for sale by maker

These are the first 3 of a series of limited edition bags that I've been working on for sale, and I'm so excited about how they're turning out! I really enjoy working on them. Each bag has a common element which sparked this whole project - the velvet leaf appliquéd on front.

About 7 years ago my sister gave me a curtain panel with these leaves attached at the top. I didn't really have a use for it as is (was), but liked the parts - removed the leaves, and the panel became a tablecloth we still use today. The leaves surfaced recently in a materials search, and the idea came together for the bag series. It is very fun, and a challenge, to design & gather the parts for these. As with all my projects, they are made with leftover and repurposed materials. Each will be completely one-of-a-kind, can't be reproduced. There are only a certain number of leaves, each a different shape/color combo, and all the fabrics are in limited supply. I really like that aspect. If you've ever tried to mass produce a handmade item, you know what I mean. They'll be siblings, each with it's own personality - but not twins.

Perfect for a commuter, going shopping, yarn & knitting, just shlepping all the stuff we seem to carry here & there. Carry your cookies to the cookie swap & give it as a hostess gift. Great for the office yankee swap, too. Replace those plastic bags your Mom carries all the time! There are still more in the works, and a little time to work on requests, so contact me if you need something special, have questions, etc. (at upper left or see below)

Each is fully lined with an interior cell/keys, etc. pocket. Front side has velvet leaf and fabric detail, back is solid unless noted. Fabrics include canvas, heavy upholstery fabric, cotton twill, cotton & cotton/linen linings. Sturdy and reinforced; machine washable (inside out) in cold, reshape & hang dry.

#1 (top picture) Green Leaf East is 16"wide x 15"tall x 4"deep - in greens, tans and naturals. Natural color twill handles. Natural color lining. Detail below. $35.

#2 (second picture) Deep Green North is 18"w x 14"t x 5"d - in caramel, greens, brown and brick. The back of this bag is half solid, half patterned fabric from the front & handles. Natural color lining. Detail below. $35.

update  #2 SOLD Thank You!

#3 (third picture) Cranberry Leaf West is 19"w x 15"t x 5"d - in cranberry, tan and multi. Tan canvas handles. Striped lining. Detail below. $35.

Thanks for checking them out, & pass it on! Happy shopping...

gathering treasures

I've mentioned before that Mason always comes home from our walks with something in his hand. Be it a leaf (the last of the 35 he's picked up & discarded) or twig, pine cone or pebble, always something. Not to be outdone, of course, Nate has followed suit. It's funny to note the differences - Mason always picks the 'Charlie Brown' leaves, etc. and Nate goes for the big size or impact.

All these treasures need to be carried, and my hands are full with the hands of two boys, so... the Gathering Treasures Bag was born. The idea was kind of an old newspaper-boy's bag/messenger. It goes across the body with an adjustable strap for hands free use, and closes with vintage button & elastic loop. Simple construction, there are no pockets to get in the way of small hands filling & emptying. It's lined with fused grocery bags, which give it perfect structure & support. The fused material was a dream to sew & use. I've posted about this before here and here.

All the materials were of course gathered from around the house. The fabric is left over from my friend's curtains that I just hemmed, the straps are twill tape that came tied around a rug I ordered years ago & the colored stripe is seam binding from my Nana. (the green will be for Mason, and a blue striped one is in the works for Nate) The hardware I've kept from something taken apart who-knows-when, and the buttons are from my dad's circa 1950s hunting jacket. I cut that up when I was a kid, and the buttons remained. The elastic loop came from something I unwrapped a week or so ago - and can't remember what the heck it was. I know where things came from that have been around 20 years, but last week? No clue. I blame it on my kids.

I've been using all my spare time for work projects lately, but so many ideas have been flooding in, too.  I'm planning on a limited edition project for sale, post to come soon...