My husband has had the same dopp kit bag since before Iraq, and it has been falling apart since (and even has desert dust still in it). So I made him a leather dopp kit. I used finished leather because I had time restraints, a heavy duty brass zipper, and cotton lining. The leather was soft enough that my sewing machine could go through, so I was able to machine sew the zipper and seams (with an occasional boost using the band crank). I hand sewed the lining to the inside of the zipper.

I’ve been meaning to make this for awhile. It is ironic that I made the time to make it, but there is still no travel for the foreseeable future. I may try my hand at another one, but this time in stiffer leather, which will have to be all hand sewn and finished. I rather like hand sewing, so it won’t be a hardship. Especially now that I know how they go together.