The Hand Bag Project

In the fall of 2001, I organized The 39 Party to celebrate my 39th birthday rather than wait until the following June for my 40th. A 40th birthday party seemed too normal and traditional plus I hate both unrealized expectations and surprises so I planned my own party.

On the invite, my friends were instructed to bring food - I wasn't cooking - and a bead, button, or small piece of fabric that reminded them of me. When they arrived, I had them trace their right and left hands on pieces of fabric that represented contrasts in their personality.

The hands were combined in a quilt, which has sat in the cupboard for most of the past ten years along with another stack of quilts that I have no idea what to do with. Thankfully, for this one, I have a plan - The Hand Bag Project.

I've started cutting out each set of hands one at a time to make a purse. There are nine pairs of hands. There will be nine purses. Each bag will be created to reflect the individual as much as possible. I started with Francine. She prefers small purses, clean lines, and simple details. The size of the hands along with needed design elements limits the size. Her purse will be about 9 1/4" x 12".

As you can see above, the hand on the beige background cut out squarely while the hand on the darker background is missing part of the background. That will happen with most of the hands because of the way they're placed together on the quilt. It provides part of the challenge for the project. Along with working with the shapes, I'm recycling as much of the original quilt as possible and have limited myself to using only what's already in the studio.

Working on projects like this make me laugh. The goal was to make useful ONE useless piece. What happens is you start with one and end up with many. Scraps breed in the night. I know it. So far for this first purse, I've quilted a blue fabric to piece into the hand section and a red fabric to go around the edges and both of those had left over bits once I cut out the needed shape. This morning, I'm making bias binding to go around the darker shape. I'll make lots because I may need it for the other purses but then again... I may not.. and then I'll have more scraps.

I'm documenting the steps and want to combine that info into a small book using one of the on-line publishing resources. If you've used one, let me know what you thought of the results. I plan to return each purse, along with the book, to its "hands".

There are nine pairs of hands on the quilt top. Ten years later, I am still in contact with only four of these women. I find that sad and I'm thankful that I've developed several new friendships in that same time frame. I believe that life is about relationships however, they are certainly something I struggle with. The pastor made an interesting comment on Sunday noting that people who have a difficult time believing they are loved have a difficult time with relationships. From some perspectives, I wasn't sure that applied to me and from others quite possibly it does.

I know that the woman I am today approaches friendship a lot differently than the woman I was thirty years ago and perhaps, this is not one of my most positive changes EXCEPT THAT... I'm way more comfortable with myself and less needy of others and I've realized that relationships end for all kinds of reasons that have nothing to do with me. That part is good. Friendships are here for A Reason, A Season, or A Lifetime. This poem had a huge impact on my life.

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you figure out which one it is,
you will know what to do for each person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON,
it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty;
to provide you with guidance and support;
to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time,
this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON,
because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons;
things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person,
and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

— Unknown

Yesterday afternoon, Rosmarie came over for a lesson in zippers. She wanted to finish the pillow above that she'd made from a recycled pillowcase bought at a thrift store along with some hand dyed fabrics I gave her a while back - for weaving. The cotton was too strong for quilting. It showed puncture marks with every stitch although they worked for this pillow since it's pieced but not quilted. Rosmarie is a new friend. I met her a couple years ago when I was attending an Arts & Crafts club on Tuesday mornings. Neither of us attend any longer but we've remained in touch.

Rosmarie has a wonderful appreciation for details and an amazing ability to thoroughly enjoy. I often prefer to watch her enjoy whatever it is we're looking at than look at the actual object. With this pillow, she admired the zipper from every angle, and then the colors, and then how it looked on the chair finished, and all that after she's had it sitting in her own studio for months unfinished. It was like a shiny new penny. She's taught me to pay more attention to details and to think through purchases more carefully. I've never seen anyone take as long to make a decision about buying something as she does but she rarely takes home things she doesn't want or need. It's a good lesson.

I'll be working on the purses today.

Talk soon - Myrna

Grateful - 35 minutes, 1.87 miles on the treadmill