My Reversible Handbag

searching through my new bag!

the other side!

another version, using Heather Ross fabric

Dwarves at work!

the button clasp

all my knitting projects stashed in my new bag!

 

Last week Betsy posted her version of the "reversible handbag" with embroidery embellishment. Here's a couple of the "reversible handbag" versions that I made! I'm using one as an everyday purse which I made out of the new Melody Miller "Ruby Star Spring" collection and the other one with Heather Ross's Seven Dwarf fabric which is so cute!! I'm using that one as my project bag, as you can see it is full with yarn already!

Embroidery - meditative or frustrating?

I've been working on the Split Personality bag for the last week or so. I had to plan this thing out carefully because I have a tendency to rush through the preparation and get straight into the cutting on sewing projects, especially smaller things like bags. I was all set to dive into my fabric stash and start cutting out pattern pieces willy nilly. But I want this one to be special and last a while and be able to stand up to my constant fickleness with my bags/purses. So instead I took a deep breath, walked away from the box of fabric, and made a plan.

I planned one side to be gray and plain, with cream piping that is the only embellishment. And the other side has grayish blue and white striped ticking at the bottom with a bright green twill at the top. I have been dabbling with embroidery lately and I wanted something to spruce up the plain fabrics of the bag so I decided to use some of the many "Sublime Stitching" embroidery patterns and stitch a cool design on the "fun" side of the bag.

Now I love needle arts. I like the methodical way the thread goes in and out, and how you can make different stitches and patterns with just a needle and thread. I love how you can construct an entire garment with two blunt needles and one super long piece of yarn. I love how hand stitches have that slight irregularity to them. But I do not like when thread gets tangled, needles poke my cuticles, and yarn balls get twisted and knotted! It makes me want to throw the whole project on the floor and go for a bike ride. (Maybe I should try that). But instead I quietly curse in my head while trying to unknot the yarn or thread or put bandaids on my fingers. It can get to be a little too much though. I love the part of embroidery when I'm actually doing it and it's going along great and the image is appearing beautifully before my eyes. Then I make all these plans to embroider everything and just can't bring myself to start the projects because it's just a little too tedious. Do you ever feel that way?

Anyway, I love the way this bag turned out and can't wait to flip flop it when I get tired of one side or the other. And I'm really glad I un-did those knots and stuck with the embroidery!