The Cabbie-- A Heritage Tote Bag.

Die at the Helm is now making a Cabbie Tote Bag from waxed cotton with a reinforced bottom and leather handles at the top.

Handcrafted using heritage materials, this bag will suit the workday as well as the special occasion with its classic style.

The detailing on this hand bag includes antiqued-brass rivets and a contrasting tan industrial thread.

Crafted from rugged, weather-resistant waxed-cotton with leather base and handles. The center of each handle has been re-enforced with a small amount of drapery cord. The inside of the tote is lined with a brown water resistant coated Nylon.

The bag is lightweight but durable and will fold over to reduce in size. It is  3.5" wide, 10" across, and 17" tall when fully open.

These bags are sewn in Portland, Or and are available on Etsy and at the Workhouse in Bend, Or.

Of Another Color.

Die at the Helm's herringbone design t-shirt is now available in white.

This design can currently be found Tender Loving Empire with prewashed sweat-shop free tshirts from Alternative Apparel.

These shirts have been printed with a bronze colored water-based ink. On the back lower left hand corner is the Die at the Helm logo and tagline.

These shirts are also available by custom request.

The House that Work Built

The Workhouse is a studio space and boutique in the Old Ironworks District of Bend, Oregon. The Workhouse boasts eight separate studios and a front retail space. The original wooden beams tower over the work spaces with light seeping in from the enormous front windows and exposed brick lining the walls.

The Workhouse opened in March of 2012 and is curated by Cari Dolyniuk. Cari is pictured here with her custom Workhouse brand scarf. She is also collaborating on Workhouse artist drawing kits and canvas tote bags.

Currently the Workhouse carries Die at the Helm waxed cotton handbags, nylon messenger minis, and buffalo leather wallets. Hand illustrated and silk-screened shirts from Die at the Helm are also available in the boutique.

The Governor Calling.

 

Boy's Fort is a "men's lifestyle home store" located in downtown Portland on the corner of SW 9th and Morrison Street.

The store is well curated and I am thrilled to be there along side Wooly Bison and McPherson Goods. 

 The Die at the Helm waxed cotton and leather wallets are available at Boy's Fort for $26.00

These handmade billfolds have been sewn with a sturdy industrial thread. The wallets are made from dark brown buffalo leather and a medium-weight waxed cotton. The billfold measures approximately 4" by 3.25" and fits right into your back pocket.

Waxed cotton is a waterproof cotton that will change in color as it wears. The leather will develop a Patina and also wear well with use.

The Die at the Helm waxed cotton lunch sacks are also now available at Boy's Fort. They are retailing for $36.00

Hand Drawn Herringbone.

Herringbone is a pattern that is distinctively V-shaped.

It is distinguished from a plain chevron by a reversal in directions.

Die at the Helm is now offering tshirts with a herringbone design has been hand illustrated.

  The herringbone pattern has a historical context. It dates back to Ancient Roman architecture and is commonly found in masonry, parquetry and textiles. The pattern resembles the bone structure of herring fish.

Herringbone cloth, made from horsehair, has been found in Ireland dating from possibly as early as the arrival of Celtic people on the island.

Carried. Packed. Paper Bagged. Sacked.

  The Haydon Tote:

A simple little lunch tote with a front buckle. 

Die at the Helm is now stitching reusable lunch sacks constructed from scrap leather and waxed cotton. They are lined with a water-proof Nylon. 

It has been stitched with a warm brown thread and the side seams are re-enforced inside with a black Nylon trim.

The front has a silver 1/2" buckle. There is one brass rivet in the front leather piece and one as well securing the back leather strap to the bag.

The bag measures approximately 6" wide by 8" high and 3" deep when closed. The top "roll down" section of material is 5" long

These bags are available on Etsy or by special request.

Roll down. Roll out. Lunch time is looking good.

An Expanding Set.

Die at the Helm is expanding its set of possibilities. 

  
 New for this winter of 2012/2013 are handmade leather and waxed cotton billfolds.

These wallets have a long inside pocket for your cash and two parallel diagonal pockets for your cards.

These simple slim buffalo hide billfolds are available at the Workhouse in Bend, Or.

 

They are also available on Etsy. And of course they pair well with the Die at the Helm handbags.

Intensities in Hues

A smidgen darker and a bit muted. It’s still red.

Oxblood.

Oxblood, with its hints of brown and cranberry, complements the more traditional tone of the leather. This waxed cotton bag was made in Portland, Or. The base and handles of this handbag are made from a buffalo leather. Buffalo leather is tanned using traditional methods and does not require the use of highly toxic chemicals.

 

This bag is 3" wide, 13" across, and 14" tall (not including the roll down top).

The top rolls down 9.5" in order to complement the waterproof nature of the fabric used. Waxed cotton is cotton impregnated with a paraffin based wax and then woven into cloth fabric.

The handles measure 28" long and are secured with small rivets. 

This bag was stitched on an old cast-iron Singer sewing machine with a thick contrasting tan thread.

All of the waxed cotton bags are available by special request.

Die at the Helm in Echo Park

Die at the Helm's collaboration with Zack Barbery was spotted in Los Angeles. 

Husband and wife design partners Steve Nasker and Charlotte Stone were featured in kneelandmercado.com for their Macramé Palapa Lounge Chairs. 

These amazing plywood chairs with macramé rope are made in Echo Park, LA.

Die at the Helm's classic Cruiser shirt fits right in at the studio of Pacific Wonderland, Inc.

A Darker Shade. Unfurled.

A Darker Shade of Waxed Cotton.

Each of the leather and waxed cotton handbags has emerged with a distinct personality.

This particular bag has been stitched with a strikingly darker shade of olive and contrasting tan thread.

The leather from this section of the buffalo hide has a lot of ridges and texture. It compliments well the darker forest-inspired shades of this batch of waxed cotton.

The height of this bag is 15" with a full 9" fabric to roll down and securely protect the contents inside.

Custom orders for Die at the Helm handbags are available.

"Van Off!" the Eighties VS the Seventies

Love.

Will Tear Us Apart.

...we're changing our ways,
Taking different roads...

The 2012 Die at the Helm's collaboration with Portland based musician and illustrator Zack Barbery.

In the left corner: 2.0 liter air-cooled horizontally opposed, 4 cylinder engine

Vanagon (a contraction of "van" & "station wagon").

The one grill at the front of the van is not for cooling the air intake but instead functions as an interior ventilation system. A pair of single round headlights are on opposite sides of the grill. This one-grill look distinguishes all of the air cooled Vanagons from 1980 till 1983, when the air cooled Vanagons were discontinued.

In the right corner: Type 2 "Splitie" bus.

The most noticeable difference in the body styles is a shift from a round vehicle to a very square, sharp edged look of the Vanagon body. These changes mimicked the cultural changes happening in the society.

The social experiments and burgeoning environmental movement of the seventies gave way to the rise of corporate hostile takeovers and leverage buyouts of the eighties.

Waxed Cotton and Buffalo Leather Handbag

Waxed Cotton and Buffalo Leather Handbag

Die at the Helm has created a new waxed cotton and leather handbag using an environmentally friendly leather. Buffalo leather is typically tanned using traditional methods. It does not use the highly toxic chemicals found in modern tanning practices.

Smoking the hide at the end of the tanning practice keeps the leather resistant to moths, preserves the fibers and allows the leather to stay soft and pliable even if it becomes wet.

The top of this bag fold downs and is 7 inches in height when unrolled. The inside is lined with a brown Cordura to increase the bag's durability and weather-proofing.

 Four rivets on each handle securely attach the leather strap to the body of the bag. The inside seam is lined with a Nylon trimming.


Buffalo leather "grain" is more pronounced, and the fibers are thicker and more widely-spaced which results in a softer, more durable leather.

Don't Be Empty Handed!

little BIKEASAURUS gets new (proper sized) digs!

SE Hawthorne & 17th

Bikesaurus will reopen June 13th with a fresh stock of Die at the Helm messenger bags.

Baby's in blue!

This small shoulder bag has 2 front pockets to help you stay organized.

A lovely vintage fabric lines the inside of the bag.

 "...whatever you wish to keep, you better grab it fast..."

This brown small messenger bag screen-printed with a gold track bike is now also in stock.

The front flap is held shut by Velcro to best adjust to how much or little you want to carry with you.

Baby's in black!

This small shoulder bag is made from black and gray Vinyl. It is lined with a vintage fabric and has a seat-belt strap. A white track bike has been embroidered on the front.

"All your seasick sailors, they are rowing home
Your empty handed armies, are all going home."