I was intrigued to read on Shams blog about her self imposed pattern buying ban. She allowed herself one in the last sale which seems quite wise to me. I'd prefer to allow myself none only that may be totally unrealistic so if I feel the need for a wee bit of the drug, perhaps one pattern will do. Only they're like potato chips. You can't just buy one. Maybe I can. The drawers are getting way too full.
Howard took a really early flight to Calgary on the Saturday morning to see a Vancouver Canucks vs the Calgary Flames hockey game with our son-in-law. After driving him to the airport and before picking my oldest son up at nine to go for breakfast, I took the purse apart. The shape was bothering me. The gusset was quite deep and the purse would have sat like a suitcase on the hips.
Plus - with such a strong curve - even reinforced - I couldn't see how the hobo bag would hold it's shape once a wallet and other things were inside. To create the new shape, I started by picking the point at which the bag could be the widest and the longest and then, when I traced the shape of the curve, realized it could be another 1/2" longer.
Earlier, I'd constructed the back from a black cotton print with narrow rows of black stitching, fused squares and triangles, thread scribbling, and green glass beads. Only six or seven beads needed to be removed when the new shape was cut. More will be added once the flap is stitched in place. I left them off until then for ease of sewing.
About the only thing that remains of the original bag is the curve of the top front. All the piping was removed and the gusset narrowed to 1 5/8". I like this shape a lot better. What I didn't like...
... was how heavy this beading looked. It took HOURS to add one bead on each end of this randomly stitched pearl cotton only...
... I think it would have looked better if I'd left off the black beads or had used a lighter color, perhaps a green. I'd intended to leave the beads in place until I finished the flap and then reassess but I ended up cutting them all off yesterday. When you know you don't like something, you know you don't like it. It will be a miracle for this poor purse if it ever gets finished - LOL! - it's a one step forward, two step back, kind of dance.
For the flap, I played with some different stitch options and like this one of a running stitch with beads the best. I want it to move in flowing, curving lines across the flap.
Once the edges are finished, the straight top will be sewn to the back of the bag, the first tuck will fold over the back, the second tuck will fold over the front, and the distance between is the width of the gusset.
The running stitch and beads need to be worked around the closure. I plan to use a snap on the inside and am debating this fuchsia button on the outside. I bought it in Calgary while visiting my daughter last summer. We went to a sewing store which was really a quilt shop and they had a whole selection of these buttons in tubes. I bought five for a sweater. If I use one for this purse, I'll have to ask her to go back and buy me another one! It's quite close to their apartment so that should work.
Talk soon - Myrna
Grateful - friends
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Personal Growth - If you are experiencing a time of fruitlessness right now, you may be trying to do things on your own that God has not initiated. - pg, 30, Experiencing God, Henry Blackaby
For the past week, we've been attempting to co-ordinate a potential sale of our home with the potential purchase of a townhouse and it has been highly stressful. I could tell you all about the crazymaker but it wouldn't be polite or pretty. All I can say is that I totally understand why there's an ex! The whole situation is possibly more stressful right now due to other issues but it does make you wonder whether you should actually be doing this. I am praying that it either comes together or falls apart quickly. If it does fall apart, we'll be taking our home off the market and staying put. It's a relief to have made that decision and to have decided not to ride this person's emotional roller coaster. Sometimes all we can do is make the one decision that we can make and let things develop from there. Nothing is for sure yet. I should know by the end of the week.
It is very hard to buy just one pattern. When you look at the cost of postage compared with the cost of just one pattern, it's hard to justify hitting "checkout" without adding another pattern or 2 to justify the postage. Watch out for that.
ReplyDeleteI am liking how this purse is talking to you -- how it wants to look.
ReplyDeleteI hear you on the sale of the house. When we sold our last home, it was the first buyer that drove us nuts. We dropped them after 3 months and should have dropped them after 45 days. But only you know what you have to do. Good luck on what ever that choice is.
I hope your bag does get finished because it is coming along nicely , the black and that particular green colour are pleasantly harmonious and all the other embellishments blend in but make your bag stand out all at the same time. You seem to have really found the answer to your questions with your bag making. Hope the house sale goes OK.
ReplyDeleteI must tell you how inspiring I find your projects. OK my efforts look nothing like your results.
ReplyDeleteYou inspire me in the techniques and processes you execute. I only hope my enthuiastic comments encourage you to continue and to blog as you go.
TIA