BAGS AND MORE BAGS

One of the more satisfying projects I have undertaken recently are these little bags. I call this pair my "angel bags". I made them during a time when I needed a burst of colour, and was feeling a little bolder about it all than usual - may that feeling last!!!

 I had also been re-discovering some of my lace supplies - and adding to them - so they were brought into the picture too. I have been dyeing a lot of my laces and ribbons lately, and the results can be quite inspiring. I cannot locate picures for the laces just now - will show you at a later posting.

Meanwhile, I finally tackled a half-complete project that has been lying around for some months.

I think it was early October that I started these little zippered purses. I was initially inspired by some sample pieces of linen upholstery fabric that I was given by Natalie - mainly stripes and checks in classic muted colours. They just cried out to be combined with some lace and ribbons and buttons etc. So I overcame my fear of zippers to produce a set of little purses. I used some silk prints that were in my stash, many of them had come from dear Peggy of Kaliko Kottage. 

Now part of the way through producing these purses, I got sick - nothing serious but I felt awful. And even when I was better, I somehow could not face these purses without remembering that sick feeling! It was only in recent days that I finally felt I could work with them again and put the finishing touches to them.

 I am really pleased with the results - but I will have to tell you that most of them are actually rejects!
For instance, the top one was sewn with the zipper at the bottom! I have decided to keep that for myself and keep my passport in it.

 Others still have a little hole in the back where the sample pieces of fabric had been attached to the binder. I really thought I had cut around those holes. They are not really noticeable, but I do like my creations to be properly finished - so those will probably be given to friends with an apology and explanation.

 They were not the ony mistakes. One of them was sewn with the zipper upside down, so the toggle was inside the purse. But that was corrected with some unpicking.

 I have loads of little bits of rose prints which seem to go really well with the stripes and checks.

I have a big bag of broderie anglaise lace pieces. They went right out of vogue for a while, and I was tempted to ditch them or give them away. But I am glad I didn't. I am learning that if you hang onto something long enough, it will eventually come into its own again. Too often I have needed something about two weeks after I have got rid of it!

Not sure if I want to tackle zippers again for a while - altho' I do have quite a stash of them. Perhaps I should get some hints about using them from some good seamstresses (which I am not!)

Now I am itching to get back to my bright silks and dyed laces.