Loverly!

So what’s the first thing to do when you make a New Year’s Resolution? Break it!

What’s the first thing to do when you make a pattern? Do something else!

Such is the story of today’s craft project. I did swear I was going to finish at least some languishing projects before starting anything new, so in remembrance of that spirit, I’d like to present my brand-new project, completed before a single old project was even contemplated. I am very pleased with said bag, so if you don’t like it, don’t tell me!

I did, in my defense, have good reasons for moving this one up in the schedule.

#1) I wanted really needed a new purse. My old one had ripping fabric, and was not long for this world. Plus, I decided a while ago that a girl who makes purses should no longer trek to Target for a new desperation purchase when the old one wears out.

#2) This one was a gift from my cousin Chelsea. I got a $10 gift card from her for Christmas, and I went and purchased 2 scarves and a little wallet with it. They became the purse, with the addition of some conveniently matching lining fabric (same shiny blue I used to wrap my wreath) and thread from my mom’s stash, and fusible fleece and a magnet closure from my stash.

The bag was intended to be a “pocket” - you know, tiny, just enough to fit a wallet and keys. However, the fabric and notions that I came up with just didn’t speak to me that way. For help with details,  I turned to the ever-brilliant Lisa Lam of U-Handbag and borrowed some aspects of her eyeglasses case. I borrowed lining tips and the square-bottom bag. Aside from that it just … made itself. You know how I’ve said that I don’t like to am incapable of following recipes? I can’t even follow my own - not recipes, not directions, not patterns … hopeless. It just appears as I go. It’s why I can’t bake. You can’t fudge baking!

Yeah, so the inside is thick. It’s got 2 layers of fusible fleece and 3 layers of fabric for each side. Why? Because scarves are very, very thin. These are silk, so not much substance, very whispery thin fabric. The fleece is the structure. Scarf #1 is the outer fabric, my mom’s fabric is the lining, and scarf #2 is the shiny silver strap. See those clear rings? You’ll never guess - they’re the plastic rings that the scarves are tied to in the store. I liked how they looked, and that they make the strap adjustable. Use what you have!

So there are some details there. You can see (clockwise) the flap, the rings & strap, the flat corner and the lined inside with the magnetic snap on the flap. You may notice the ugly magnetic snap fastener on the flap there? Yeah, not planned. Turns out the magnet is strong has a grip like the Hulk, so it was only stable enough if I put it through all the fabric layers. So then I went through 3 hours of 4 iterations of hand-sewn decoration before settling on my piece of wrapped silver. Which actually was supposed to be a rose. C’est la vie. What’s important is that I like how it turned out.

You know what else? I can’t see. OK, I forget. You don’t know this, but I have 20/700 vision. Myopic. Near-sighted. Nearly blind. So at 28 years of age, it was extremely upsetting to me to be forced to get reading glasses when studying manuscript palaeography. First I can’t see far, now I can’t see close? 28? WTF?

First I blamed the manuscripts - after all, monks in the 9th century did have small handwriting, and that oak gall and iron ink does fade. Then I found myself with the glasses at work for those pesky “small print reports.” But this weekend I couldn’t see the thread to yank a stitch or thread a needle, even in strong light. I was forced to get a 2nd pair for home. I am resigned, but … but … *sigh* At least they’re red with rhinestones.