Obiandoli Artisan Bags
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Hi there! My name is Laura, and Obiandoli (say oh-bee-AN-doe-lee) is a combination of my parents' surnames. It seemed a fitting name, since my parents were directly responsible for my love of sewing, fabrics, design and creativity. They opened a fabric remnant shop in 1950 and, over the next 40 years, grew it into the largest fabric and design center in northern NJ. My older brother continued the tradition with a to-the-trade-only design center in Naples, FL. Much of my collection comes from his retirement in 2013 - I inherited most of his showroom stock.
I started making bags somewhere around 2009 or 10 - and had an Etsy shop called LauraOhDesigns. One of my original bags was featured in a book called Seaside Home - I think that was 2012. Since I have such a large collection of fabric samples and swatches - putting them to good use making messenger bags, purses and totes was just a natural thing to do - and Obiandoli just seemed like the perfect name for the new shop.
Every bag that I create is unique and original, and I rarely use a pattern. Creating bags this way results in colors and textures you won’t find anywhere else. Sometimes I create "Frankenfabric" and then decide on which bag design to use - and sometimes it just happens piece by piece. By using fabric samples, I give new life to beautiful textiles while creating eco-friendly original bags, full of personality. I do use a pattern for the two-zipper wristlets - sometimes you just can't improve on a great pattern. Those are made using the Sunshine Wristlet pattern by Bagstock. If I use other patterns, credit is given to the designer in the descriptions.
Thank you for supporting hand-made, and thank you for supporting small-batch, sustainable craftsmanship at Obiandoli!