Roo the Leather Carver | Handtooled Leather Crafted in the UK

Our 100% leather handbags are all handcrafted by us.

Scroll through the galleries below to see a selection of our handbags. If you click on an image, you can view the full picture, the name of the handbag and some information about it. Unfortunately, we don't always get time to take really good photographs of our work because we've not got a photo studio set up in the workshop yet, but that should change in the future. Until then you will have to bear with the scruffy background of our workshop or stall!

Mythical Creature Handbags:

"Saoirse" dragon carved handbag This dragon is named Saoirse (pronounced seer-sha) which means freedom. She is one of our favourite dragons to carve and paint because she fills the handbag beautifully. This example has been painted in a metallic green and teal palette with hints of purple to be seen when it catches the light. The knotwork base is called Nawfar. £135
"Saoirse" dragon carved handbag This dragon is named Saoirse (pronounced seer-sha) which means freedom. She is one of our favourite dragons to carve and paint because she fills the handbag beautifully. This example has been painted in a metallic green and teal palette with hints of purple to be seen when it catches the light. The knotwork base is called Nawfar. £135
Saoirse the dragon Saoirse is painted here with a silver accent and metallic colours varying from turquoise through to indigo. Tiny scales have been subtly picked out on her body which catch the light as the bag moves. £135
Saoirse the dragon Saoirse is painted here with a silver accent and metallic colours varying from turquoise through to indigo. In this image you can see more clearly the tiny scales have been subtly picked out on her body which catch the light as the bag moves. £135
"Saoirse" dragon carved handbag Saoirse is painted here with a silver accent and metallic colours varying from turquoise through to indigo. Tiny scales have been subtly picked out on her body which catch the light as the bag moves. In this example the lacing has been done in blue which is not always possible so please ask. £135
Herensuge the dragon This version of Herensuge is painted in silver and metallic purple with a complimentary knotwork (Pippa) on the lower part of the bag.
Herensuge the Dragon carved hand This dragon is called Herensuge after a dragon in Basque mythology. Here, Herensuge is painted black with golden hints before being dyed a mahogany colour. The knotwork on the base is called "Florence" £120
Aengus This dragon, which we have named Aengus, makes a bold statement in gold and silver here with a complimentary knotwork on the base. £120. You can choose any colourway If you would prefer to just have Aengus on the flap with no knotwork, this bag costs only £100.
Pegasus This leather handbag has a magnificent carved pegasus on the flap and a dainty knot surrounding the clasp at the bottom. Painted in a pearlescent white with metallic purple highlights on an antique black dyed base, this handbag really does stand out. Why not change the colour of the highlights to your favourite colour? This one looks especially good with gold and silver highlights on the wings, mane and tail instead of the purple. £120

Celtic Knotwork Handbags:

Handbag Aedus knotwork Handbag The pattern on this handbag is called Aedus which is a Gaelic name meaning fire. To compliment the name I have painted the knotwork in this example in golds and reds and it has been dyed a rich brown colour. £125 This bag would look beautiful in many colour-ways and we think the base knotwork would really lend itself to having one of our dragons carved on the top.
Handbag Aedus knotwork Handbag The pattern on this handbag is called Aedus which is a Gaelic name meaning fire. To compliment the name I have painted the knotwork in this example in golds and reds and it has been dyed a rich brown colour. £125 This bag would look beautiful in many colour-ways and we think the base knotwork would really lend itself to having one of our dragons carved on the top.
Pippa This handbag is painted in metallic purple and dyed black with a box clasp closure. The knotwork on the upper flap is called Pippa and the lower knotwork is called Nawfar. £125 The name Pippa is from the Greek Philein which means "to love" and also is the name of an awesome friend of ours. Nawfar means waterlily and this knotwork was originally drawn to go on a bag with water lilies on it.
Setanta This heavily carved bag is shown here in antique black but can be done in any colourway of your choice. A striking piece, it really shows off the timeless artwork that originated with the celts. £160
Corrigan This carved leather handbag has the knotwork painted in silver which really stands out against the antique black background. However, it looks equally as good in natural colours or even gold on brown. Just let us know how you would like it so we can be sure to get it just right for you. £120

Flower, Tree and Animal Handbags:

Carved Tree Handbag "Eila" This leather handbag has a tree carved on the flap. We have called the tree Eila which is Hebrew for Oak tree. The branches on this all intertwine over and under each other in the same way that celtic knotwork does, and there is a small heart shape hidden near the top making it reminiscent of a tree of life. £120
Carved Fox Handbag - Amarlia If you like foxes then what is better than a copper coloured fox leaping across a handbag? £120 This Fox is called Amarlia which means eager. It is also the name of a young lady we know who is a truly spirited soul, just like this fox is.
Carved Fox Handbag - Amarlia This beautiful carved handbag has Amarlia the fox leaping across the flap. For just the fox it will cost £95. For the fox top and any knotwork on the base, it will cost £120.
Rainbow flowers through a window These beautiful flowers have been carved onto a separate piece of leather and painted in a range of glorious rainbow colours before being riveted into the flap of a softer purple leather. £105 We possibly can't get this exact purple leather again, but this is a good example of an effect we can create for you using various different types of leather if you wanted a softer leather finish.
Rainbow flowers through a window These beautiful flowers have been carved onto a separate piece of leather and painted in a range of glorious rainbow colours before being riveted into the flap of a softer purple leather. £105 We possibly can't get this exact purple leather again, but this is a good example of an effect we can create for you using various different types of leather if you wanted a softer leather finish.
American floral "Ashley" This american floral style carved leather handbag has been dyed a light tan colour with the flowers picked out in lacquer. To order one like this just ask for "Ashley". £125
American floral "Ashley" This american floral style carved leather handbag has been dyed a light tan colour with the flowers picked out in lacquer. To order one like this just ask for "Ashley". £125
American floral "Melissa" This traditional american style of carving is done in a mainly freehand fashion, and has been dyed a dark brown. If you would like to order an american floral style handbag and would particularly like the pattern shown on this bag, please quote "Melissa" as the pattern type. You can choose from our standard range of colours for it to be dyed. £125
American floral "Melissa" This traditional american style of carving is done in a mainly freehand fashion, and has been dyed a dark brown. If you would like to order an american floral style handbag and would particularly like the pattern shown on this bag, please quote "Melissa" as the pattern type. You can choose from our standard range of colours for it to be dyed. £125
American floral "Tiffany" This American floral style handbag we have named Tiffany shares the same carving on the base as the handbag called 'Ashley'. This one has been dyed brown with the flowers kept pale. £125
American floral "Tiffany" This American floral style handbag we have named Tiffany shares the same carving on the base as the handbag called 'Ashley'. This one has been dyed brown with the flowers kept pale. £125
American floral "Harper" The American floral style of carving is really brought to life here by a new dyeing technique we have developed. The flower has been lacquered in the usual style; the leafwork has been dyed mahogany before the whole bag has been dyed antique black. £125
American floral "Harper" Here is a close up of the mahogany and black American floral style. £125
American Floral "Madison" This traditional american style of carving is done in a mainly freehand fashion, and has been dyed a medium brown. If you would like to order an american floral style handbag and would particularly like the pattern shown on this bag, please quote "Madison" as the pattern type. You can still choose the colour the leather will be dyed. £125
American Floral "Jennifer" This traditional american style of carving is done in a mainly freehand fashion, and has been dyed a dark brown. If you would like to order an american floral style handbag and would particularly like the pattern shown on this bag, please quote "Jennifer" as the pattern type and we will do our best to replicate it for you. However, do bear in mind that because of the freehand nature, it will be impossible to duplicate exactly. You can still choose the colour the leather will be dyed. £125
American Floral "Gracie" This traditional american style of carving is done in a mainly freehand fashion, and has been dyed an antique black. If you would like to order an american floral style handbag and would particularly like the pattern shown on this bag, please quote "Gracie" as the pattern type and we will do our best to replicate it for you. However, do bear in mind that because of the freehand nature, it will be impossible to duplicate exactly. You can still choose the colour the leather will be dyed. £125
American Floral "Taylor" This american floral handbag has the top from Jennifer and the bottom from Gracie. The flowers have been lacquered and the whole bag is dyed in tan.

Smaller Handbags and Waistbags:

Zoomorphic This bag has a celtic style zoomorphic top featuring animal heads at the ends of the knots which are either dogs, wolves or dragons (we can't agree which it is). In this example the knotwork has been lacquered to keep it pale and the rest of the bag has been dyed a reddish-tan colour. £95 This bag has been made with a strap attached so it can be worn around the waist or over the shoulder, however if you want it with a belt loop or with rings for a sporran chain, it will cost £85.
Lorcan - silver on black. This smaller style of leather bag can either be worn as a belt bag or as a shoulder bag. The carved knotwork is painted silver with a soft black suede gusset which is all sewn by hand. It fastens inside with a drawstring as well as the twist lock on the outside.
Carved Leather Rainbow butterfly. Who doesn't love a rainbow?! Though, if you're not a fan, why not have this butterfly painted in a different colour scheme? The soft leather gusset is a teal colour in this example, but as we only buy small runs of leather we cannot guarantee which colour we will have in so please send us an email so we can let you know what we have available.
pouch carved strap pippa knotwork silver
pouch carved strap pippa2 knotwork silver
pouch carved strapdragon aengus green
pouch carved strap celtic cross square blue green purple
pouches carved straps

Freedom of Choice!

With all of our handbags, we allow you the freedom to mix and match any colours, dyes and patterns. If you want the knotwork from the bottom of the handbag Aedus and the dragon Herensuge on the flap, simply tell us exactly that!

Below we have included some images of handbags being constructed to give you the widest range of ideas possible to you. For more inspiration you can take a look at our carved armguards and pouches. Most of these patterns will also work well on handbags.

If you've got a pattern of your own that you would like carving into leather, just send us a message and we will see what we can do.

Handbags in progress:

Mahogany Tree. This tree is carved in an inverse style so the tree shape itself is sunk into the leather rather than the usual style of carving where we press down the leather around the outside of the image. £120.	Tan, Mahogany and Dark Brown Handbag	Eila in Lacquer on Tan Leather. £135 Note the little heart shape hidden amongst the branches - this handbag could be the perfect gift for a loved one. While this one has been lacquered, you could always have it painted in any colour you choose. £135 This carved leather handbag has been named Eila from the hebrew name meaning oak or terebinth tree.
Susanna American Floral Handbag	Handbags ready to be laced up	Handbags waiting for construction
Our workshop in Preston Here is Martyn sewing handbags together in an intense handbag making session	Saoirse the dragon Designed specially to fit on the front of a handbag, Saoirse the dragon is painted in beautiful peacock colours on a medium brown background. You can request any colour-way you would like and we will be more than happy to carve and paint her on a handbag for you.	Herensuge the dragon This showstopping leather handbag has yet to be assembled in this picture. The dragon has been carved on it and then painted with metallic paints in various shades of copper and blue before being lacquered, dyed and then each piece finished with a spray lacquer to protect it from the elements. It will be £135 once finished.
Pippa The knotwork on the flap is one of our own designs called Pippa. This one is painted in metallic purple and silver and then dyed antique black. Once assembled it will cost £120.	American floral (Samantha) on tan This is a traditional style of leather carving derived from the american folk art and turned into a true piece of art. If you place an order for american floral and you particularly want this arrangement then quote "Samantha" so we know which pattern to create for you. Otherwise, you will get a random choice of ours because American floral is mostly freehand.

The Leathercarver

Our 100% leather handbags are all handcrafted by us.

Mythical Creature Handbags:

"Saoirse" dragon carved handbag

"Saoirse" dragon carved handbag

Saoirse the dragon

Saoirse is painted here with a silver accent and metallic colours varying from turquoise through to indigo. Tiny scales have been subtly picked out on her body which catch the light as the bag moves. £135

Saoirse the dragon

Saoirse is painted here with a silver accent and metallic colours varying from turquoise through to indigo. In this image you can see more clearly the tiny scales have been subtly picked out on her body which catch the light as the bag moves. £135

"Saoirse" dragon carved handbag

Saoirse is painted here with a silver accent and metallic colours varying from turquoise through to indigo. Tiny scales have been subtly picked out on her body which catch the light as the bag moves. In this example the lacing has been done in blue which is not always possible so please ask. £135

Herensuge the dragon

This version of Herensuge is painted in silver and metallic purple with a complimentary knotwork (Pippa) on the lower part of the bag.

Herensuge the Dragon carved hand

This dragon is called Herensuge after a dragon in Basque mythology. Here, Herensuge is painted black with golden hints before being dyed a mahogany colour. The knotwork on the base is called "Florence" £120

Aengus

This dragon, which we have named Aengus, makes a bold statement in gold and silver here with a complimentary knotwork on the base. £120. You can choose any colourway If you would prefer to just have Aengus on the flap with no knotwork, this bag costs only £100.

Pegasus

Celtic Knotwork Handbags:

Handbag Aedus knotwork Handbag

Handbag Aedus knotwork Handbag

Pippa

Setanta

This heavily carved bag is shown here in antique black but can be done in any colourway of your choice. A striking piece, it really shows off the timeless artwork that originated with the celts. £160

Corrigan

This carved leather handbag has the knotwork painted in silver which really stands out against the antique black background. However, it looks equally as good in natural colours or even gold on brown. Just let us know how you would like it so we can be sure to get it just right for you. £120

Flower, Tree and Animal Handbags:

Carved Tree Handbag "Eila"

Carved Fox Handbag - Amarlia

If you like foxes then what is better than a copper coloured fox leaping across a handbag? £120 This Fox is called Amarlia which means eager. It is also the name of a young lady we know who is a truly spirited soul, just like this fox is.

Carved Fox Handbag - Amarlia

This beautiful carved handbag has Amarlia the fox leaping across the flap. For just the fox it will cost £95. For the fox top and any knotwork on the base, it will cost £120.

Rainbow flowers through a window

Rainbow flowers through a window

American floral "Ashley"

This american floral style carved leather handbag has been dyed a light tan colour with the flowers picked out in lacquer. To order one like this just ask for "Ashley". £125

American floral "Ashley"

This american floral style carved leather handbag has been dyed a light tan colour with the flowers picked out in lacquer. To order one like this just ask for "Ashley". £125

American floral "Melissa"

American floral "Melissa"

American floral "Tiffany"

This American floral style handbag we have named Tiffany shares the same carving on the base as the handbag called 'Ashley'. This one has been dyed brown with the flowers kept pale. £125

American floral "Tiffany"

This American floral style handbag we have named Tiffany shares the same carving on the base as the handbag called 'Ashley'. This one has been dyed brown with the flowers kept pale. £125

American floral "Harper"

The American floral style of carving is really brought to life here by a new dyeing technique we have developed. The flower has been lacquered in the usual style; the leafwork has been dyed mahogany before the whole bag has been dyed antique black. £125

American floral "Harper"

Here is a close up of the mahogany and black American floral style. £125

American Floral "Madison"

American Floral "Jennifer"

American Floral "Gracie"

American Floral "Taylor"

This american floral handbag has the top from Jennifer and the bottom from Gracie. The flowers have been lacquered and the whole bag is dyed in tan.

Smaller Handbags and Waistbags:

Zoomorphic

Lorcan - silver on black.

This smaller style of leather bag can either be worn as a belt bag or as a shoulder bag. The carved knotwork is painted silver with a soft black suede gusset which is all sewn by hand. It fastens inside with a drawstring as well as the twist lock on the outside.

Carved Leather Rainbow butterfly.

pouch carved strap pippa knotwork silver

pouch carved strap pippa2 knotwork silver

pouch carved strapdragon aengus green

pouch carved strap celtic cross square blue green purple

pouches carved straps

Freedom of Choice!

Handbags in progress:

Mahogany Tree.

This tree is carved in an inverse style so the tree shape itself is sunk into the leather rather than the usual style of carving where we press down the leather around the outside of the image. £120.

Tan, Mahogany and Dark Brown Handbag

Eila in Lacquer on Tan Leather. £135

Susanna American Floral Handbag

Handbags ready to be laced up

Handbags waiting for construction

Our workshop in Preston

Here is Martyn sewing handbags together in an intense handbag making session

Saoirse the dragon

Designed specially to fit on the front of a handbag, Saoirse the dragon is painted in beautiful peacock colours on a medium brown background. You can request any colour-way you would like and we will be more than happy to carve and paint her on a handbag for you.

Herensuge the dragon

Pippa

The knotwork on the flap is one of our own designs called Pippa. This one is painted in metallic purple and silver and then dyed antique black. Once assembled it will cost £120.

American floral (Samantha) on tan