Welcome!

You've found the urban fabric -- a high-quality, hand-crafted alternative to your run-of-the-mill, mass-produced, "name brand" purses. Here, every purse and clutch is a unique labor of love, especially designed by me, Jessie Runner, out of my own Milwaukee bungalow.

I've lived in the historic Sherman Park neighborhood for about five years, with my husband, toddler son and an assortment of pets. (Including one recently-rescued stray cat that my son named "Owl.") People move from all over the world to reside in Sherman Park, a racially and economically diverse community with historically well-designed homes, for the same reasons that I think you'll love the urban fabric. Just like every individual, family and neighborhood is unique, I take time and effort to make every purse (or clutch) uniquely attractive and useful.

This site is a place for you to get to know me and my products -- as well as my life here in the "Cream City," (Milwaukee) and the Sherman Park neighborhood. If you're tired of buying impersonal purses every year, just to see them fall apart annually at the seams, then why not purchase a reliable (and gorgeous, if I do say so myself) product from the urban fabric? You can find all my hand-crafted offerings right here: theurbanfabric.etsy.com

I only sell purses that I would want to carry myself (I'm an on-the-go mom and registered nurse) and I only allow my best creations to bear the name the urban fabric. These are not only beautiful purses, they're also practical. I started the urban fabric, because I enjoy sewing and wanted to offer something unique: plenty of easy-to-reach pockets for keys, wallets, diapers, etc. -- but also a fun, smart outer design that doesn't have "frumpy mom" written all over it.

So feel free to peruse the urban fabric site to your heart's desire. And you are more than welcome to drop me a line with a comment, question or request. A great purse might not rank as high as living in a good neighborhood, but it can still make a difference in your quality of life.