank tops are averaging 2.5 days, and my sweatshirts should be dry by April.

The drying rack you see is the one and only. Obviously not enough for the amount of laundry I will be doing. The kitchen with the essentials: a bottle of Montelpulciano, and the stove-top coffee maker. And my socks.

Preview to my fourth week of class

2009-02-06T01:02:00.004+01:00

I know, I know, I can also not believe I am already on my fourth week of class. This is the preview of what I've been doing. I promise I won't let a week go by without updating you, unless of course something unforeseen happens with my internet service or if I skip town to go snowboarding again... oh right! Abetone. I went snowboarding since you last heard from me. I promise to fill you in shortly.

Bacio from Italia.

My third week of class

2009-02-05T09:14:00.015+01:00

This is a little overdue so I hope you will forgive me. I was without internet service for a few days. Rough, I know, but I survived with snowboard and fashion magazines, my blackberry, and TV Moda - fashion TV in Italian with some blurbs in English.

In the meantime there are a few things I would like to mention.

1. I received the receipt of my "permesso di soggiorno," which I have been told is pretty much the same as receiving the actual permesso. Of course after the whole ordeal I had to go through with the consulate I was shaking in my boots when I approached the woman at the post office with my application. Mind you, this application was nearly impossible to complete. There were corresponding charts that corresponded to charts that corresponded to tables that corresponded to charts that basically all said the same thing. I filled it out, and like a good little Italian-in-training, I went armed with copies of copies of copies of copies with the original and a sealed original of every document on hand. When I handed in my papers the woman behind the desk asked me "is this your first time appearing here" (giving me a look of... well this is certainly not going to be your last, if it is) to which I responded "yes" and she thumbed through everything, said, "wow, brava, you completed everything perfectly," and after paying 72.40 Euro (where they came up with this number beats me) and 22.30 Euro for the special stamp for the paperwork which you have to obviously buy somewhere else, she handed me a receipt for my permesso. She told me what I had already been told: the permesso (permit to stay) will most likely arrive to my Italian residence after I am already home in the U.S. Of course it will, would I expect any differently?

2. After nearly burning my apartment down twice, I finally learned how to use a stove-top coffee machine. I know this is supposed to be elementary but it really was not easy especially since I couldn't google it. After two pots of dirty water I finally succeeded although the whole canister is permanently covered in white plastic, since the garbage bag melted onto it... yeah. I will leave it at that. It does taste good, though.

After an interesting trip to Vodafone where they made me pay in cash for my internet service, I now have it up and running and am ready to fill you in on my third week of school. Yes, school, remember that?

This, my friends, is the sewing machine. There are two in the school, and this is more violent than the one upon which I learned. The pretty little samples you see below took me awhile to complete (remember, there are 30 of each model) because every time I put my foot down on the pedal it would go about 100mph. I have to learn how to "pump" the pedal instead of keeping my foot down, which sounds a lot easier than it actually is. Every time I mess up, I laugh uncontrollably and without fail, someone in the class brings me food.. chocolate, a wafter, or cafe, because they know it makes me concentrate. I know how to sew clothing on home and industrial machines but it is very different. I can imagine it to be like driving the same SUV for 10 years and then switching to a sports car... with no brakes.

Almost all of you sent me personal messages expressing concern over the trincetto. Thank you very much for your overwhelming concern but guess what... I had already sliced my finger and I consider it my initiation. You will be happy to know that I came up with a new system to protect my finger. It's a nice little piece of black lambskin and it works wonders. It takes the pressure off and makes the pain a little more bearable.

This was my very first official cut of lambskin for my first official project. What you see is a pattern piece (labelled "pelle" for leather) laid out on the leather and the weight that holds it down while I cut with the trincetto. I promise I will not let another full week go by without filling you in... things are going very quickly now!

Workwear, Stazione Leopolda

2009-02-03T21:44:00.011+01:00

On my way to Vintage Selection (more on this in a moment) I stumbled upon Workwear, an exhibition at the Stazione Leopolda. This Stazione was built in 1841 as a railroad station that was later converted into a maintenance shop for rolling stock. Today it is only used for exhibitions and fashion shows but maintains its original structure and architecture. "Workwear" featured 300 work suits ranging from fireproof suits in multilayered fiber to diving suits, from space suits to firemen's uniforms, from fishermen's suits to nurse's uniforms.

The clothing and protective accessories were displayed on freight pallets, and wood and metal workbenches. What I found most interesting about the exhibition is a. there was no publicity for it whatsoever anywhere in Firenze or online, and b. the interaction of the materials with the space. This place is incredible and the photos do not do it justice. I regret that I did not take more, but am thankful that I did not get kicked out for taking the ones that I did.

The purpose of the project is to illustrate how functional aesthetics of work clothes, developed to move with the body and protect it, continue to provide an endless source of fashion inspiration. It was so appropriate then, to walk next door and visit the 42 vintage shops that set up shop...

My stomping grounds

2009-01-29T19:28:00.011+01:00

I know you are all dying to know what I've been doing at school but that will have to wait until tomorrow.. in the meantime I thought I'd give you a little tour of my neighborhood.
This is my backyard, Santa Croce. Today as you can see the sun was shining, for the first time since I've been here. It does look so much nicer with a blue backdrop.
One of the best parts about living in the Santa Croce area is having the Mercato di Sant'Ambrogio just steps away from the apartment. This is the inside where you will find several macellerie (butchers). I buy my tacchino (turkey) and prosciutto (I try to only buy it once a week) from the same people every other day. And every time, they compliment my Italian. I think they are used to Americans who can only say "ciao" (no offense, but it does make me look better!)
Outside, there are stalls with fruit and vegetable vendors. I try to go before school starts so I can have the best selection. I noticed by midday they are always out of bananas.
Monday when I went to the market, I bought the following: a head of lettuce, a head of radicchio, a cucumber that turned out to be rotten so that guy is blacklisted from selling me veggies from now on, 2 yellow peppers, 3 tomatoes, 3 apples, a bunch of bananas, and 3 pears, all for 10 Euro (which is a little under $15). That might buy my peppers and an apple at Gristedes or D'Ags!

My second week of class

2009-01-26T23:41:00.003+01:00

This is it, folks. 6 hours and a massive blister later. I know I will have more to show by Friday. I got a sneak peak at what Uki was working on today and she's a little bit ahead of me!

Fiera del cioccolato

2009-01-26T22:28:00.004+01:00

Welcome to my new backyard, Piazza Santa Croce. Saturday morning I went to get pane (bread) at the forno (bakery) next door to the apartment, and could not resist the temptation of the aroma of fresh hot chocolate that lured me in. I executed some self control and only bought a handful of albicocche (apricots) dipped in milk chocolate. Of course I went back Sunday, thankfully, with only 3 euro in my pocket. I had Sacher, a type of chocolate torte with apricot marmelade inside, and hot chocolate poured on top. Scrumptious. Of course it was massive (embarrassed to say about 6' square) and I licked the plate clean... and then balanced it out with a salad for dinner.

The Italians don't mess around, but you don't need me to tell you this. Their version of a chocolate fair is a minimum of 50 of the best of the best chocolate experts from all around the country that come to show off their fine tuned delights. Thousands will gather to indulge on chocolate but most stop by for the free samples, which were plentiful. Thankfully, the fair ended yesterday... which trust me, is really for the better.

My first week of class

2009-01-24T18:30:00.007+01:00

This is my set of tools. "Martello" hammer, "trincetto" knife, "bastone" stick. I have two injuries after my first week, I sliced my left finger when I was daydreaming and cutting at the same time, and a blister on my right hand from holding the trincetto so tightly, and cutting 180 pieces.Okay so here's the deal. I have to cut 30 pieces of each model. Yes, thirty. So here you have 30 "salpa" which are the cardboard, glued to 30 pieces of leather. Which, if you do the math, means I cut 60 pieces of this particular model. I had to do 3 different models, which is 180 pieces in total.

This model is to perfect the 90 degree angle cuts...

And this one is to practice with rounded corners.

You have no idea how long it took me to get this right. You are looking at a pattern piece that represents what is often used in the interiors of handbags to give them shape. The "carta," cardboard, comes in different thicknesses depending on how much structure you want the object or bag to have. In order to get to this step I had to trim all of the edges of the pieces that I had glued together, cutting so all edges have a 45 degree angle so they will attach neatly to the cardboard. The corner is achieved by "gathering" the leather, and using the needle-like tool to carefully glue them down to the cardboard.

The next step after gluing them together is wrapping the edges like this. But that requires another day and a half of work, as you have to re-glue the edges to fold them down. And it doesn't end here. Next week I stitch the perimeter of every single one of these! When I finish doing an exercise (in this case, all 30 pieces), I say "ho fatto," meaning "I did it," so my instructor can walk me through the next project.

What have I learned so far... After doing something 30 times you really do get it right. It is best to take your time and go "piano, piano," which is "very slowly", so you do it right the first time and do not have to re-do it again. And... master craftsmanship really does take time, concentration, and above all, patience.

My classroom

2009-01-24T17:08:00.004+01:00

I will spend 75% of my time in the chair you see above. The other 25% of my time will be spent standing in front of the chair, as I must stand to cut. We are 5 students in total and we all work around the same table. Uki sits across from me, she is from Indonesia. Tet is from Singapore and is the only male student. Rita, from Spain, is next to me when she is not doing her "stage" upstairs in the afternoons. Sandra sits next to her and is Portuguese but grew up in Switzerland. Finally, Miri is from China. Our "maestro" is from Japan.

This is my workstation. Gluing is done directly on the "marma," marble, so it can be scraped off easily. Cutting is done on "carta," cardboard, so you can easily maneuver the pieces and so your knife edge doesn't get too blunt. The containers you see with blue tops are "mastice," glue, there is a brush hidden underneath the blue top which keeps it from drying out when you are not using it. There have been a few instances where I was gluing for 3 hours at a time, and ended up laughing uncontrollably, so already everyone laughs whenever they see me re-filling my "mastice." You can also see the handbag patterns hanging on the wall.

La Scuola del Cuoio

2009-01-24T17:06:00.003+01:00

This is the courtyard of the Scuola di Cuoio. On the left you can see the door and window pictured below.

La porta, the entrance to the classroom. The school is in a converted monastery located behind La Chiesa di Santa Croce.

La vita fiorentina.

2009-01-24T11:01:00.002+01:00

I would like to dedicate the introduction to my life in Firenze to the lovely and charming woman at the NY consulate. Grazie mille, Signora whomever-you-are, for making the journey here so difficult. The airlines would also like to extend their gratitude as they made three times the profit on the fees for the flight changes. The real reason I want to thank you is because the victory of obtaining my visa was that much sweeter when it was finally pasted into my passport. I smile every time I look at it, and think of you, Signora whomever-you-are, whenever I do.

In the process of obtaining my visa I learned some very important lessons for anyone who plans to relocate to Italy. Lesson number one is to divulge as little information as possible, and do so only when asked, in Italian whenever possible. Lesson number two is bring 20 copies of every document that has even the slightest relevance to your existence. 10 of these copies should be notarized and you should always have the original in your back pocket. I promise you that there will be, without a doubt, a document missing that will take you a minimum of 4 weeks to obtain in order to complete the application. And the prettier and more official you can make your document the better luck you will have. Don't make any plane reservations whatsoever and allow at least 2 more months than you think you will need. Take a deep breath before you walk through the door during the 3 hour window of time they might decide to be open on any given day, and best of luck if you run into the woman I did. But this is all a faint memory now as I settle into my second week of life in this beautiful city I now call home (well, kind of... until I get my permesso di soggiorno.)