A bag for a friend.......and a bag for me

My friend, Anne's (you know......my lovely stitching friend) daughter, Trudy (who is also my friend) will celebrate her birthday in a couple of days, so I decided to fashion her a  Kim Sharman design, one-of-a-kind bag that she can sling over her shoulder when out and about town. Now.....what can I whip up?? What pretties can I unearth to create a one-of-a-kind, divine little bag that will set the streets a-buzzing??

I dived headlong into my many suitcases brimming over with ribbons, laces, buttons, doilies et cetera, et cetera, pulling out what I thought might work. Trudy loves the colour red so I decided upon a little number with oodles of red popping up here and there, oh and some black; after all red and black are best of friends.

I unearthed a remnant of charcoal grey, nubby-type fabric and a piece of grey leather which would be perfect for the bottom.

With my fabrics and a little bit of this and a whole lot of that gathered together, I began playing.

The main attraction is a needlepoint of red poppies I acquired a little while ago. Whenever I spot a needlepoint, either in a frame or as a remnant in an op shop, I always take it home with me as they can be refashioned in oh-so-many ways.

I thought a french wired ribbon cinched here and there around the needlepoint would be an excellent idea. Of course if there is a cinched ribbon, there has to be a pretty bow.

I ruched a red satin ribbon shaping a flower as I stitched and with the addition of a cute-as-cute button, I think it looks perfect. Doesn't 'she' look ravishing nestled among the ruffles of the satin ribbon. With the addition of some black, guipure lace leaves and a grey and black brooch, plus a doily, I stitched merrily away.

I found this pretty red and white vintage ribbon trim from my favourite vintage shop here in Tassie?? The teeny little flowers and the square pattern are in a red flock fabric. It really is very pretty.

The back is simple with just the vintage trim making an appearance. The lining is a cotton, red and white, floral print from my stash.

NOW.....let's chat about the cross-over-the-body bag I stitched  recently for me, myself and I. I was in need of a bag with brown tonings to team with a pair of boots. Never being a gal where one bag fits all occasions, I like to have matching bags and shoes for different outfits. My matching bag/shoe predilection harks back to the days when as a slip of a girl I worked as a general management secretary in a large insurance company, meeting and greeting and rubbing shoulders with the wheeler dealers who exist in the higher echelon of the business world. Though, if I am truthful, my shoe and bag fettish and love for fashion started well before those heady days.

Just a few books pertaining to the subject of fashion that I have acquired and have been gifted over the years. As I have already intimated, I have always been a gal who has been interested in fashion. What can I say?? I am but a shallow gal. ;)

Just a little aside, the book with the brilliant title "Women I Have Undressed" is a memoir of the Australian costumer designer, Orry-Kelly who went to Hollywood in the 1930's and designed the wardrobes of all the biggest stars, from Bette Davis to Marilyn Monroe. He won three Oscars for his costume design. It is a fascinating read as I both love movies from the Golden Years of Hollywood, the stars and those exquisite sets and costume design. Orry-Kelly's take on Hollywood in those days is a delightful read.

These days of course, living in this far rural outpost, I can count on one hand the pretty shoes or boots that sit in the wardrobe. These days my oft-worn pair of footwear seems to be a floral-covered pair of gumboots. No, no.....not standard black issue gumboots for me. My gumboots, though so faded that one can hardly distinguish the bright pink flowers anymore, are mandatory around these parts. Walking around the paddocks and garden, one never quite knows what one's clod hoppers will step in.

BUT.......I digress yet again........so sorry! One of these days I will stick to the topic at hand! Without further ado, my little brown bag that I conjured up late one night. Again I used ruched ribbons (of course), a doily, fringing, brooches, a lovely floral upholstery fabric, and leathers and suedes.

Mmm.....so happy with my little bag. It teams perfectly with my brown boots  and remember that op shop jacket I tarted up a few moons ago???? My little bag kinda looks spiffy with that, too.

Designing and stitching bags is always fun for me. I am so thankful that I need only step into my sunny, sewing room and unearth pretty fabric, trims and bits and bobs in the designing and stitching of my bags, or anything else for that matter. I am so very thankful I have been hoarding collecting a little bit of this and a whole lot of that for years and years. I truly have a seriously, amazing stash of pretties which would cost a small fortune if I were to purchase all the pretties today. I don't think I have purchased a bag from a store for a very, very long time; years in fact. With just a little imagination and an 'Aladdin's cave' of gorgeous pretties, one can whip up anything....well almost.

So happy with Trudy's pretty, red and black bag and so happy with my brown and black number. Fingers crossed Trudy is equally enamored with her pretty. This coming week it's back to a li'l hexie stitching for me.......the light down the QAYG hexie tunnel is shining a little brighter.

It's almost the weekend down here at the bottom of the world. Wishing all you lovelies a fabulous weekend. Until the  next time....................