Krista Schinagl, Post-Gazette Dawn Johnson of Monroeville shops for a belt at Tom Thomas' leather booth at the Three Rivers Arts Festival. Click photo for larger image. Related article: What's up at Three Rivers Arts festival

As in every year, the annual Three Rivers Arts Festival merits more than a single visit -- not just because the entertainment changes, but because the artists market features a steady rotation of interesting and attractive wares.

For lovers of wearable art -- otherwise known as fashion -- there's never a shortage of hand-crafted jewelry. This year is no exception with more than 60 artists selling precious and non-precious jewelry over the course of the 17-day Downtown festival, which ends June 20.

Set up alongside jewelry makers are 20 leather and "fiber wearable" artists with accessories ranging from handbags and hats to belts and scarves. Sandy Atkins-Moran of Carrolton, Texas, not only brought richly colored, mixed-pattern women's jackets and dress ensembles yesterday, but also incorporated the fabric theme into home furnishings with beautiful throw pillows.

Many artists work the nationwide arts festival circuit and are veterans of Pittsburgh's artistic rite of summer. For the fourth year, Michelle Sophia Sabol turned out to sell her eye-catching Memphis George jewelry. Given her unconventional blend of colors, shapes and textures in crystal, glass and gemstone necklaces, bracelets, pins and earrings, it is not surprising to learn that she has a background in abstract painting and avant garde filmmaking.

"It's more than jewelry for me," said Sabol. "It's like taking my paintings one step further."

One encounters the unexpected in Memphis George jewelry. One necklace incorporates a brown lotus pod with blue lace agate while others feature antique German cameo pendants. Mother of pearl and coral are at home with glass shells and shiny Murano glass.

Sabol, a native of Washington, Pa., who moved back to that area two years ago, said she began designing jewelry nearly six years ago when filmmaking and styling television guests became "a grind."

"It sounds creative to work in the film industry, but there's nothing creative about it," she said.

The love of vinyl prompted Madge Dietz's foray into fashion art. Inspired by handbags made of newspaper pages and magazine covers, the Mount Oliver resident began making handbags and totes out of album covers .

"It seemed like a fun way to indulge my appetite for vinyl," she said.

Each bag is hand-grommetted, lightweight and durable. The most popular are record covers of Madonna, Marilyn Monroe and "the old Michael Jackson stuff," said Dietz, along with legends such as Elvis Presley, the Beatles and Bruce Springsteen.

"Every Ella Fitzgerald one I've made has sold immediately," she said, adding that "Sleeping Beauty" and other movie soundtracks also are popular.

To draw male customers, Dietz created sketch books and table lamps out of album covers. But the handbags have remained her best seller and are now available at The Andy Warhol Museum on the North Side and Divas on the South Side and in Las Vegas, New York, Toronto, Miami and Houston.

Dietz, a software designer, guitarist and member of a local band, said it's "fun to have a couple of outlets" for her creativity.

Tom Thomas' creativity sprang from necessity. When his wife wanted a handbag 35 years ago, the seminary student made one because he couldn't afford to buy one. The hand-laced, hand-dyed brown bag made of thick yellow leather was the beginning of Thomas Leathers.

Others began asking Thomas to make leather handbags for them, and he began designing leather belts, as well. His bags, belts, pouches and wallets are inspired by architecture, with many black, brown and red pieces in intriguing geometric shapes.

"I hate rectangles," he said, "and every bag you see is a rectangle."

Hence, the multi-angled shape of one handbag, for example, was inspired by a Miami Beach building with negative space (a hole through the structure). He also adds a twist to some belts, such as one featuring a pretty design in a marbled paint technique used by ancient Persians.

Like many other artisans, Thomas, of Belton, Texas, said he enjoys working for himself in spite of the difficulties and uncertainties of self-employment. As he and his son Shawn finished setting up their booth yesterday morning, the steady rainfall didn't put a damper on his spirits.

Quipped Thomas, showing one of his sleek leather belts: "It's been my mission in life to hold the world's pants up."