Another Exhibition Bag

Three years ago I made an exhibition bag -a padded bag for holding items submitted to the Embroiderers' Guild exhibition. It was a large bag, because the piece I was entering in the exhibition was of reasonable size. When I was recently asked to put items I had made last year at Guild classes in a monthly Gallery display at the Guild I used the bag to submit them - but thought it would have been better to have a smaller bag.

I had a smaller, but fair-sized strip of padded fabric left over from making the original bag, so spent an afternoon making a second bag. The strip was about 45cm wide, but quite long.
I experimented with folding it in ways that gave me pockets, or segments, in which different articles could be stored.

I worked out that, without cutting the strip, I could get two internal and one external pocket.








I had plenty of regular bias binding but that was not going to be wide enough to cover these edges - some of which were four padded fabric thicknesses. Before heading out to buy wide bias binding, I hunted through my stash. where I found a strip of fabric that looked fine with the red, and, cut in half lengthways, would make an excellent binding for these edges.


Easy peasy.

Below right is the inside - two pockets created from the folding of the fabric.


Left is the pocket at the bottom on the outside. The closing flap is long enough to go all the way around and cover the outside pocket.

I  reverted to the button closure I had used on the original bag, using the same large wooden buttons I bought in quantity online some years ago.

This closure needs only three buttonholes.

However, by adding further rows of buttons, I can get different closures to give me various sizes of bag - so, flexibility with what I can fit in the bag for displays or exhibition submissions.

Using the narrow red bias binding I rejected for binding the bag edges, I added a transparent window (from a discarded plastic folder) for including a list of contents and my contact details.











So, next time I'm asked to put something in a display or exhibition I have a choice of bags. There is also one less piece of fabric waiting for a purpose!

Morocco Projects-Certificate Course

On the last Saturday in January there was a large gathering for the first of the SA Embroiderers' Guild's Certificate Workshops.

One of the convenors of the Certificate Course, Barbara Mullan, takes embroidery tours to India and Morocco. A number of Guild members, including Christine Bishop, the other Certificate Course Convenor, accompanied her to Morocco in 2018.

This workshop presented information about Morocco and taught three aspects of Moroccan embroidery.

No wonder so many attended the workshop!

Our first project was making a Djellaba button. A djellaba (the purple garment on display to the left) is a garment worn outside, over other clothes, by Moroccan men. It resembles a kaftan, and is secured all the way down the front by tiny hand-made buttons.



Fortunately for us, Phyllis Coxhill, who taught this segment of the workshop, had prepared a much larger teaching tool!

I'm sure, once you have the hang of it, this becomes quite rhythmical and practised. It will take me a while to reach that point!

Our second project of the day was Fes Embroidery, taught by Christine.

This is counted thread work, in double running stitch, on linen, usually two-toned, and often blue.  It usually follows a border and corner pattern. Some Moroccan women seem to do this work by eye, without actually counting.

Christine charted two edging motifs for us.

The third stitching session for the day was on design, using Berber symbols. We were asked to design a carpet, or more accurately, a rectangle, which we could stitch, using running and weaving stitches found on Berber carpets.
My effort was certainly not complicated, but I have ideas for it!


At home I got carried away with Fes stitch. This is going to be a year of improving my counted work.

The fact that Moroccan women often do this work by eye, rather than counting, gives me encouragement. I did count, but when my eye-sight lets me down I am not going to stress!



I took this work with me when I visited Sydney for a few days the week following the workshop. It worked well as a grab-and-go.

On my return home, I was inclined to leave the piece in one colour, rather than filling in the shapes with light blue. I was encouraged by several Guild members to leave it as is, so I did.

I found a piece of Japanese cotton in my stash (yes, a bit of cultural impurity) with which to line it, pulled some threads and worked a gusset with loops.






I then made a twisted cord.


I had intended to make djellaba buttons for the ends of the cord.

After a bit I gave up, and covered the plastic tubing with needlelace.




I am delighted with week's work and my bag.




I also have a plan for my carpet design - but that's another story!

Bag therapy

As I was searching for some pieces of silk to use as lining for my pearl cases recently, I came across some of the sari scraps and Japanese kimono fabrics I did not realise I still had. I purchased these several years ago to make drawstring bags which I use to wrap presents rather than using paper. When I was working I would occasionally take a leave day to stitch the bags - my bag therapy.

Many of the fabrics came from Fabricana's Etsy Shop, and some from a variety of Japan shops. My store of bags for presents was nearly exhausted and I had checked Fabricana's shop a few times but she has been on a break for a couple of years. I was therefore excited to find that I still had a supply of fabric - and set out to use it up!






I try to work with the fabrics as they are, maximising the amount I can use. If they are sheer, as many sari fabrics are, I line them with an appropriate lining - I have a supply of satin linings purchased from a dressmaking friend who gave up her business to study.

Many of the Japanese kimono fabrics have been mended by hand. and I try to incorporate this work into the bag.

It is important, I think, to see the care and economy that went into these recycled fabrics and to maintain the tradition.

I also try to preserve the carefully folded seams and the running stitch used to keep them in place.













Once the bags are stitched, I find ribbon or cord for the drawstring, and buttons or odd earrings to attach to the ribbon ends so they don't disappear into the casing.






















It's a lot of fun finding the right ribbon and fixing.

It's a good way to use up buttons









or shells






























or earrings;

even ribbons from the Vergani Christmas Panetonne!

The bags vary from quite small,













to quite large and everything in between.


















I need a variety of sizes for a variety of presents.






Now the confession.

While checking out whether Fabricana was back in business, I came across RibbonsandSilk -  selling fat quarters from old saris from Byron Bay. To check them out, I bought three packs, which yielded 14 bags. my drive to recycle overrode my desire for economy! The pieces are more regular than Fabricana's were, and most had been nicely edged with an overlocker.

The tally? At last count it was 104 bags. This should get me through at least two or three years of gift giving. Think what I save on wrapping paper!