Scabby Robot

I earned my BFA in Industrial Design so that I could use art school to pay the bills. I secretly wanted to major in printmaking...I secretly wanted to sew every single day....I suppose I've found a way to combine my secrets with my goals here on Etsy.

In July 2006 I began the online Etsy.com shop experiment called Scabby Robot. The idea was to create a pseudo-anonymous venue for me to get feedback on my side projects and to explore my thinking on small business. I began by selling my silly robot illustrations: scabby robot, ear-trumpet robot, scarecrow bot, but quickly my interest in sewn 3D forms became apparent (read: all consuming). The experiment organically grew into a real online shop for my handbag and wallet designs. Ta da!

All items are made by me, Jill Harrell, in my San Francisco studio. My trusty 1958 Singer slant-o-matic machine is my partner in crime. Together we create one-of-a-kind functional sewn items: handbags, wallets, soft accessories. Favorite materials are leather and heavy denim.